1 INT.

AISHA'S BEDROOM -DAY

Aisha is standing in front of the open wooden almirah,

holding a burqa in her hand. She has a towel on her shoulder.
There are light smoke and the smell of Agharbattis from the
other hall. This room felt like an island. She felt safer.
She looked tired and exhausted, not only from not sleeping
yesterday, built from the long thirty years of restless
wifehood. The noise of people shouting and ordering around
can be heard from the other side of the window. Cant, they
give a little space here. She wished if everyone there, the
all the white-clad shaitans crying out there would burn. She
quickly uttered a prayer asking forgiveness. A sound of a
jeep staring and a sudden loud sound of its reverse tune.
Aisha pulls hard on the burqa that it tears. Aisha looks at
the torn burqa trying to compose herself back. Someone knocks
at the door. She keeps the burqa to a corner in the almirah.
She shoves the cloth further in biting her teeth. She utters
a quick prayer. and turns around and opens the door. She is
relieved and turns and walks back towards the almirah as
Paathu(Fathima) walks in and latches the door.

PAATHU:
avaru ninnolum. Umma kulichitt
va.(They can wait. Umma go take your
bath)

Aisha keeps a set of dress on the bed and walks into the
bathroom.

2 INT. CLOSED SPACE BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN THE HALL - DAY

Women in sarees and burqas with their veils up are sitting on

the floor. Jamila brings a tray with glasses of water and
gives that to two elderly women and keep the rest there and
sits down. Aftab looks inside the curtain furious.

AFTAB:
ithethra nerayi. Mayyathedukkan
samayayi. Aisha evde. (How long is it
taking? it's late already to take the
body. Where the hell is Aisha)

JAMILA:
kulikkan. ipo verum. (She's bathing.
It's almost over. she will come now)

Jamila walks out and knocks on the door.

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 2.

3 INT. HALL DEAD BODY OF THE HUSBAND KEPT FOR DISPLAY.

AFTAB:
ellarum onnu purathottirangiye, avaru
mayyath niskarikkatte. (Everyone
please get outside. let them prepare
for the prayer)

gestures everyone to move out. turns to the next set of

people.

AFTAB
entha kathunikkane,
pettennonnerangikke. neram ethra
pokunne..... Aneese ni a vellathinte
chembonn nerach vekk. (What are you
waiting for? please move to outside.
Anees, get that trunk of water there
for people to drink)

Aftab leads everyone out and waits. He comes back to the

curtain.

AFTAB
Ivalithuvare vannile. Jamila, ni poi
avale vilichond va. ithenth kuliya
ith. ithentha pennu kanalinu onnum
allallo. (Hasn't she come yet? Jamila,
go call her fast. What are you all
doing here? How long does she need to
bathe? She's not getting ready to see
her groom ids she?)

Jamila looking tensed rushes to the next room door again. And
knocks on the door louder this time.

Aftab goes out and closes the door while leaving.

JAMILA
Aisha.. Aisha..

She knocks again more harshly. looks back to see if Aftab is

looking.

JAMILA
paathuu.. ni kathakonnu
thoranne.(paathu.. open the door)

Abu(cat) cries from inside. Jamila knocks again. pause.

Paathu half opens the door.

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 3.

PAATHU:
entha (what?)

JAMILA
Aysha evde. niskarikkan samayayi.
(Where is Aisha? Its time for the
prayer)

PAATHU:
umma kulichondirikka. (She is
bathing.)

JAMILA
pettenn varan para. (Ask her to come
fast. How long does she need)

Jamila tries to enter. Paathu doesn't open the door.

PAATHU:
umma verum. ithatha paayokke virikk.
(Umma will come. You get the mats
ready)

4 INT. HALL - DAY

The dead body is in the middle. The women are kneeling

around. Aisha and paathu wlks in and kneels down on the reed
mat. Jamila kneels down beside Aisha and gives her a book.

JAMILA:
itha thudangikko Aisha. (Here, Start
from here Aisha)

Aisha takes the book from Jamila and looks into it trying to
figure out how to start. A baby crying in the background. One
woman kneeling gets up and runs inside. The baby continues
crying. Aisha holds the book up and starts to read but is
broken by sobs. The baby's cries settle down. Paathu holds
her as Aisha sits down sobbing. Jamila takes the book from
her and starts reading.

5 EXT. AISHA'S HOUSE - DAY

Aftab calls out looking at no one.

AFTAB
Aneese ni aa vandi ividekk matti idan
para.njan appurathunn ithiri kanji
kudichittu varam. ( Anees, Ask to move
that vehicle here. I will go have some
porridge and come)

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 4.

STRANGER1
Pallilekk vandikkano. (Is the body
being taken to the mosque on a
vehicle?)

AFTAB
aah.

Aftab walks to the gate briskly.

OFFSCREEN VOICE
do. aa vandi ingottedutho. ..
ningalokke onn angott maari ninne. ..
aa ummarathu nikkunnoronnu maari nikk.
ikka onn ithiri vazhi koduthe ikka.
aah poratte poratte.

(GUIDES SOME VEHICLE TO MOVE AND ASKS

PEOPLE TO GIVE WAY)

Sound of the vehicle starting and reverse tune on and off.

ambulance parks in the front of the house.

6 INT. CLOSED SPACE BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN THE HALL - DAY

Aisha watches through the curtain the body being taken. She
tries to move forward but Jamila holds her.

She keeps crying.

AISHA
enne onn kanikk itha.. njan onn
kanatte itha.. mole paathu.. ( Let me
go see once, sister. Please show me
once. Paathu..)

JAMILA
nikk Aisha. shhh. ocha vekkalle. ocha
vekkalle Aisha. (Stop Aisha. shhh.
What are you doign. Dont make noise.
Keep it low)

Aisha starts to collapse. Jamila holds her. Paathu looks

stern at them and comes and hold Aisha by the elbow.

As the crowd moves out, light from the open door falls on the
floor and the curtain. It emphasizes the thick smoke in the
room from the agarbattis. The crowds clattering shouts on how
to carry the body fades out. Aftab's distinct orders can be
heard at a distance. The view of the sky through from the
curtain's behind where Aisha was standing, was getting too

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 5.

bright for her eyes. It is silent all around. Can hear the
murmur of kids from the other room.

She looked away towards the side of the kitchen where it was
dimmer. and then looked at Paathu. She could see that Paathu
was looking concerned and was looking constantly at her while
holding her tightly. There was a couple of other hands also
holding her. Jamila was looking out and at her alternatively.

Everyone around eases out their straight stiff poses. they

start to spread around the house finding their comfortable
spaces to sit.

ONE OF THE ELDER WOMEN

Jamila, ithiri vellam eduthe mole. (
Jamila, please get some water)

JAMILA
ipo konduvaram itha. (I will bring it
now, sister)

Jamila gently leaves Aisha's hand and walk to the kitchen and
from there to the back yard. Almost everyone is sitting on
chairs or the sofa. Aisha, Paathu and a couple of others sit
on the floor with Aisha as their focal point. Jamila comes
with water. Jamila removes the curtain. Aisha wiping her nose
gets up. The Surrounding seemed more lit than she has ever
seen the place to be. it was uncomfortably lit.

JAMILA:
mole, avakkithiri vellam kodukk.
(Paathu..Give her(Aisha some water))

Paathu picks up a glass of water. Aisha walks inside. Paathu

follows with the glass of water. The door to the bedroom was
crossed with a sense of freedom. Paathu closed the door
behind. Jamila looked at the door for a brief moment.

WOMAN1
(hushing)
Paavathungalu. Athungale entha Jamila
cheyyane.
(poor ones. What do we do with
them Jamila?)

Woman1 goes into the bedroom. Two other women follow.

//JAMILA
porelekku kondovanna ikka paranje.
allandippo enth cheyyana. nammalu
vende inippo chelavinu kodukkan.
(Ikka said we'll take them to our )

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 6.

(house. What other way do we have?

Who else will provide for them?)

WOMAN2
oork bhagyond ningalokke ndallo
nokkan. ikkalathippo aarikka swanthom
bandhom okke.
(They are lucky. Who nowadays
values relations)

JAMILA
angane upekshikkan patto. veraru
nokkana.
(looks at Rukiya)
(How is it possible to strand
them? who else will take care of
them? who will provide for them?)

WOMAN1
(also looks at Rukiya)
inn thanne kootikond povo.
(Will you be taking them there
today itself?)

JAMILA
ey. nale. alle mattanna. Paathunte
collegilum ponam. sadhanangalokke
eduthitt varanam.
(no. Tomorrow. Or the day after.
We will have to go to Paathu's
college also. And take her things
back.)

Rukiya gets up and goes to the bedroom.

WOMAN1
oolde padutham kazhiyarayille.
alochana onnum aayille.
(isn't her studies over yet. arent
you looking for some match for
her?)

JAMILA
aah. nammade mamuukkante monte oru
alochana ind. nalla bandha. ath
pettenn ang nadathanna.pennungal
padichittenthina. athum ipo ikka
thanne nadathendi verum.
(We have thought of a match with
mammukka's son. it's a very good
one. we are planning to get that
over fast. why should girls study
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more? moreover, now, Ikka will )
 7.

(have to take responsibility for

the marriage expenses too.)

WOMAN1
athippo verenth cheyyana. aah.

iyy poi nthengilum kazhikk

njanerangaan. Veetil pidippath pani
kedaknu. poitt venam veetukarikk kanji
eduth kodukkan.
(huh. what else can be done? we
should take responsibility for
our family right?.. Go and have
something to eat, Jamila. I'm
leaving also. I have a lot of
work left at home. I have to
reach and serve food for all.)

Jamila looks at the bedroom door. Woman1 goes to the bedroom.

Two other women follow. Sound of a small truck. Reverse tune.
Jamila goes outside to check. Two people have already started
folding and loading chairs and desks that had been rented.
The women come out and start to leave one of them carrying a
sleeping baby.

WOMAN2
njangal eranga Jamila. Aishakk ithiri
kanjio vello enthaann vecha kodukk.
Aisha kazhikkand Paathum kazhikkilla.
(We are leaving Jamila. Give Aisha
some porridge or water. If Aisha
won't eat, Paathu won't eat
either.)

JAMILA
njan dha appurathekk pova.
(Yea. I'm going to the next house
to get food.)

JAMILA
(goes inside, then, looking inside
the bedroom and looks at Rukiya
and Rebecca murmuring to Aisha
waits for a moment till they turn
and see her.)
Rukiyatha ningal okke onn enit vayo.
ellarum vann ithiri kanji kudikk.
Kutiolum onnum kazhichitilla.
(Rukiyatha, You all please get up
and come and eat something. The
kids also have not eaten
anything.)
(walking to the other room)
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 8.

ubaidee, rehnaa..
(calling out names of kids)

7 INT. AISHA'S BEDROOM -DAY

Aisha lying in Paathu's lap. Rukiya sitting on the bed.

Rebecca sitting on a chair drawn close to the bed

RUKIYA
Aishaa, va vann ithiri kanji kudikk.
Paathuu.. ni chell.. aa kuttiakle
kootikond chell. Aishaane njangalu
kutikond vara.
(Aisha, Come and have some
porridge Paathu, you go, take the
kids also with you and get some
food. we will bring Aisha)

PAATHU:
Itha pokko itha. Ummaak kurach kazhinj
mathi. Ningalu porumbo kurach kanji
ingottedutho.
(You can go. Umma doesn't want
anything now. YOu bring something
when you come back from there)

RUKIYA
enki ni va. namuk poitt varam.
(Then you come at least. we will
go and come. we will bring food
for her)

PAATHU:
njanum ummade kude kazhicholam.
enikkithiri mathi.
(I shall also eat with Umma. I
don't need much myself.)

RUKIYA
Ni vanne mole. vann kazhikk
(Dont stay hungry dear. Come and
eat. come now.)

PAATHU:
ingalu chell ithaa, varumbo kondunna
mathi.
(Please go, aunt. bring some when
you come if possible)

Rukiya looks at Rebecca. They both get up.

Created using Celtx REBECCA

MOle..
 9.

(Please go and come, Rebeccatha)

Rukiya and Rebecca leave. Aisha breaks down and cries as soon
as they both leave. Paathu hugs her and caresses her hair.
She just holds her tight. Aisha slowly stops crying and rests
in Paathus hands.

PAATHU:
Ummaa.. Nammakk ivde thanne nikka
ummaa. Upaante accounti kurach
paisendaville. Ikkollam class kazhinja
njanoru joli tharapeduth.
(Ummaa, let's stay here. won't
Dad's account has some money?
I'll get a job once my class gets
over this year)

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