INT.

APARTMENT - NIGHT

A decent looking apartment. Movie posters on the wall. Books

on the book rack.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

A gas burner. Veggies are being cooked in a pan.

INT. HALL - NIGHT

Nikhil is walking back and forth.

ON HIS FACE --

MID CLOSE - SHOT OF NIKHIL’S FRONT/BACK WHEN HE IS TALKING ON

THE PHONE.

NIKHIL
(On call)
Main unse kya baat karun maa? He is
always angry. Aisa lagta hai jaise
maine koi crime kar diya hai!

Nikhil hears a knock on the door.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

A man on the door.

ANGLE ON DEV. NIKHIL’S SUGGESTION AND LIKE WISE. SHOT /

COUNTER-SHOT.

NIKHIL
Yes?

MAN
Hi. Saamne wale flat mein aaj shift
kar raha hun. Actually mujhe abhi
auto wale ko pay karna hai, but
mera phone dead hai.

NIKHIL
Sorry... Do you want cash?
 2.

DEV
Nahi nahi... I was asking for
charger. Apna charger maine kahin
pack kar diya hai. Auto wala wait
kar raha hain.

DEV (CONT’D)
C Type.

NIKHIL
Sure. Just a sec.

Nikhil rushes to find the charger. DEV waits at the door. He

has a huge box with him.

Nikhil comes back with a charger. He sees him struggling to

lift the box.

NIKHIL (CONT’D)
Do you need any help?

DEV
Nahi, It’s okay.

He gives the charger.

NIKHIL
By the way, I am Nikhil.

DEV
DEV. Thanks.

DEV returns to his flat. Nikhil shuts the door.

We --

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - NIGHT

We catch his silhouette against the backdrop of thousands of

glimmering lights. The city of Bombay, as visible through the
giant glass pane.

Nikhil, one such figure amidst the sea of lonesome stories.

NIKHIL
(rehearsing his lines)
Main unse kya baat karun maa? He is
always angry. Aisa lagta hai jaise
maine koi crime kar diya hai! He
blames me for everything.(changes
the tone)
(MORE)
 3.
NIKHIL (CONT’D)
Jaise maine koi crime kar diya hai.
He blames me for everything.

SHOT OF NIKHIL REHEARSING LINES - WE CATCH HIS REFLECTION IN

THE MIRROR. NIKHIL SHIFTS POSITIONS. THE CAMERA PANS FROM
NIKHIL’S REFLECTION, TO HIS FIGURE.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Lots of smoke in the kitchen. The sabji he was making has

burnt.

NIKHIL
Shit. Shit.

SHOT OF SMOKE FILLED KITCHEN. MID - LONG SHOT OF NIKHIL

STIRRING THE FOOD.

CUT TO:

INT. ROOM - NIGHT

In front of TV. Nikhil laughs while watching a scene from the

office.

SHOT OF TV. SIDE ANGLE SHOT OF NIKHIL WATCHING TV.

OR. WATCHING TV. TV SWITCHES OFF. NIKHIL’S REFLECTIONS IN TV
SCREEN. HE LEAVES.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Pan on --

A table lamp. Acting Books on the bedside table. Irrfan’s

Autobiography, Book by Michael Caine, Some dramatic texts,
hardbound scripts, Books on Method.

Muffled sound of wheezing.

Camera reaches Nikhil to reveal him twisting on the bed. He

is having trouble breathing. His hand reaches to the table to
pick up a hardbound script.

He rolls the script and blows through it.

 4.

Things calm down.

The door bell rings.

PAN + TILT ON NIKHIL. MID CLOSE. ALMOST DARK IN THE ROOM.

CUT TO:

SHOT OF - DOOR/HALLWAY.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

NIKHIL wakes up.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

DEV is on the door. He gives back the charger. He looks

visibly perturbed.

DEV
Thank you.

NIKHIL
Arre no worries.

DEV stands there, awkwardly. He clearly has something to ask

for.

NIKHIL (CONT’D)
Yes?

DEV
Can I get some water? Actually
there is no drinking water at my
place.

NIKHIL
Sure. Do you have a water bottle or
something?

DEV
Nahi.

NIKHIL
No worries. I’ll get one.
 5.

NIKHIL goes to fetch water bottle for DEV.

SHOT - COUNTER SHOT AT THE DOOR. CHEAT THE HALLWAY.

DEV comes inside. He looks around, in the --

INT. HALL - CONTINUOUS

NIKHIL comes back.

DEV
Sorry. Disturb kar diya.

NIKHIL
It’s okay. Pani wale ka number le
lena mujhse.

DEV doesn’t respond. NIKHIL is slightly uneasy.

SINGLE SHOT OF NIKHIL.

NIKHIL (CONT’D)
All okay?

SINGLE SHOT OF DEV.

DEV
Baith sakta hun main?

NIKHIL
Arre... Please sit.

DEV sits down on one of the chairs. He is fidgety.

MID-CLOSE SHOT - DEV. ANGLE CHANGE.

DEV
Akele bahut dar lag raha tha.

Clearly there is something more. NIKHIL watches him. He walks

towards DEV.

NIKHIL WALKING - ON THE EARLIER AXIS

DEV (CONT’D)
Abhi tak unpack bhi nahi kar paya.

DEV looks at the fan. NIKHIL gets the impression that he is

shivering.
 6.

TWO SHOT - NIKHIL AND DEV.

NIKHIL sits on the chair alternate to DEV.

NIKHIL
Are you feeling anxious?

Should I switch off the fan.

DEV lets out a sigh.

DEV
Nahi. Sorry aise aa gaya. I should
leave.

NIKHIL
It’s okay.

DEV
No, no. I should.

But DEV doesn’t move.

His phone buzzes. He sees the phone and does not answer it.
NIKHIL notices his ever buzzing phone.

SINGLE SHOT OF DEV.

DEV (CONT’D)
Jab se Mumbai aaya tab se ye dar
laga rahta tha.

Loud sounds. Fan hanging right on the top of DEV’s head.

DEV (CONT’D)
I do not know, how to do anything.
I don’t even know what to do!

SINGLE SHOT OF NIKHIL.

NIKHIL
Has something happened?

DEV
My father passed away. 4 ghante ho
gaye. Phone switched off tha.
Chaar ghante baad pata chala mujhe.

NIKHIL
I am sorry.
I am so sorry.
 7.

DEV
Aaj subah subah unka call aaya tha.
Shift karne mein busy tha to miss
ho gaya.

MID SHOT OF NIKHIL.

NIKHIL pours water in a glass.

DEV (CONT’D)
Kuchh cash hoga? I’ll Gpay you.
Actually, Airport nikalna hai.
Subah ki flight hai.

NIKHIL
Sure.

NIKHIL is stunned. More than DEV himself. He doesn’t move.

NIKHIL slides the water glass towards DEV --

SHOT OF WATER. DEV DRINKS WATER AND KEEPS IT BACK IN THE

FRAME. WE HOLD ON THE SURFACE OF WATER.

DEV
I am scared.

NIKHIL
I am here. In case...
When is the flight?

DEV
7:50.

EXTREME LONG SHOT OF NIKHIL AND DEV.

DEV (CONT’D)
Airport chala jata hun. Yahan
baithe rahne se better hai, wahin
wait kar lunga.

NIKHIL
Where is your... um... home town?

DEV
DaltonGanj, Jharkhand. Kal dopahar
se pahle nahin pahunch paaunga.
Pata nahin wo log mera wait bhi
karenge ya nahin!

NIKHIL
You can stay here. I mean... I am
here.
 8.

DEV’s phone keeps buzzing.

Both of them sit together in silence.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - LATER

DEV’s phone is vibrating. NIKHIL notices this.

CLOSE UP OF PHONE.

TWO SHOT OF NIKHIL AND DEV. TRY TO CATCH THEM THROUGH

REFLECTIONS.

NIKHIL
Ghar pe log hain?

DEV
Neighbors hain. But family mein no
one is there. Maa akeli hai.

NIKHIL
Baat hui unse?

DEV
Mujhme himmat hi nahi hai ki unse
baat kar paun.

Silence.

NIKHIL
Have you eaten something?

SINGLE SHOT OF DEV AND NIKHIL

DEV
Papa kahte rahte the ki Mumbai aa
jata hun kuch din ke liye, par
Purane flat mein sharing mein rahta
tha to mana kar deta tha. Socha tha
ki jab akele flat lunga tabhi unhe
bulaunga.

DEV’s phone rings again.

NIKHIL
Talk to her.

Hold on to DEV’s face.

CUT TO:
 9.

INT. IN FRONT OF BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

SHOT OF BATHROOM DOOR. SLIGHT PUSH IN.

DEV is in the bathroom. We hear muffled sounds. He is talking

to his mother.

Water tap sound.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - CONTINUOUS

SHOT AND COUNTER SHOT OF DEV AND NIKHIL. DEV - LONG SHOT.

DEV enters the hall. His face is all washed. NIKHIL looks at
him.

DEV
Can I smoke?

INT. HALL - LATER

TWO SHOT. CHARACTERS ARE NOT FACING THE CAMERA.

DEV is smoking. NIKHIL is sitting.

DEV
Where are your parents?

NIKHIL
Father stays in Dehradun. Mom died
during covid.

DEV
Sorry.

NIKHIL
No. I mean, she was here with me.
Kuchh khas kar nahi paya.

DEV
Papa kaise hain?

NIKHIL
I don’t know. I mean... We don’t do
well.

STUBBING OF CIGARETTE. HOLD.

DEV stubs the cigarette.

 10.

A long pause.

NIKHIL (CONT’D)
I’ll make some tea.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - LATER

MID SHOT OF NIKHIL.

NIKHIL brings two cup of tea. He sees that DEV’s eyes are
closed. He keeps the cups on the table. Dawn breaking outside
the window.

NIKHIL sits on the chair. PENSIVE.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - MORNING

CLOSE IN NIKHIL.

NIKHIL wakes up to find DEV has left already. One of the cups
is empty.

NIKHIL goes towards the window pane and looks outside.

LONG SHOT - HALL.

It is morning. The city has waken up.

NIKHIL (O.S.)
Main unse kya baat karun maa? He is
always angry. Aisa lagta hai jaise
maine koi crime kar diya hai!

CUT TO:

INT. ROOM - MORNING

LOOKS IN THE CAMERA AND SHAVES.

In front of mirror. NIKHIL is shaving. He has a cut on his

face.

NIKHIL
He blames me for everything.
 11.

INT. ROOM - MORNING

Nikhil is dressed. In front of mirror, he rehearses his

lines. This time pitch perfect.

MIRROR SHOT OF NIKHIL.

NIKHIL
Maa, the city can be cruel
sometimes... Specially at nights.
Most of us have a roof to sleep
under but Maa...

He checks the lines in script. He reads them.

NIKHIL (CONT’D)
Maa, there are no homes in this
city.

He picks up a small bag and leaves for work. He stops for a

beat -- looks at the flat next to his. It is locked.

NIKHIL OUTSIDE THE FLAT. PAN ON -

SHOT OF DEV’S FLAT.

NIKHIL (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Maa, there are no homes in this
city.

NIKHIL takes stairs.

PAN STOPS.

On the staircase, he crosses a girl, 26, well dressed,

visibly perturbed.

We stay at her.

NIKHIL (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Hello, Pa... Papa, Hello!

We hear NIKHIL’s footsteps -- for good 5 seconds -- then we --

CUT TO BLACK.

FIN.