Ahalya by Sujoy Ghosh

Ahalya Story/Screenplay by Sujoy Ghosh

1. FADE IN: I/E. VARIOUS - VARIOUS A series of dolls. Almost like miniature human beings. Perfectly carved out of stone. Standing in a row. CLOSE IN on one doll’s face.. A young man.. a pleasant smile on the young man’s face. In the background a door bell rings. A police sub inspector stands outside the two storey house. A very normal middle class house. The Inspector’s badge read INDRA SEN. No answer. Indra rings the bell again. The name plate on the door reads GOUTAM SAHDU. Indra steps back to look.. He can see some one move behind the curtains, on the first floor. Indra turns and is startled to see a beautiful woman standing in front of him. He did not even hear the door open, let alone the woman appearing. For a second, Indra is taken aback by the beauty of the woman. Perhaps the most beautiful woman in the world. Yes?

THE WOMAN

INDRA (tongue tied) I’m here to see Mr. Sadhu CUT TO: Indra walks behind the beautiful woman, through the semi dark passage. CUT TO: The woman brings Indra to the sitting room. THE WOMAN Please wait here. I will inform Mr. Sadhu. Would you like something? Tea....? INDRA Some tea, if it’s not a problem. The woman smiles. The room lights up. THE WOMAN No not a problem at all. FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

2. The SOUND of something falling in the background. Inder turns. Couple of the dolls have fallen on the floor. The woman walks over to pick them up.. She smiles at Inder. THE WOMAN (CONT’D) I have never solved this mystery. Every time some one new comes in this room, the dolls fall down!! Indra is dazzled by The woman. As she bends to pick up the dolls, Indra can almost see her breasts. Indra turns his look away.. INDRA Maybe the fan.. The woman nods as if that could be the reason.. She places the dolls back in their position and mockingly scolds them.. THE WOMAN All of you are becoming very naughty!! The woman turns to Indra, a dazzling smile on her face.. THE WOMAN (CONT’D) Please wait. Indra is alone in the room. He breathes a sigh of relief.. INDRA (to himself) Holy shit!! What was that!! Indra looks around the room. A large room, clearly belonging to an artiste. Lots of sculptures and paintings.. A large painting from Ramayan which seems out of place. It is a painting of Ram turning a stone into a woman. A cupboard inside which there is a small stone resembling a large pebble. Kept very carefully and in a precious manner. Indra wonders why? Looks like any average stone from the street. Indra walks about looking at the room and stops near the shelf of the doll. He notices something.. He picks up a doll and looks closely at it’s face.. Brings out a photo of a man from his pocket. Checks the photo and the doll. They are the same, as if the doll was modelled on the person in the photo. Indra puts the doll back on the table, thinking. Turns back to head to the sofa when.. The doll falls again. FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

3. Indra is surprised. The fan is off. The doors are shut. Only the air conditioner is on. That too the breeze is in a complete different direction. Indra is about to put the doll back when a voice is heard from the background.. GOUTAM (O.S.) Again it has fallen!! Indra looks. An elegant man in his late seventies walk in. It is obvious that Indra has never met or seen the man before. The man, very active for his age, walks up to Indra. Shakes his hand and takes the doll.. GOUTAM (CONT’D) Goutam Sadhu. Puts the doll back and turns to Indra, gesturing him to sit on the sofa. GOUTAM (CONT’D) It’s the mystery you know. This falling of the dolls.. Goutam lights a cigarette. Offers to Indra, who refuses. INDRA Yes. I know. Your daughter was telling me.. Goutam is surprised. His eyebrows rise.. GOUTAM My daughter?! Almost, as if on cue, The woman enters the room with tea. Yes..

INDRA

Indra gestures toward The woman. Goutam is amused and breaks into hearty laughter. GOUTAM Her? Unfortunately you are wrong Inspector. She happens to be my better half. Even The woman is amused. Indra is embarrassed. Sorry..

INDRA

GOUTAM Areh no no.. It’s a common mistake. I tried explaining to this mad girl also.. She should move on. (MORE) FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

4. GOUTAM (CONT'D) Find someone who has more life in him. I don’t know what she sees in me. It’s not even that I am good in bed.. THE WOMAN (irritated) Uff! Will you stop talking rubbish! Goutam smiles. GOUTAM Talking rubbish is also a function of age my dear.. The woman ignoring turns to Inder.. THE WOMAN How many sugar? Indra gestures one. GOUTAM What rubbish! Why are you giving him pansy drink like tea? Give him some scotch.. I have some fantastic single malt Inspector.. Will make your blood run like a wild horse.. All this tea fee has turned us into pansies. Look at me, I am 78.. I drink and smoke to my hearts content Indra smiles. INDRA Not while on duty. The woman gives Indra the cup. Their fingers touch. It’s like an electric current for Indra. Goutam does not notice. GOUTAM So what can I do for you Inspector? INDRA I am here to.. The woman gets up. THE WOMAN Sorry. I will leave you to talk. (to Goutam) Come up after you finish. GOUTAM At once my darling.

FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

5. INDRA Thank you for the tea. The woman smiles politely and leaves the room. Goutam watches her leave with an admiration on his face. GOUTAM Beautiful isn’t she? Indra not sure how to react, nods his head. GOUTAM (CONT’D) All my creations are only by her. Every inch of her inspires me. People say I am one of the world’s greatest sculptor, but without my wife I am nothing. INDRA That’s very admirable. Not many likes sharing credit. GOUTAM No. Whatever I am is because of her. Indra brings out the photo. INDRA Mr. Sadhu.. This man is missing. Last known, he had come to meet you. Goutam looks at the photo. GOUTAM Yes. He is a model. I forget his name.. Arjun Roy.

INDRA

GOUTAM Yes. Arjun. Beginning to forget names now. He came to model for me and after that I really don’t know. In fact my last doll was modelled.. INDRA Yes I saw. But Mr. Sadhu isn’t it a little unusual? What?

GOUTAM

INDRA Using men as models? I mean normally all artistes use women.. FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

6. Indra takes a sip of the tea. Goutam gets up to walk around the room and show his creations.. GOUTAM Really? If a woman, then I have the world’s most beautiful woman in my own house. How can I get better than that? But jokes, aside.. I find the male species much more beautiful. Much more graceful. If you don’t believe me, look at the animal kingdom. The lion, the peacock, the tiger.. The males are the beautiful ones. INDRA So he came to you to be a model? GOUTAM Yes. He was in desperate need for money I remember... And then.. Goutam stops. As if he has remembered. INDRA Mr. Sadhu? You were saying? GOUTAM (muttering) Oh no! INDRA “Oh no” what? GOUTAM I made a mistake. I told him about the stone. INDRA What stone? GOUTAM Inspector.. I ‘m afraid you won’t believe me if I tell you. Try me.

INDRA

Goutam opens the cupboard and brings out the stone. He puts it in the table between him and Indra. Something VIBRATES. Goutam checks. The woman has left her mobile on the sofa. GOUTAM She keeps leaving her mobile everywhere. Any minute now she will scream.. Indra is about to pick up the stone. FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

7.

Careful. Why?

GOUTAM (CONT’D) INDRA

GOUTAM It has magic powers. INDRA (amused) What magic powers does it have? GOUTAM Have you read the Ramayan? INDRA Once. When I was very young. I know the basic story line. Goutam bursts out laughing. GOUTAM I love it. “Basic story line” must remember that. Okay so the “basic story line“ of this stone isThe god.. (pauses) In fact your name sake.. Indra was a very mischievous one. He had a stone which allowed him to turn into any person that he wanted to.. INDRA Whoa. STOP. This stone can turn you into anyone you want?? Are you fucking serious? GOUTAM I told you.. You won’t believe me. INDRA And how is this linked to Arjun? GOUTAM He was scared of some people and begged me to allow him to use the stone so he could hide from them. Indra gets up flabbergasted. INDRA Mr. Sadhu.. You are telling me that this stone has allowed Arjun to change into some other person? GOUTAM I warned him. But he was adamant. FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

8. INDRA Rubbish. Mr. Sadhu I need you to come to the police station. And I suggest you inform your lawyer. I’m arresting you on suspicion of murder. GOUTAM I’m telling you the truth Inspector. The woman’s voice comes from upstairs.. THE WOMAN (O.S.) Darling.. Can you please bring me my mobile.. Try it. What?

GOUTAM INDRA

GOUTAM You don’t believe me. Try it. Put it in your hand and think you are me. Then go and give the mobile to my wife. Indra looks at Goutam. His eyes filled with disbelief. Goutam places the stone in his palm. CUT TO: Indra goes up to the first floor.. With the mobile in his hand. He can see the door to the bedroom. He stops to wonder what the fuck is he doing.. When he sees inside The woman in a more casual wear.. Lying on the bed. Flicking through television channels. Unbelievably sexy. Indra opens the door. The woman looks at him. Stretches out her hand. THE WOMAN Give. How long are you going to take with that policeman? Indra mechanically gives the phone. Stunned. Looks at the mirror. To his horror he sees the reflection of Goutam. THE WOMAN (CONT’D) And why did you lie that you are not good in bed? Get rid of him and come up at once. I want to make love. CUT TO:

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9. Almost in a trance, Indra walks out of the room. But the image of The woman is too strong. He turns back. The woman looks up. A mesmerizing smile comes on her face. She stretches her arms out to Indra.. THE WOMAN (CONT’D) Come. Make love to me. Indra loses himself in The woman’s arm. He can smell her fragrance. The whole world seem filled with bliss. His head is feeling a little light. Indra in happiness, closes his eyes. CUT TO: Indra wakes up. He is feeling claustrophobic. He seems to be closed in a box. He can only move his eyes. To his left he can see Goutam and The woman talking to another man, who looks like a model. Indra tries to grab their attention. He screams desperately. INDRA Help me, Help Me.. Indra realizes no one can hear him. He tries to break out. It’s like he is trapped in a nightmare. He tries to move. He cannot. He tries harder and desperately and suddenly finds himself falling. Goutam and the woman turns as one the dolls fall. The model also look. The woman walks over.. GOUTAM I have never solved this mystery. Every time some one new comes in this room, the dolls fall down!! The woman picks up the doll.. Shows it to Goutam.. A proud smile comes on Goutam’s face. GOUTAM (CONT’D) My latest creation, all thanks to my wife.. Turns to the model. GOUTAM (CONT’D) Would you like some tea? The model nods. Goutam shouts out to his wife.. GOUTAM (CONT’D) Ahalya.. A cup of tea for our guest.

FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh

10. Ahalya nods hearing her husband, places the doll of Indra back with the others. A smile comes on her face.. AHALYA (mock anger) Now don’t you start becoming naughty like the others! CUT TO: BLACK on which the title is typed..

Ahalya

FWA 286166 © sujoy ghosh