MUNI'S SIDES

EXT. PORT BLAIR, GREAT ANDAMAN TRUNK ROAD - LATE NIGHT

A LONE SCOOTER plods on a deserted highway. CHIRANJEEVI, 30s,

sits ahead. It was his voice we were hearing. Behind him sits,
MUNI, 22, who reacts to what was just said.
CHIRANJEEVI
Paani... Chaaro taraf bas... paani. Jidhar
tak tera nazar jaega, udhar tak paani.
Aur uska aage bhi paani.
CHIRANJEEVI
Andaman ke andar nature ne apna saara
khazana chhupaya hua hai. Ped paudha
aadmi janwar ka idhar woh sab jati- prajati
milta hai, jo duniya mein kidhar aur nahi
milta. Aur yeh khazane ka protection ke
liye, is jameen ko 24-7 security deta hai -
paani. Taaki idhar kadam bas wahi rakh
paye, jo khazane ka asli haqdaar hai.
MUNI
Par phir... isko Kaala Paani kyun bolte
hain?
CHIRANJEEVI
Odisha se first time bahar nikla hai na tu?
MUNI
Han. Pundi bhai bole paisa kamana hai toh
Andaman aaja. Udhar Rutland mein family
ke liye ek jhuggi bhi dila diye.
CHIRANJEEVI
Bas. Ban gaya tu khazane ka asli
haqdaar! Ekdum season pe aaya hai.
Woh dekh raha hai?

Now amidst the interiors of the town, their necks slant as they go
past a gigantic hoarding.
'ATOM BIDS FAREWELL TO 2027 with SWARAJ
MAHOTSAV -
Celebrating the Andamans!'
 2.

CHIRANJEEVI (cont'd)
Dekhna is saal New Year pe, Goa se
zyada tourist, idhar... Port Blair mein
dikhega.

At the END OF A STREET, the scooter slows down.

Chiranjeevi stops the vehicle. Muni gets down. Looks across the road.
He looks up at something, intimidated.
MUNI
Yeh...?
CHIRANJEEVI
Tera naya office. Asli Kaala Paani.

The apex of the CELLULAR JAIL towers upon them. Despite the bright
lights, the century-old penitentiary looks ominous even to this date.
The two men approach it.

Chiranjeevi bangs on the gate. An old guard wakes up.

CHIRANJEEVI (cont'd)
Sujoy Kaku, Chiru! (points) Yeh naya
ladka - Muni.

The guard, SUJOY, slowly rises. Looks for the key. Muni takes a
step back. Looks unnerved by the structure.
MUNI
Toh humara freedom fighter log is jail
mein band hota tha? Baap re!

Muni says a prayer. Holds his locket. Chiranjeevi notices the deity figure
on it. It is that of LORD JAGANNATH.
CHIRANJEEVI
Idhar ka jailer David Barry khud ko God
maanta tha. Bolta tha uske jail ke deewar
ke bahar - bhagwaan bhi ruk jata hai.

Sujoy opens the lock of the main gate. TTHUNG!

Chiranjeevi and Muni walk the length of the compound.

MUNI
Par Chiranjeevi bhai, isko Kaala Paani
kyun bolte hain?
CHIRANJEEVI
Chiru.
 3.

MUNI
Kya?
CHIRANJEEVI
Chiru! Dost log Chiru bolte hain. (beat) Toh
dekh liya? Subah 4-9 idhar safai karna, phir
9-9 mera taxi chalana. Aur mera ehsaan
aur commission - kabhi mat bhoolna.
MUNI
Are kabhi nahi. Aapka wajah se mera
behen phir se school ja paega.
CHIRANJEEVI
Thoda extra commission dega toh aaj ke
aaj behen ka school admission bhi ho
jaega. (taps phone)

INT. CELLULAR JAIL, MEN'S WASHROOM - CRACK OF DAWN

Muni fills a bucket under a tap. Chiranjeevi throws a mop towards

him, and walks away.
CHIRANJEEVI
Chal. Shaam ko milta hun.
MUNI
Are Chiru bhai. Kaala Paani...? Kyun bolte
hain, yeh toh bata do.
CHIRANJEEVI
Kaala Paani nahi, is jagah ko pahle Kaal
Paani bolte the. Kaal maane mrityu.
CHIRANJEEVI (cont'd)
Matlab ek baar koi is paani ke
beechobeech aa gaya... uska yahan se
bach ke jaana namumkin hai.

A beat. Chiru and Muni stare at each other. Finally... Chiru cracks, and
laughs his heart out.
MUNI
Kya Chiru bhai! Phirst day mein aisa koi
darata hai kya?
CHIRANJEEVI
Abe itna seriously kaun leta hai?

Muni leaves, Chiru follows him out of the washroom. As they exit, we
MOVE TOWARDS the TAP filling the bucket.
 4.

The FLOW OF WATER from it gradually gets thinner.

An
d thinner. And thinner. And.... It stops.

The LAST DROP OF WATER hangs on the edge of the tap. Then
dives and concludes as a ripple on the water surface.