In the trainOn a stormy day, a train is seen to be departing from the extremely crowded and noisy Mumbai platform. As the train gains speed, Roshni is seen to be struggling through the crowd, trying to reach the train with her excessive baggage. She gets onto the train after receiving a hand from the porter on the train. Exhilarated and relieved, she looks up to heaven and thanks God.
ROSHNI :
Oh my god! I made it! I can’t believe it. You won’t believe it either. I have never missed a single train in my entire life…(cut) I love to travel in the non-AC compartments but my parents say I am girl…. As if I don’t know I am a girl. …(cut) Now what is the relationship between an air-conditioned compartment and a girl? I just don’t understand. (cut)
Roshni reaches her seat and sees Tushar. She looks at him curiously and takes out her ticket from her handbag. She checks her seat number and nods.
ROSHNI :
Excuse me, can I see your ticket?
Tushar does not react.
ROSHNI :
Hello, I am speaking to you. Hey! This seat is mine, number 34. Hello?
Tushar does not respond. He is sitting with a blank expression on his face. Roshni mouths the words and draws the number in the air. Tushar looks at her for a second and moves over to the opposite seat.
ROSHNI
I love passage seats. No one wants to take them but insist on booking them. The reservation officer is always shocked and worried! But you know what, I don’t really care about my journey on the train. All I know is that I need to get to Bhatinda. My house and family are there. Everyone has a family. I have one too. Everyone says that Mumbai is very crowded. But the crowd is actually made by us. We are the crowd and we have a problem with ourselves. I have lived in the Hostel all my life. I swear I am never going to live there again! I am leaving Mumbai forever. Do you know when I came here? I came here when Mumbai was called Bombay. Anyway...
Tushar does not react. He begins to get up and leave.
ROSHNI
What happened?
Tushar walks over to the compartment exit and stares out of the train. He sees the train moving fast and his vision blurs out. (cut) His grip of the train handle is loosening slowly. (cut) The moment he lets go off the handle (cut) Roshni comes over and pulls him back. (cut) He stares at her face. (cut) She stares back at him, shocked and confused. (cut) He keeps staring at her face, looking blank. (cut) Her curiosity builds up on her face.
ROSHNI
Are you crazy?
Tushar stares at her, bewildered. (cut) The train conductor enters the compartment and gives them a cheeky smile.
TRAIN CONDUCTOR
Ticket, please.
ROSHNI
Here is mine.
Roshni realizes that Tushar might be in trouble and gives a doomed expression. She suddenly comes up with an idea and her face lights up.
ROSHNI
Actually, this kind gentleman is going through a tragic time. He wants to go to Delhi. Could you please let him pay now? It would be really nice of you.
TRAIN CONDUCTOR
Okay. Where do you want to go, sir?
Tushar does not respond.
ROSHNI
Delhi, the last stop. Please give him a ticket to Delhi.
The train conductor leaves. Tushar and Roshni are back to their seats.
Tushar sits blankly. Roshni sits opposite him, in amazement.
ROSHNI
Dude, are you on drugs? It’s okay, really. You can share with me. In fact, all my friends share their problems with me because I help them out. If you have any problem, you can tell me. Actually I am such a type of girl. I can solve all the problems that you are facing. What is your problem?
Tushar remains silent and looks rather depressed.
ROSHNI
You don’t talk, do you? Maybe you don’t like me. It’s okay. I don’t feel bad. Actually, I don’t feel bad about anything these days. Do you know why? Because I am going to get married! I am going to elope and marry! The boy is sikh, so my family might not agree. But what can anyone do after the marriage? We’ll go and fall into their feet, they will have to forgive us!
ROSHNI (cut 1)
I love mountains, really.
ROSHNI (cut 2)
I have just been waiting for my college to get over and for him to start his travel agency.
ROSHNI (cut 3)
You don’t get good shoes there… Actually I am not so sure…
The noise of the train overtakes her voice. The scene fades out.
In the train
The scene begins with Roshni sleeping on her side of the compartment. The sun shines brightly on her face. It disturbs her and so, she wakes up. She finds Tushar sitting opposite her, looking close to dead. She looks up sarcastically and rolls her eyes. Then, a photo on the floor catches her attention. She picks it up. Zoom in the picture of Tushar and a girl. Roshni looks enlightened.
ROSHNI
She ditched you, right? I knew it. I knew it was a girl matter! I knew it!
Tushar does not look back or respond to her and stares outside the window. Roshni realizes that Tushar won’t talk. The train boy passes by. Roshni stops him.
ROSHNI
Hey you! Get me a cup of coffee.
TRAIN BOY
2 rupees madam.
ROSHNI
Get the coffee first, will you? Look at these boys, before even serving us, they want the money! Go get me the coffee first!
They both sit silently. The train boy comes back with hot coffee.
ROSHNI
Ah! That looks amazing!
Roshni sips the coffee. She sips the coffee again.
ROSHNI
Do you want to try some?
Tushar looks at her and looks away again. Roshni shrugs her shoulder and sips the coffee. She then gives a disgusted look. She calls the train boy.
ROSHNI
Hey you! I don’t like this coffee. It’s too sweet. Bring me another cup. Hurry up!
TRAIN BOY
But ma’am, this is how it is.
ROSHNI
Don’t teach me how it is. I know how coffee is made. Go get another one before I complain about you.
The train boy gets scared and runs for another cup of coffee. He reappears in a while.
TRAIN BOY
Here you go ma’am.
Roshni takes the coffee from the train boy and sips it. She then gives an awful look.
ROSHNI
Yuck! Whose making this coffee? There’s not enough milk in it.
This grabs Tushar’s attention. He stares at her.
ROSHNI
Are you deaf? Can you hear what I am saying? Or am I just blabbing in the air? Go get another one!
Tushar raises his eyebrows. The train boy comes with another cup of coffee.
TRAIN BOY
Ma’am. Coffee.
Roshni sips the coffee and gives a disgusted look again. Tushar starts to smile at her. In a fast forward take, Roshni orders coffee for at least 6 times, shows a disgusted face each time and asks the train boy for another cup each time. Finally, the scene resumes when the train boy brings the perfect cup of coffee and Roshni finally looks satisfied. She gives an expression of relief. Tushar observes every reaction of her and he is amused by that.
ROSHNI
This is life. FIghting for the best thing – be it coffee, be it whatever!
There is a blink in Tushar’s eyes but he will never show any of his reaction. He stares out the window again as usual. The train reaches a station and Tushar gets off. (cut) Zooming into Roshni’s face slowly, she is clueless towards what Tushar is up to. Her eyes are chasing his shadow while she is hesitating whether she should follow him off the train. (cut) Tushar gets off the train and starts walking away. The train is ready to leave. It starts to move. It speeds up and moves faster. People are all rushing, trying to get a hand from the porter. (cut)
Zoom in on Tushar. He looks back at the train and starts to run. He runs faster and faster to catch up with the train. Finally, he gets on. He moves to the compartment where he was sitting earlier. Finding Roshni, he feels relieved, sits down and stares at her face. Roshni puts on a puzzle look. She can tell that something happened to him just now but she is not sure what exactly it is. The train boy passes by.
TUSHAR
Hey you! One cup of coffee. A perfect one. Fast!
Tushar looks back at Roshni and smiles at her. They start talking. The scene fades out.
