C*nsorship

By

Mitali Panganti
Dattaprasad Godbole
Page 1

Panel Description Dialog

1.1 We see a young person, Caption: Somewhere in India, near

CARTOONIST, wearing future.
tantra-shirts, harem pants,
sketch-pad, and an earring,
stepping out of a bus into
a remote village. There are
posters of Golmaal 25 & Dhoom
20. The cast consists entirely
of Robots.

1.2 Cartoonist is sketching on a

wooden boat on a river.

1.3 A pigeon with a note to his OARSMAN

leg is in the foreground
sitting on the tree. In the
background, the boat is on
the banks of a river, near
the edge of a forest. The
Cartoonist is handing over
his cell phone and wallet to
the oarsman.
Before you meet him, you’ll need
to hand me your wallet, cellphone,
Sim-card, even key chain with
compass.
CARTOONIST
Alright, here’s everything I
have.

1.4 The pigeon’s leg with the note

is in the foreground, the face
of the Cartoonist reaching for
it in the background.

1.5 The note reads: Where do

pigeons go for Honeymoon?
Page 2

Panel Description Dialog

2.1 The Cartoonist writes,

"Cooorrrrg"...

2.2 ...and releases the pigeon and

it flies away.

2.3 A bearded disheveled Caption: Some time later...

silhouette, EDITOR, emerges
behind the cartoonist. There’s
a pigeon resting on shoulder
of the silhouette. Just below
the pigeon are multiple stains
of poop. Silhouette has been
doing this doing this for a
long time, unlike cleaning.
Meanwhile, the cartoonist is
passing time by picking his
nose.

2.4 The Editor’s silhouette comes EDITOR

close and with menacing eyes "What brings you here?"
says:

2.5 The cartoonist smiles and CARTOONIST

replies "Visa to jail, as you call it"
EDITOR
(Rolling his eyes)
"Damn! New submissions. Let’s go
to my office!"
PIGEON
(rolling his eyes)
"Cyoooo!!!"
Page 3
Panel Description
3.1 The office is set up in a
clearing in the middle of
the forest. There’s a large
board that reads ’The Urban
Chronicle’. There’s a table
and a chair at the centre. It
is surrounded by two shelves.
The shelves have smaller
boards on them. The board
reads ’Inbox’ and the right
board reads ’Editorial Notes’.
The Inbox has cages with
pigeons poking their heads out
of them. The Editorial Notes
has a row of parrots repeating
different feedbacks.
3.2 The Editor and the cartoonist
take their seats.
Dialog
PARROT 1
"These aren’t your marriage photos
to be in color"
PARROT 2
"Remove the first two paragraph
and the last two paragraphs,
rewrite the rest of them."
PARROT 2 BCC
(This parrot is the same design as
Parrot 2, but blind)
"BCC: Remove the first two
paragraph and the last two
paragraphs, rewrite the rest of
them."
PARROT 3
"Send it to the press immediately"
PARROT 4
"Get to the point in the first
line or write a resignation
letter"
PARROT 5
(Looks insane)
"Mazaa nahi aa raha... Mazaa nahi
aa raha"
Page 4

Panel Description Dialog

4.1 The cartoonist is 2 feet up in CARTOONIST

the air with excitement. "Can’t wait to tell you the ideas.
They’re brilliant."

THE EDITOR
(left eye twitching)
"I hate brilliant. Give
me something that can be
published..."

4.2 The cartoonist has a smile as CARTOONIST

wide as a television. "Let’s take up judge’s
verdict-for-favour scandal. Let’s
show lady justice covering her
eyes, but peeking anyway."

4.3 The Editor’s head expands EDITOR

to shout on the cartoonist, "That’s contempt of court. Submit
who has shrunken down at this it directly to the police station!
display of rage. "

4.4 The cartoonist meekly says CARTOONIST

"Okie, how bout fake medicines?"

EDITOR
(relieved)
"Phew! That sounds harmless."
Page 5

Panel Description Dialog

5.1 Cartoonist is excited again, CARTOONIST

"So, we have Baba Afro Swamy
showing a vial of Covinash..."

5.2 The Editor pops a nerve EDITOR

"Stop! Stop! Stop!.."

5.3 The editor blows up like a EDITOR

volcano "Baba Afro Swamy keeps this
publication afloat. If he pulls
out money...

5.4 The editor points towards EDITOR

the parrot. The parrots
rearrange themselves like a
poor-destitute family.
(continuing)
"I’ll have to fire this parrot. Do
you want me to fire this parrot?
Her whole species is banking on
her to not be extinct."

5.5 The cartoonist laughs CARTOONIST

nervously "Alright, how ’bout environment?
That’s a cause everyone can get
behind."

5.6 The editor holds his own head EDITOR

"Yes, please..."
Page 6

Panel Description Dialog

6.1 The cartoonist with dreamy CARTOONIST

eyes "We show how the pollution caused
by all the festivals..."

6.2 The editor’s eyes spring out EDITOR

of his sockets "NOOOO!!!!"
CARTOONIST
"C’mon!"

6.3 The editor continues EDITOR

"You vilify religions, you go
to jail. To avoid jail, you
appropriate the religions."

6.4 The smile has returned to CARTOONIST

the Cartoonist’s face, he’s
bending forward.
"You mean, we should turn our
leaders into gods?"
EDITOR
(back to normal)
"Yup! And literally demonize the
people they hate."

CARTOONIST
"...and the Gods slays the
demons?"

EDITOR
Now, we’re on the right track!

6.5 Immediately, a barrel of a gun SUAVE POLICE OFFICER

slides up from under the desk, (under the table, off-frame)
and the speech bubble says. "You’re under arrest"
Page 7

Panel Description Dialog

7.1 The SUAVE POLICE OFFICER is

suave, wears Khaki but has
mannerisms of an FBI officer,
also wears aviator shades, was
crouching all along under the
desk.

7.2 Rest of the officers SUAVE PARROT 1

HAWALDAR 1, SUAVE HAWALDAR 2, BANG-BANG!!
& SUAVE HAWALDAR 3 emerge from
the trees. They’re holding PARROT 2
their sticks like guns. The THAYE!!
birds are making sounds
PARROT 2 CC
THAYE!!

PARROT 2 BCC
THAYE!!
PARROT 3
BISHOOM!
PARROT 4
DISHOOM!!
PARROT 5
(still looks insane)
Mazaa nahin aaya... Mazaa nahin
aaya

7.3 The editor is in the SUAVE HAWALDAR 1

foreground and surrounded by
the Suave Police Officer and
Hawaldars.
"You have to remain silent... "
SUAVE POLICE OFFICER
"Right to remain silent"
SUAVE HAWALDAR 1
"Thank you, sir. You have right to
remain silent."
Page 7

Panel Description Dialog

7.4 The Editor screams. EDITOR

"What are you arresting us for?"

SUAVE HAWALDAR 2
"Defaming our leader to
destabilize our nation."
EDITOR
"What? We were praising his
Holiness."

7.5 The Cartoonist is baffled

Page 8

Panel Description Dialog

8.1 The Suave Police Officer SUAVE POLICE OFFICER

raises an eye brow above his You’re showing our humble leader
shades. as a person who likes think of
himself as God? You’re under
arrest.

8.2 The Suave Hawaldars slap the

Cartoonist.

8.3 The Editor, still cuffed, EDITOR

but smiling, trying to talk "Alright, we’ll portray him as a
himself out of the situation. common man"

SUAVE POLICE OFFICER

"What?! You want to show our
leader is like any tom, dick, and
harry? You’re under arrest.

8.4 The Suave Hawaldars slap the CARTOONIST

Cartoonist again. (In tears)
"Why did I choose arts?"

8.5 The Editor gives a frustrated EDITOR

grin "How bout you tell us how to
portray our great leader. We’ll
publish it like that."

SUAVE POLICE OFFICER

"Now you’re implying our leader’s
a dictator. Guess what?"

8.6 All the Suave Hawaldars and SUAVE POLICE OFFICER & EVERYBODY
Police Officers pose up like a ELSE
boy band "You’re under arrest."