DEDH

ISHQIYA

Draft 1
(work in progress)
March 6, 2012

Abhishek Chaubey
#13/602, MHADA Complex,
Oshiwara, Andheri west,
Mumbai 53
Tel: 0 982 037 1093

ON BLACK
We hear BABBAN telling the joke.
BABBAN

ek maaolavaI saahba baD,o proSaana qao.. ApnaI

taotI sao.. ]nako pak Garanao ka maahaOla
Kraba kr Dalaa qaa kmaja,f- taotI nao.. mauMh
sao esaI gaMdI gaMdI gaailayaaM fUTtI qaIM ik
mauJa jaosaa BaI Sarmaa jaayao.. JaoMpto hue
maaolavaI saahba nao ek idna Apnao daost kaja,I
saahba kao yao baat bata dI.. kaja,I saahba
baaolao ]sao maoro yahaM Baoja dao.. maOMnao dao taoto
palao hOM.. baD,o SarIf hOM.. saara idna Allaa
Allaa krto rhto hO.. sahI saMgat haogaI tao
dao idna maoM ja,baana Aap hI sahI hao jaayaogaI..
maaolavaI saahba baD,o KuSa! ApnaI taotI laayao
AaOr ]sao kaja,I saahba ko Gar CaoD, idyaa..
kaja,I saahba nao taotI kao ipMjaro ko AMdr Dala
idyaa.. jaOsao hI taotI Andr ga[-, ek taoto
nao ]sao ekTk doKa AaOr klamaa pZ,naa baMd
ikyaa.. mauskurayaa AaOr Apnao daost kao baaolaa
ik..
FADE IN:
EXT. KABRASTAN - DAY
Babban squats inside a recently dug up grave. He is dressed
in colorful sherwani, like a Nawab from another era. MUSHTAQ
watches him bemused, sitting on his easy-chair just above the
grave. ARMED MEN stand around.
MUSHTAQ
Kya bola?
BABBAN
Bandh kar apni allah allah.. Dua
kabool ho gayi hai..
Mushtaq stares at him. Deadpan.
MUSHTAQ
(to his men)
Dafna do nawab sahab ko..
The men start to shovel the earth into the grave as Mushtaq
walks away.

2.
BABBAN
(pleads)
Mushtaq bhai yeh to na-insaafi hai!
Khalu ki dagaa ki sazaa mujhe kyun
de riye ho aap? Agar mere dil me
khot hota toh mein bhaag na jaata?
Yahan aata hee kyun? Mushtaq bhai
please! Mera yakeen karo.. Achcha
chalo kam se kam aakhiri khwahish
toh pooch lo!
MUSHTAQ
Lateefa sunana hai?
BABBAN
Nahi.. Afsana..
FADE TO:
CROWDED STREET - DAY
FLASHBACK
Khalujan and Babban walk down a street. Laughing, chatting.
Slow Motion.
I/E. INAAM ALI DRY CLEANERS - DAY
Two rather ornate sherwanis lie on the table of the shop.
Outside is a crowded street.
KHALUJAN
Ek hazaar roz ka? Sherwani ke andar
nawab bhi taank rakha hai kya
miyan?
INAAM ALI
Chandpur kr nawab ki sherwaniyaan
hain huzoor. Haj pe gaye hain
isiliye kiraye pe mil rahin hain.
Kar doon dono pack?
KHALUJAN
Nahi ek.. Aur ek koi ghatiya saa
angrakha dikhaaiye iske liye.
BABBAN
Kyun khan?
KHALUJAN
Nawab ke saath ek khadim lazmi hai.
BABBAN
Tum kya ho? Nawab?
KHALUJAN
Haan khan.

3.
BABBAN
Waah khan..!
KHALUJAN
Haan khan.. Tu kuchh bhi pehen le
shakal se khadim hee lagega.
Inaam Ali chuckles but stops when Babban glares at him.
Khalujan feels the cloth on the sherwani, his hands tremble.
INAAM ALI
Kab se kaanpte ho miyan?
Babban chuckles aloud.
KHALUJAN
(awkward)
Yun hee bas kuchh dino se..
BABBAN
O kyun jhooth bol riye ho Khalu!
Kai saal se kaanp riye hain miyan..
Aur abhi toh dhoop chadhi hai,
subah subah toh zalzalaa hota hai
zalzalaa.. Main aamlate banane ke
liye bedaa pyaali mein tod ke
chammach inke haath me pakda deta
hoon.. Thar thar thar thar.. Doh
minute mein apne aap hee phit jaata
hai andaa.. Labalab jhaagdaar...
Babban laughs hysterically. Both the men, much older than
him, eye him with disdain.
Inaam Ali puts his arms around Khalujan and walks him inside
the laundry.
INAAM ALI
Hamare dadajaan bahot badey hakeem
hain. Milna chahenge aap?
Khalujan looks at him apprehensively.
I/E. HARDWARE STORE - DAY
Babban examines a glass cutter up close as the SHOPKEEPER
observes him.
SHOPKEEPER
Teen hazaar.
BABBAN
Sahi lagaa lo miyan.. Bachchon ke
khatne ke liye hai, kasam se.

4.
SHOPKEEPER
(chuckles)
Daam toh bilkul sahi hai.
BABBAN
(looks at the price tag)
Par isme to ek hazaar likha hai.
SHOPKEEPER
Wo daam mistriyon ke liye hai.
BABBAN
Toh main kya lagta hoon shakal se?
The shopkeeper gestures him to come closer.
SHOPKEEPER
(whispers)
Chor..
The shopkeeper laughs out loud.
INT. ELECTRICITY OFFICE - DAY
Khalujan stands opposite a TECHNICIAN handing out cash and
instructions.
KHALUJAN
Theek teen baje bandh honi chahiye
batti. Aur teeno phase ek saath.
TECHNICIAN
(lost in the notes)
Arrey das minute pehle hee gul kar
denge huzoor.
KHALUJAN
Kyun? Das minute pehle kyun?
TECHNICIAN
Bas, yun hee..
Khalujan punches him hard on the nose. The Technician rolls
back a few steps, blood streaming down his nose.
TECHNICIAN (CONTD)
Kyun maar kyun riye ho miyan?
KHALUJAN
(mimics Technician)
Bas, yun hee.. Teim kee izzat karna
seekho.. bachcha paida honay mein
nau mahine chahiye toh nau hee
chahiye.
Khalujan walks away.

5.
TECHNICIAN
Main saat mein hee ho gaya tha..
INT. GENERATOR ROOM - DAY
Khalujan sprays diesel on the floor dangerously close to an
enormous generator. He pulls a rope puts it all over the
spilled diesel. He then ties the rope to the generator. The
generator is dripping with diesel.
KHALUJAN
(on the phone)
Ready..
We follow the line of the rope which travels outside for
about 15 metres to stop at lavatory behind a store. Babban is
inside, smoking a beedi.
BABBAN
(on the phone)
Ready..
He ties the other end of the rope to the ventilator.
EXT. MUSHTAQS HOUSE - TERRACE - AFTERNOON
Right in the centre of the a sprawling terrace of his house,
Mushtaq relaxes inside a warm bubble bath.
Babban is awkward dressed as a nawab and Khalujan as his
khadim sit close to him while Mushtaqs motley crew watches
from the sidelines.
MUSHTAQ
Nahaoge?
Babban shakes his head. Khalujans head is bowed quietly.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Toh? Hagoge?
Mushtaqs men chuckle quietly. One of his men opens the door
to the loo in the terrace and gestures to the duo.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Hagna toh tumhe hai hee.. Yahin hag
lo.. Varna dukaan mein naayab haar
pe ponke maroge..
BABBAN
Iss baar taiyyari mein koi kasar
nahi hai Mushtaq bhai.. Inshallah
kal sawa teen baje haar aapke kadmo
mein hoga..

6.
Babban takes out the glass cutter from his pocket and
displays it to Mushtaq.
MUSHTAQ
Ye kya hai?
BABBAN
Kaanch katoo.
KHALUJAN
Cheeni kaanch katoo.. Chinese.
Mushtaq takes the glass cutter and examines it close.
BABBAN
Kaisa bhi kaanch ho, dus second
mein kaat ke haath mein de deta
hai.
Mushtaq gestures to one of his men who proceeds to put some
cash on the table.
MUSHTAQ
Meenari masjid ke peechhe kabrastan
mein, saadhe teen baje milunga
main. Aur kuchh bhi gadbad hui to
khuda kasam iss baar iss cheeni
kaanch katoo se nunni kaat lunga..
Dono kee.
Khalujan and Babban look at each other.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Kya kaat lunga?
BABBAN
Nunni.

KHALUJAN
Nunni.

EXT. JEWELLERY STORE - DAY

Babban and Khalujan ride on a cycle rickshaw. They ask the
rickshaw driver to stop before the jewellery store.
They duck behind an old Mercedes Benz parked outside the
jewellery store and emerge out as if theyve gotten off the
car.
They enter the store.
INT. JEWELLERY STORE - DAY
Shiny gold jewellery on display. An obsequious STORE MANAGER
looks at Khalujan and Babban apprehensively.
Babban looks around at the stuff on display and frowning,
shakes his head to Khalujan.

7.
BABBAN
(whispers to Khalujan)
Dikh nai riya kahin khalu..
STORE MANAGER
(to Khalujan)
Kya hua?
KHALUJAN
Nawab sahab farmaa rahe hain kee
aapke haar sade huey hain,
badboodaar.
STORE MANAGER
Kya baat kar rahe hain, Nawab
sahab. Ye dekhiye..
Babban, now slightly more comfortable, gestures to Khalujan.
KHALUJAN
Jee main abhi bulata hoon driver
ko..
(on the phone)
Haan Pervez.. Gaadi andar le aao.
Aur AC chala ke rakhna.. Nawab
sahab garmi nahi toilet kar sakte
hain..
While Khalujan talks, the store manager bends down and takes
out a jewellery box from a locked drawer below the display.
STORE MANAGER
Ye dekhiye Nawab sahab.
(to Khalujan; whispers)
Asal mein officially hum issey bech
nahi sakte..
KHALUJAN
Kyun?
STORE MANAGER
Ye Hyderabad, Pakistan wala.. Wahan
ke Nizaam ke yahan se chori ho ke
aaya hai.. Nayaab cheez hai huzoor
magar paisa poora 100% cash mein..
Khalujan looks at Babban who nods.
KHALUJAN
Kitne?
STORE MANAGER
Pachaas.
Khalujan looks at Babban. He nods again.
KHALUJAN
Advance?

8.
STORE MANAGER
Paanch..
Khalujan looks at Babban again.
KHALUJAN
Aapka pekhana kidhar hai?
STORE MANAGER
Kyun?
KHALUJAN
Nawab sahab cash andar chhupa ke
chalte hain.. Chaddhi mein..
The manager gestures to his assistant who escorts Babban to
the toilet. He keeps the necklace inside the glass display.
STORE MANAGER
Chaddhi mein.. Kitna aa jaata hai?
KHALUJAN
Chaar, paanch..
STORE MANAGER
Kaise?
KHALUJAN
Do dhai aage.. Do dhai peechhe..
The manager is suitably impressed.
INT. LAVATORY - MOMENTS LATER
Babban is in the loo. He takes out the lighter and ignites
the rope. The fire travels to the generator. He looks at his
watch and goes out.
STORE
Khalujan looks at the guards near the door. The clock strikes
3 just as Babban walks in. The lights go off. Babban screams
out loud. There is hustle bustle everywhere.
The manager barks order to his assistants to put on the
generator. As the assistant leaves Khalujan takes out the
glass cutter. Suddenly there is a huge explosion, the manager
cries out and while cutting the glass Khalujan screams that
this is a terrorist attack.
He grabs the necklace and rushes towards Babban. Just when
they are about to leave, the manager puts the emergency
lights on.

9.
Khalujan and Babban stop in their tracks. The managers stares
at them. His eyes widen as he realises that the necklace is
missing. Babban has even picked up a few others items.
A quiet moment. Suddenly, Khalujan and Babban break into a
laughter. The manager is confused for a second and the duo
takes advantage of it. They run for the exit. The manager
screams at the guard to stop the two men.
Just when Khalujan and Babban are exiting the premises, the
guard fires a shot. Babban turns around to see that Khalujan
is on the floor. He has a wound in his left arm. Babban
rushes to his side but Khalujan shouts at him to get away as
the guards reach closer.
Babban makes a choice and escapes but is glad to see that
Khalujan somehow makes it across the wall onto the other
side. Babban screams to Khalujan that theyll meet at the
designated spot in 3 hours.
EXT. KABRASTAN - EVENING
We are back to the setting of the opening scene. The sun is
on its way out.
MUSHTAQ
Saadhe paanch baj rahe hain.. Ab
intekhab kar le..
BABBAN
Kya?
MUSHTAQ
Sar kaatoon kee nunni?
BABBAN
Mushtaq bhai.. Mujhe agar Khalu ki
gaddari ka ilm hota toh main yahan
aata hee kyun? Bhaag naa jaata?
MUSHTAQ
Sar kee nunni?
BABBAN
Aap toh insaaf ke liye mash-hoor ho
bhai.. Please..
MUSHTAQ
Sar ke nunni?
BABBAN
(sobbing)
Japan ke underworld mein toh ungli
kaat-te hain.. lo kaat lo..

10.
MUSHTAQ
Ye India hai be..
(to his man)
Chal be sikka uchhaal.. Head aaya
to sar aur tail toh nunni..
One of his men throws a coin in the air. Babban watches with
baited breath as the coin lands away from his view.
MUSHTAQS HENCHMAN
(chuckling)
Tail..
Babban leaps and picks up the coin. It has tail on both
sides.
BABBAN
(angry)
Ye toh dono taraf tail hai..
Mushtaq bhai, baat kya hai, aap
meri nunni ke peechhe kyun pade ho?
Mushtaq doesnt respond but continues laughing. Babban takes
a moment to think.
BABBAN(CONTD)
(bows down)
Lo kaat lo sar..
Babban waits with eyes shut. Mushtaq pulls Babban up by his
hair.
MUSHTAQ
Bahot pyaar hai apni nunni se?
Babban nods.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Aur mujhe wo haar pyaara hai..
Pandrah dino mein le aa aur apni
nunni bachaa le.
BABBAN
(hugely relieved)
Ae mere parvar digaar..
He falls on Mushtaqs feet.
FADE OUT.
MONTAGE
A montage of Babban looking for Khalujan. He goes to their
various hideouts, shows his picture around but there is no
sign of him. We see him traveling out of town all alone. He
carries on with his business of petty thieving through the
montage.

11.
BROTHEL - DAY
At the end of the montage, he arrives at a brothel and speaks
to the whores trying to find Khalujan. No results. He seems
depressed. One of the whores takes pity on him and takes him
inside her chamber.
Inside, Babban is making out with the girl when he stops all
of a sudden. Straining, he hears what seems like Khalujans
voice from the other room. The whore carries on faking her
moans and Babban puts a hand on her mouth to shut her up.
He gets up and shushes the bewildered whore and walks to the
adjacent room. He puts his ear on the wall. His eyes widen;
unmistakably Khalujan.
KHALUJAN (O.S.)
Yahan koi aayega aur mera pataa
poochhega. Teri aankhon mein
talaashega, mujhe dhoondega..
Enraged, Babban sprints to the next room. He bursts through
the door, hoping to surprise his betrayer.
BABBAN
(screams)
Khalu..!!
All he sees inside is a little child watching TV. The kid is
startled and Babban is mystified. His eyes travel to the TV.
On TV:
REPORTER
Waah waah!
He sees Khalujan talking to the reporter on TV. Khalujan
looks quite dapper in a black sherwani and grins from ear to
ear.
REPORTER (CONTD)
(to the camera)
Toh ye thay Chandpur ke Nawab,
Iftekhar Hussain aur hum iss waqt
khade hain Aminabad ke railway
station par jahaan poore mulk ke
behtar se behtereen shayar jamaa ho
rahe hain, Aminabad kee Begum
sahiba Begum Para ke salaane jalse
ke liye.
As the reporter talks, we see various sights and sounds of
Aminabad town. The camera travels close to the TV till the
image fills the screen :
DISSOLVE TO:

12.
AMINABAD
REPORTER
Ye jalsaa Begum apne marhoom
shauhar Nawab Meer Khan sahab kee
yaad me organize karwati hain.
Nawab sahab kee aakhiri khwahish
thee kee unke baad Begum umr bhar
bewaa naa rahein aur doosra nikaah
zaroor kar lein magar sirf kisi
shayar ke saath.
Shots of the sprawling campus of Begums estate in
preparation for the coming event. The corridors of the
mansion, the rooms. Eventually as the camera travels indoor:
REPORTER (CONTD)
Lekin pichhle paanch saalon mein
aise kisi bhee shayar ne Aminabad
ki sarzameen pe kadam nahi rakha
jiska kalaam Begum ke tapte sulagte
dil pe saaya ban ke gir sake. Aaiye
mil ke duaa maange, yaa allah kisi
zaheen hassaas sukhanwar ko iss
udaas, khoobsurat sheh ka chaaragar
banaa.. Ameen.
Through the reportage we see the camera arrive at BEGUM
PARAs personal quarters. We see her, though only a
silhouette, standing against a window.
At the end of the reportage, a car arrives below. Khalujan
gets off. He looks up at Begums window. Shes not there.
CUT TO:
INT. HAVELI - HALL - NIGHT
A reception in the honor of the poets in Begums mansion.
A huge spread is laid out for dinner. Yummy mughlai
delicacies. The guests enjoy themselves in wine and
conversation. Soft music floats through.
A young woman, Munira Bano alias MUNIYA Banarsi presents
herself up the stairs.
MUNIYA
Tavajjo chahoongi khawatino
hazraat.. Khaaksaar ka naam Munira
Aslam Zia Ul Bano hai..
ZAFAR ALIGARHI
(softly)
Naam toh aise bataa rahi hain jaise
khazaane ka pataa bataa rahien ho..

13.
MUNIYA
Thode hee lamhaat mein rashk-e-maah
Begum Para mehfil se rubaru honay
ko hain.. Chand baatein jinse har
mard se gaur karne kee guzarish
hai.. Begum se kisi bhee kism ke
jismani lams se parhez karein aur
aankhon ko naa takne kee hidayat
dein.. Begum kaagzi hain, zyaada
der tak koi dekh le toh nazar lag
jaati hai.. Gehri saanse, thandi
aahein aur khaamosh fugaaein, Begum
kee maujoodgi mein gair-jaayaz
hain..
As she speaks, sounds of payal mingles with the music. Begum
walks through the corridors of the mansion towards the hall.
She arrives at the first floor landing and looks to her
guests.
BEGUM PARA
Aadaab..
ALL
Aadaab..
The room echoes. Khalujan looks at her, fascinated.
MOMENTS LATER
The poets greet the Begum. She walks to each one of them and
presents them with a rose. Muniya walks with her, introducing
the contestants.
There is talk, smiles and soft laughter but Khalujan is lost
in her and the music.
Khalujan stands at one end of the room. Muniya spots him and
they walk to him. Khalujan swallows and comes to his senses.
MUNIYA
(confused)
Nawab...
(fumbles)
Jee.. Nawab..
KHALUJAN
Nawab Chandpur.. Aadaab..
Begum reciprocates the gesture. She starts to move but stops:
BEGUM PARA
Aapko pehle kahin dekha hai..

14.
KHALUJAN
Yaad aaye to ittala zaroor
kijiyega.. Hum bhi khud ko dhoond
rahein hain aajkal..
BEGUM PARA
(smiles; to Muniya)
Nawab Jahanpura nahi dikh rahe hain
kahin..
NAWAB OF MAULAGARH
Kanpur tak toh thay train mein
Nawab sahab.. Hamne dekha tha..
MUNIYA
(to Begum)
Intezariyon kee fehrist yoon toh
kaafi lambi hai magar aakhiri lamhe
mein kisi ko bulawa dena achha nahi
lagega..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Sirf hamein chhodkar..
They turn around to see a burly man in his forties, JAAN
MOHAMMAD.
MUNIYA
MLA sahab aap?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Jee.. Jaan Mohammad Khan, aapki
khidmat mein..
MUNIYA
(hesitant)
Khan sahab jalse mein shareek honay
ke liye shayar hona laazmi hai..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Kabhi kabaar kehne ki koshish toh
toh hum bhi kar lete hain..
Muniya looks at Begum.
ZAFAR ALIGARHI
Irshad, irshad..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(clears throat; poetic)
Yahan libaas kee keemat hai aadmi
kee nahi.. Mujhe gilaas badaa de
sharaab kam kar de..
The people in the room applaud mildly at this couplet.

15.
BEGUM PARA
(smiling)
Bahot khoob.. Itnay haseen sher ka
matlaa bhee irshaad karein, Khan
sahab..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(hesitant)
Jee matlaa.. Kuchh khaas hua nahi
hai.. Ham kaam hee kar rahe hain..
BEGUM PARA
Phir bhee.. Irshaad..
ALL
Irshaad.. Irshaad..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(strains)
Kuchh yoon saa tha.. Kya thaa..?
Pause as people wait expectantly.
KHALUJAN
Sanwaar noke palak aabruon mein
kham kar de.. Girey pade huey
lafzon ko mohtaram kar de..
The audience cheers.
BEGUM PARA
Mashaallah.. Aapka hai Nawab sahab?
KHALUJAN
Aapke rubaru bas nikal giraa muaa
zabaan se..
Begum and Khalujan smile at each other. Jaan Mohammad smiles
uncomfortably.
INT. JAAN MOHAMMADS HOUSE - NIGHT
Nawab of Jahanpura, 50, looks miserable tied up on a chair
inside a dim lit room. Jaan Mohammad walks to him and slaps
him right across the face mercilessly.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Sirf sher kyun diya.. Matlaa kyun
nahi diya?
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
(pleads)
Matlaa hua nahi hai kasam se..
Gazal ab tak kahi nahi hai..

16.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Dekho Nawab e Jahanpura kaan khol
ke sun lo.. Shaam tak bees nai
gazlein chahiye hamein.. Aur aisi
ke sun ke kaleja muh mein aa jaye
aur dil hatheli pe.. Varna tumhara
bheja tumhari zaano pe aa jayega.
Bees gazlein, shaam tak..
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
Par shaam tak bees gazlein kaise
hongi?
Jaan Mohammad gestures to one of his cronies. Liyaqat, brings
a bottle of whisky with a glass and ice. Another one, Rafiq,
brings the Nawab a pad and a pen.
Liyaqat makes a drink for the Nawab.
LIYAQAT
Barf?
Rafiq takes the glass away from the Nawab.
RAFIQ
Pehle harf, phir barf..
LIYAQAT
Waah waah, kya misraa hai..
The others too appreciate the rhyme. Jaan Mohammad slaps him.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Chup bakchod.. Chup!
Jaan Mohammad pulls his chair closer to the Nawab.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Chalo shuru ho jaao..
They all stare at Nawab. The hapless Nawab looks back.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE - NIGHT
Various shots of the poets
tomorrow. We see different
some peculiar, some funny.
in front of the mirror and

preparing for the contest

styles of delivery, some mundane,
Last one being Khalujan. He stands
strikes a pose.

KHALUJAN
Zaraa sambhaal ke miyan.. Kal thoda
rehem farmaiyega aawam pe..

17.
He grins like a teenager.
CUT TO:
EXT. HAVELI - LAWNS - EVENING
A time lapse shot establishing the setting of the mushaira.
Later, the people have gathered and the contestants are in
place. Begum arrives and lights the candle to start the
evenings programme.
As she takes her place the Master of ceremony announces the
event schedule and the poets start with the performance.
A montage as the poets deliver their poems. There is
applause, ranging from the mild to the vociferous. The
audience enjoys every bit.
Soon it is Jaan Mohammads turn. He takes to the microphone
and looks toward the audience with a smile. Silence.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(bowing to Begum)
Ijaazat..
BEGUM PARA
Irshaad.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Gazal se pehle chand sher pesh
karna chahoonga..
Members of the crowd go Irshaad, Irshaad. Jaan Mohammad
clears his throat. Then suddenly, he starts his couplet very
loudly and passionately.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Yahan ek bachche ke khoon se jo
likha huaa hai ussey padhein.. abhi
keertan tera paap hai, abhi mera
sajda haraam hai..
There is silence for a bit before the crowd erupts in
applause. Jaan Mohammad bows with an aadaab.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Andaa machhli chhookar jinko paap
lagey.. unkaa poora haath lahoo
mein dooba hai..
One of the members of the audience turns to his friend.
AUDIENCE 1
Pichhle saal ke hindu muslim fasaad
mein teen qatl ke FIR darz hain MLA
sahab ke naam pe.. Aur sher suno..

18.
AUDIENCE 2
Miya haathi ke daant dikhane ke aur
khaane ke aur..
The man gets an unexpected whack on the back of his neck. He
turns to see Liyaqat standing behind him. He quickly turns
back to the stage.
AUDIENCE 2 (CONTD)
Waah waah.. Mukarrarr mukarrarr..
Liyaqat smiles.
Jaan Mohammad recites another verse on communal discord.
Strident and vociferous, he makes a huge impact by the time
he leaves the stage, leaving the audiences hankering for
more. He struts past Khalujan who offers a salaam to him. He
nods slightly.
The master of ceremony takes to the mic.
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Toh hazreen, Jaan sahab ki
aatishbaazi ke baad main aise hee
ek aur shayar ko aawaaz dena
chahoonga jo ki pehli baar apnaa
taazatareen kalaam le kar Begum
sahiba ke dar pe haazir huey hain..
Chandpur ke Nawab janaab Iftekhar
Hussain Khan!
The applause is moderate as Khalujan steps up to the
microphone. The audience looks on, not really knowing what to
expect as Khalujan looks at them with a smile.
KHALUJAN
(to Begum)
Ijaazat chahoonga..
BEGUM PARA
Irshaad..
Khalujan gently does an aadaab, then starts to sing his
poetry. What is known in Urdu poetry as reading poetry in
tarannum.
KHALUJAN
Kabhi yoon bhi aa meri aankh mein
kee meri nazar ko khabar naa ho..
Mujhe ek raat nawaaz de magar uske
baad seher na ho.. woh badaa raheem
o kareem hai mujhe ye sifat bhi
ataa kare.. Tujhe bhoolne kee duaa
karoon toh meri duaa mein asar naa
ho..

19.
Khalujan pauses for effect. The audience stares at him. Begum
Para starts to clap. The audience erupts in huge cheers and
whistles. Khalujan continues.
As Khalujan starts with his last couplet, the camera moves
point of view through the crowd.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Woh mehekti palkon kee oat se koi
tara chamka tha raat mein.. Meri
bandh mutthi na kholiye wohi
kohinoor hai haath mein.. Main
tamaam taare utha utha ke gareeb
logon mein baant doon.. Kabhi ek
raat wo aasmaan ka nizaam dein mere
haath mein..
Khalujans eyes are shut. Its silence. He opens them to
thunderous applause. The audience gives Khalujan a standing
ovation.
Khalujan bows slightly and does an aadaab to Begum who is on
her feet. Khalujan looks around to the crowd. The crowd
clamors for more.
Khalujan turns, all smiles, to one side of the crowd. He does
a double take. Did he spot Babban among the audience? He
isnt sure.
AUDIENCE
Mukarrarr mukarrarr..
KHALUJAN
Main tamaam taare utha utha ke
gareeb logon mein baant doon..
As he finishes the first line, he spots Babban again. He goes
off key momentarily.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Kabhi ek raat wo aasmaan ka nizaam
dein mere haath mein..
The audience applauds. Babban is the loudest of all
Khalujans new found admirers. Khalujan bows as he steps
back.
Begum is very happy and grins as she claps for him. She turns
to looks at Muniya and then the audience. She turns back to
the stage. Khalujan is missing.
JUMP CUT TO:

20.
EXT. BEHIND THE STAGE - MOMENTS LATER
Khalujan is running for his life, unbuttoning the top of his
sherwani. Babban is close on his heels, abusing him
incessantly as he runs to catch him.
The chase continues through the mansion premises, in the
corridors, backyard, till they are back in another section of
the lawns behind the mushaira stage.
Khalujan stops, his lungs have given way and he cant run
anymore. Babban comes right next to him and bends down,
holding his knees with his hands, pausing for breath.
Both are panting hard and looking at each other.
BABBAN
Thak gaye?
Khalujan nods. Babban pulls him by the collar and pushes him
on the road.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Itna jaldi? Bhaago...
KHALUJAN
(pleads)
Aur bhaage toh dil muh mein aa
jaayega..
BABBAN
Aaney do.. Main wapas ghused doonga
seene mein..
KHALUJAN
Mar jaaoonga beta kuchh taras
khaa..
BABBAN
Tumne khaya tha? Akela marne ke
liye chhod kar bhaag gaye..
KHALUJAN
Bhaage kahan? Ham toh apnee jaan ki
hifazat mein lage thay beta.
Babban grabs Khalujan.
BABBAN
Kahan hai?
KHALUJAN
Jaan?
Babban nods.

21.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Woh toh stage pe padi hai na..
Begum ke kadmon mein..
Babban punches Khalujan hard on the gut. Khalujan doubles
over on the ground.
BABBAN
Tumhari nahi meri jaan.. Haar..
Kahan hai?
(bends down)
Kahan hai?
Khalujan keeps a finger on Babbans lips.
KHALUJAN
Ek minute ek minute.
He strains to listen to a poet on the loudspeaker some
distance away.
POET
(distant)
Woh chandni ka badan khushbuon ka
saaya hai.. Bahot azeez hamein hai
magar paraya hai..
KHALUJAN
Waah waah kya sher hai.. Samajh me
aaya?
Babban shakes his head. Khalujan punches him between his
legs.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Kabhi aayega bhi nahi.. Koodh
saala..
Now Khalujan bends down on Babban who is on the ground.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Woh chandni ka badan khushbuon
ka..? Kya hai?
BABBAN
(in pain)
Saaya hai..
Khalujan grabs him by the hair.
KHALUJAN
Haan! Bahot azeem hamein hai magar?
BABBAN
Purana hai..
Khalujan grabs him even tighter. Babban groans.

22.
KHALUJAN
Purana nahi.. Paraya.. Paraya hai..
Khalujan gets up and settles his crumpled sherwani.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Haar wohin gir gaya tha.. dukaan ke
bahar.. Yaad nahi hum fisal gaye
thay?
BABBAN
Toh tum kabrastan kyun nahi aaye
Mushtaq se milne?
KHALUJAN
Kyun aate? Nunni katane?
(concerned)
Teri toh bachi hai na?
Babban lunges for Khalujan all of a sudden. He pushes him
hard. Khalujan stumbles but regains his footing and bolts
hard. Babban abuses him and follows.
They run for a little bit before Khalujan turns a corner and
freezes, his eyes widening.
Behind him Babban too makes a turn.
BABBAN
Khalu saale!
He stops quickly to see Begum Para and Muniya walking toward
Khalujan. He pauses for breath and walks to him.
BEGUM PARA
(concerned)
Nawab sahab.. Alhamdulillah! Sab
theek hai na? Aapki naak se khoon
nikal raha hai..
KHALUJAN
(touches his nose)
Oh! Asal mein hum daud rahe thay..
MUNIYA
Kisliye?
KHALUJAN
(hesitant)
Kasrat ke liye.. Do din se itna
khaa rahe hain pee rahe hain naa..
Isilye lagta hai ki nakseer phoot
gayi hai..
Begum comes close to him. Khalujan is flustered. Babban
watches.

23.
BEGUM PARA
Allah.. Chaliye haveli chaliye..
Hum kuchh laga dete hain..
BABBAN
(brusque)
Nahi aise hee theek ho jayega apne
aap.
Begum turns sharply to Babban. He is awkward.
MUNIYA
Aapki tareef?
Babban is thinking what to say when KHALUJAN
Hamare khadim hain..
Babban turns to Khalujan, shocked. He looks back at the
scowling face of Muniya and tries to smile.
MUNIYA
Naam?
KHALUJAN
Arrey Babban miyan, naam bataiye
apna.
Babban stutters.
MUNIYA
(smiling)
Muhlaggu?
BEGUM PARA
(laughs; to Khalujan)
Aaiye Khan sahab..
Khalujan nods to Babban awkwardly and walks on with Begum.
MUNIYA
(to Babban)
Khadimo ke kamre resort ke pechhe
hain.. khaane ke baad apna lihaaf,
chatai leke aa jana..
BABBAN
Tu bhee wohin rehti hai toh aa
jaoonga..
She walks on.
INT. HAVELI - DAY
Begum pours water from a jar and Khalujan washes the blood
off with it.

24.
BEGUM PARA
(taking the towel from
him)
Laaiye..
(she sees his hands)
Hatheli aage kijiye zara..
Khalujan shows his shaking left palm with some shame.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Baanyi nahi daanyi..
Khalujan obliges.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Hmm..
KHALUJAN
Kya hua?
BEGUM PARA
Ye dekh rahe hain.
(pointing to a line)
Ye dil kee lakeer hai.. Jagah jagah
se kati hui.. Ishq mein bahot chote
khaanyi hain aapne.. Isiliye itne
bheege bheege ashaar kehte hain..
KHALUJAN
Aap najoomi hain?
BEGUM PARA
Shaukiya..
MUNIYA
Magar peshevaron se bhi peshevar..
Muniya chimes in as she enters the room.
BEGUM PARA
Chup!
MUNIYA
Lakeeron se dimaag padhne ki kuvvat
rakhti hain.. Zabaan ka niklaa sach
hokar hee rehta hai..
KHALUJAN
Hamare baare mein aur bataen na..
BEGUM PARA
Iski baaton mein naa jaayen aap..
Ye bahot badi gapodi hai..
MUNIYA
Hum aur gapodi..! Haan!?

25.
KHALUJAN
Jee bataiye na..
Begum smiles at him and inspects his palm again.
BEGUM PARA
Aap zindagi ke sabse achche waqt
mein kadam rakhne ko hain.. Jitne
bhee jismani aur roohani rog hain
sab ka chaara khud ba khud ho
jayega. Hmmm.. kuchh bahot hee
mehengi cheez chhupaye hain aap
apne paas..
Khalujan is alarmed.
KHALUJAN
Ar..er.. Arrey Babban miyan apne
phoon se ek tasveer toh utaaro
hamari Begum sahiba ke saath..
BABBAN
(curt)
Phoon me batery nahi hai..
MUNIYA
Hamare phoon mein hai..
She takes out her I phone and tries to put the camera on but
it doesnt seem to work.
BABBAN
Idhar laao.. I phoon 2.. Kitne ka
liya..
MUNIYA
Tohfe mein mila.. Gift..
Babban inspects the phone.
In the other side of the room KHALUJAN
Shaam ke baad mulaqat kee agar koi
soorat ho toh..
BEGUM PARA
Shaam ke baad toh raat hoti hai..
KHALUJAN
Jee mera matlab..
BEGUM PARA
Aur in dino hamari raatein Al Jauza
pe munahsir hain..
KHALUJAN
Al jauza?

26.
BEGUM PARA
Taara hai chand ke kareeb. Badi
paare kee gend sa chamakta hai..
Najoomi ussey dekh kar sayyaron ki
jagah ka andaaza lagate hain..
Back to Babban and Muniya.
BABBAN
(checking the phone)
Tohfe wale kee ya toh jeb chhoti
hai ya dil..
MUNIYA
Kaise?
BABBAN
Aise ki jab bazaar mein I phoon
chaar mil riya ho toh I phoon 2 toh
koi free mein bhi nahi leta.. Le..
Muniya takes the phone from him and turns to Begum.
MUNIYA
Thoda paas paas aaiye..
BEGUM PARA
(whispers to Khalujan)
Kai dino se baadal chhaye rehte
hain.. Aasmaan mein aaj raat agar
Al Jauza dikhai de toh aap bhi
tashreef le aaiyega chhat pe..
MUNIYA
Smile please.
Freeze frame of Khalujan and Begum.
CUT TO:
INT. HAVELI - MUNIYAS ROOM - NIGHT
Muniya logs onto the internet via the old style modem on her
ancient PC. She uploads the picture of Begum and Khalujan and
singles Begum out on photo-shop. She then attaches it onto
her e mail and sends it.
INT. CYBER CAFE - NIGHT
A well built pathan downloads the picture on his e mail
account. He looks at Begums picture and reads the single
word e mail from muniyababy@hotmail.com. It reads - Target.

27.
INT. HAVELI - KHALUJANS ROOM - NIGHT
Khalujan leans out at his window, looking at the sky above.
KHALUJAN
Arrey harami baadlon.. Aaj raat toh
chhatt jaao..
Babban joins him at the edge of the window. He too looks up
wondering. Khalujan gets irritated. Babban fishes out two I
phones.
BABBAN
Khalu Mushtaq ne pandrah din diye
hain.. Ye baadal chaand chhod ke
apne pajame pe nazar daalo. Tumhara
budhapa khatam honay ko hai aur
meri jawani abhi shuru bhi nahi hui
hai..
KHALUJAN
(smiles; pulls Babbans
cheeks)
Kyun khaamakha pareshan ho raha
hai.. Nikaah ho jaane de hamara
phir waise pachaas haar muh pe
marenge Mushtaq ke..
BABBAN
Paer kabar mein aur soch garare
mein. Khayali pulao pakana bandh
kar do tum..
Khalujan gets back to leaning at the window.
KHALUJAN
Shhhh.. Chhatt raha hai, chhatt
raha hai.. Aa jaa Al Jauza aa jaa..
Behind him, Babban empties a bag full of swanky cell phones
on the bed.
BABBAN
Chalo maana ki nikaah ho bhee gaya
magar jab ussey tumhari asliyat ka
pataa chalega toh kya karoge?
KHALUJAN
Ishq mein jo hoga nek hee hoga..
BABBAN
Kuchh na hoga tumhara.. Laa ilaaj
ho tum.. Ab ye batao ke amreeki kon
sa aur cheeni kon sa?
Up in the sky, the clouds give way and the resplendent full
moon shines on the earth. There is a star visible close by.

28.
KHALUJAN
Al Jauza!
He runs out screaming in excitement.
KHALUJAN (O.S.) (CONTD)
Al Jauza!
BABBAN
Oh Khalu! Ruko bhenchod!
Khalujan is gone. Babban throws the phone back on the bed in
frustration.
EXT. HAVELI - TERRACE - NIGHT
Begum sits surrounded with ladies from the town nearby. She
looks at their palms one by one and advises them.
BEGUM PARA
(to a lady)
Hmmm beebi.. Ladki chahiye thee na
tujhe? Likha hai, milegi iss baar..
The lady claps her hand once and giggles in satisfaction.
Begum moves onto the next woman.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Apne shauhar se kaho ki bhai kee
zameen ki ummeed chhod dein.. court
mein case haar jayenge.. Vakeel ka
paisa bachaa lo abhi bhee..
The woman nods and before Begum can recover another hand
comes in front of her. But there is a beautiful necklace on
it. She is taken aback and looks up to see Khalujan grinning
to her. The other ladies cover themselves with the hijaab.
Begum looks at Khalujan and realises.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Hum nahi le payenge Nawab sahab..
Itnaa mehenga nazrana..
KHALUJAN
Toh badle mein hum aapse kuchh le
lete hain..
Khalujan picks up her handkerchief.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Ye aapka rumaal..
Begum chuckles as Khalujan wraps the handkerchief around his
wrists. His expression changes.

29.
BEGUM PARA
Haar ke badle rumaal! Mazaak na
karein..
KHALUJAN
Please.. Ek baar pehen kar toh
dekhen..
Begum looks at Muniya helplessly.
MUNIYA
Aap ko pasand nahi hai toh hum liye
lete hain..
BEGUM PARA
Chup budtameez.. chal jaa aaeena le
ke aa.
CUT TO:
INT. HAVELI - MUNIYAS ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Muniya enters her room and stops, surprised. A row of the
latest mobile handsets lie on the bed. Babban sits by the
bed, two I phones in his hands.
BABBAN
I phoon chaar.. Kon sa legi..?
Cheeni ya amreeki?
She snatches both the phones from him. She looks at them
wondrously.
MUNIYA
Mere liye hai?
Babban smiles.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
(happily)
Gift?
Babban nods.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Free mein?
Babban nods again.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Badle mein kuchh nahi chahiye
tujhe?
Babban shakes his head.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Kuchh bhee nahi?

30.
Babban shakes his head again. She flings the cell phones on
his lap.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Babbu.. Iss route kee sabhi liney
vyast hain.. Samjha?
She picks up a mirror and shows it to him.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Aaeene mein shakal dekh apni aur
chhat pe jaa ke apne Nawab sahab ko
bhee dikha de.. Hum sharbat banvaa
ke laate hain..
She walks away.
EXT. HAVELI - TERRACE - MOMENTS LATER
Babban arrives on the terrace with the mirror. Begum has her
back toward him and while Khalujan faces him, he does not
spot him immediately.
BEGUM PARA
Ye Muniya kahan mar gayi?
Khalujan sees Babban walking with the mirror.
KHALUJAN
Mar gaye..
Begum turns toward Babban.
BEGUM PARA
Kaun?
Babban does an aadaab to Begum.
BABBAN
Aaeena..
Khalujan snatches the mirror from him. All of a sudden he is
very uneasy and seems to be in a hurry.
Both Begum and Babbans eyes widen when they spot the
necklace. Babban, seething, looks at Khalujan who wilfully
avoids Babbans glare. Begum is awestruck.
BEGUM PARA
Subhan allah! Shukriya Nawab
sahab..
Khalujan hands over the mirror to Babban. In a tearing hurry.

31.
KHALUJAN
Zaraa aaeena pakdo Babban miya..
Hum camera le ke aate hain..
Khalujan literally thrusts the mirror in Babbans hand and
quickly walks away. Begum, even though lost in the beauty of
the necklace, notices the sudden change in Khalujans
behavior.
BEGUM PARA
Inhe kya hua?
Babban just stares at her. He puts the mirror in front of her
again.
EXT. HAVELI - LAWNS - LATER
Babban runs into the backyard of the mansion looking for
Khalujan. He carries his glass cutter and there is rage in
his eyes.
No sign of Khalujan anywhere.
BABBAN
Kab tak andhere mein chhupega
buddhe? Main bhee yahin baitha
hoon.. Subere tere nau lakh tukde
kar ke cheel kauvvon ko breakfast
mein khilaunga.. Sun raha hai?
No response. As he moves ahead, Babbans phone rings out. The
display reads Khalujans name.
KHALUJAN
Aise kauvvon kee tarah kaaen kaaen
karega toh kabhi nahi sununga.
Saari tameez tehzeeb itvaar ke
penth mein bech aaya hai..
BABBAN
Phoon pe kyun baat kar rahe ho?
Babban looks around and spots Khalujan sitting on top of a
tall minaret.
KHALUJAN
Teri incoming toh free hai, paise
hamare lag rahe hain.. Hum Nawab
hain, ladte bhee hain toh adab se..
BABBAN
Jhooth kyun bola tumne?
KHALUJAN
Jhooth kahan bola? Haan sach nahi
bataya..

32.
BABBAN
Tumne bola tha kee tum seedhiyon se
fisal gaye thay aur haar wohin
dukaan ke paas gir gaya tha..
KHALUJAN
Sach.. Haar wohin gir gaya tha..
Phir hum seedhiyon pe se fisal ke
uthe aur haar phir utha liya..
BABBAN
Tum neeche toh aao main tumhe
duniya se utha doonga..
Khalujan shows him the rope ladder he has pulled up. Babban
glares at him.
LATER
Babban snores at the edge of the minaret. Khalujan steps down
quietly from the rope ladder. He pulls out the glass cutter
from Babbans limp hands and puts it in his pocket. He rolls
up a leaf and pokes Babban in the ear.
Babban wakes up with a start. He takes a moment to realise
then lunges at Khalujan but he pulls out the glass cutter.
KHALUJAN
Dekh.. Sharafat dekh tu meri..
Chahta toh sote mein halaak kar
deta tujhe par main tujhe pyaar
karta hoon, apne bete kee tarah..
BABBAN
Tabhi mujhe chhakka banane ke liye
chhod aaye thay..
KHALUJAN
(mimics)
Chhod aaye thay, chhod aaye thay..
Chup! Aur bas sun..
Babban looks at Khalujan.
MATCH CUT TO:
FLASHBACK - INAAM ALI DRY CLEANERS
Babban laughs hysterically.
Inaam Ali looks at Khalujan and shakes his head
sympathetically. He then puts his arms around him and walks
him inside the laundry.

33.
INAAM ALI
Hamare dadajaan bahot badey hakeem
hain.. Milna chahenge aap?
Khalujan looks at him apprehensively.
INT. HAKEEMS CLINIC - DAY
Hakeem sahab, nineties, checks Khalujans pulse. The old
mans eyes are shut in deep concentration. Inaam Ali watches
on.
They stay in this position for inordinately long.
KHALUJAN
(to Inaam Ali; whispers)
Aadha ghante se oopar ho riya hai..
Kahin guzar toh nahi gaye Hakeem
sahab?
Inaam shushes Khalujan just as Hakeem sahab opens his eyes.
HAKEEM SAHAB
Muaamlaat ka taalluk dil ki
shiriyaniyon se hai.. Gamzadaa ho
barkhurdaar, bachpan kee koi chot,
koi qadeem afsos.. Khush-o-khurram
raho miyan wohi tumhari dawa hai..
Tum mareeze ishq ho.. Kahin dil-vil
lagao saari kanpkanpi gaayab ho
jayegi khud-ba-khud..
Khalujans eyes light up on hearing the diagnosis.
CUT TO:
BACK TO PRESENT
KHALUJAN
Main aaj tak sirf doosron ke liya
jiya hoon.. Kabhi abba, kabhi teri
Khala, kabhi Mushtaq bhai, kabhi
jiji aur phir tu.. Apne baare mein
toh kabhi socha hee nahi.. Phir
khayal aaya ke jaate jaate ek baar
toh apne liye jee lo Iftekhar
miya.. Main khud ko khush nahi
rakhunga toh kisi ko khush nahi
rakh sakta.. Tujhe bhi nahi..
Samjha?
BABBAN
(melting a little bit)
Aur hamari nunniyaan? Unka kya
hoga?

34.
KHALUJAN
Haar tohfe mein diya hai humne..
Lekin haar koi chori kar le toh
hamari zimmedari thode hee hai?
Khalujan puts the cutter back in Babbans hands and runs his
hand through his hair lovingly.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Aur phir hamne suna hai Begum kee
tijori dus naulakhe aur hazaar
sonay kee asharfiyon se bhari hui
hai..
BABBAN
(smiling wickedly)
Apne hee ghar mein chori karvaoge?
KHALUJAN
Na na ghar nahi.. Honay wali
sasural mein..
BABBAN
Khalu I love you..
KHALUJAN
Arrey love you too beta..
CUT TO:
I/E. HAVELI - NIGHT
Dead of the night. The familiar sound of Begums payal. Her
dress rustles on the floor as she walks alone through the
corridors of the mansion. Muniya watches her from the window.
Begum walks out of the mansion and arrives at the mazaar of
her late husband. She stands before it. Her eyes reveal
nothing.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
A disc flies in the air when a bullet tears through it and
breaks it into pieces, falling on to the ground. There is
cheer and applause.
In a lovely verdant area, an amateur skeet shooting
competition is in progress. The participants, some of the
poets, Khalujan and Jan Mohammad stand beside each other
preparing their rifles for the next shot helped by
assistants.
Jan Mohammad has his gang applauding and cheering that bit
extra for him. He prepares for his shot and fires as the disc
flies. A perfect shot.

35.
Behind one of the tents, standing awkwardly with a rifle,
Khalujan is a nerve-wreck.
He says to Babban he is scared to shoot, what if he hits
someone by mistake. The damn shaking! Babban tells him not to
worry. He has a rifle too. He raises it in the air and asks
Khalujan to do the same. Now when you hear the machine
release the disc count to three. Not too fast.. One, two,
three. Fire! Just like that. its easy.. Khalujan nods
uncertainly. Babban tells him hell be positioned behind the
tent. Timing is critical he reminds Khalujan or theyll be
caught because of the sound.
Khalujan arrives at his mark for his turn. Jaan Mohammads
men pass snide remarks. He raises his rifle, it shakes. JMs
men laugh. The disc is ready, as it flies.. Babban counts,
one. Khalujan whispers, two.. Babban - three.. Boom! Both the
men fire simultaneously. The disc shatters to pieces.
The Begum and some of the ousted competitors clap for
Khalujan and he raises his rifle in acknowledgement, just
like a star. His eyes meet Begum's. A smile is exchanged.
Jaan Mohammad fingers his ear and asks Liyaqat what bloody
gun makes that kind of sound.
Babban is cussing Khalujan under his breath for taking all
the praise alone when looks up at the machaan, where Muniya
loads the discs into the machine just before the competitor
is supposed to fire. He grins.
MACHAAN - CONTINUOUS
As Muniya loads a disc, Babban climbs up the machaan and
joins her. She glances at him but carries on with her task,
deliberately ignoring him.
Babban takes out a bar of chocolate and offers it to her.
Muniya smiles and accepts it. Babban starts to load the
discs.
MUNIYA
Kaha na ke iss route kee sabhi
linay vyast hain..
The referee blows a whistle.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Chal hatt..
Muniya presses the lever and the disc flies out. The Nawab of
Maulagarh fires at the disc but misses it. The crowd boos in
disappointment and the Nawab lowers his rifle, defeated.
Back up in the machaan. Babban stares at Muniya and she
enjoys the chocolate.

36.
BABBAN
Shaam ko kya kar rahi hai?
MUNIYA
Iraade kya hain tere?
BABBAN
Nek nahi hain.
MUNIYA
Toh anek hain?
Babban chuckles. Muniya smiles.
BABBAN
Mere saath chal.. Dinner pe..
MUNIYA
Kya khilaega?
BABBAN
Wohi jo tujhe bahot pasand hai..
MUNIYA
Kya pasand hai mujhe?
BABBAN
Chinese..
MUNIYA
(laughs)
Achcha..
BABBAN
Haan main jaanta hoon.. Ladkiyan
chhipkali se darti hain aur noodal
pe marti hain..
Babban chuckles. She pulls him close.
MUNIYA
Hum zindagi mein kabhi noodle
khayenge toh Shanghai mein.. Aur
burger toh New York mein.. Pizza
toh Rome mein aur french toast toh
Paris mein varna ghar ke choolhe
kee daal boti mein faut hona
manzoor hai Munira Bano ko..
Samjha?
Down below, the referee blows the whistle. Jaan Mohammad
follows the disc and fires and the disc shatters.
Now its Khalujans turn as they are the only ones left in the
competition. As he preps for the shot, he looks to the tent.
Babban is nowhere in sight. Khalujan panics. The time for the
shot is arriving fast. Desperate, Khalujan ties Begums
handkerchief to his hand. The shaking stops.

37.
The disc flies out, Khalujan aims. Just then his left eye
widens. He can see a flock of birds approaching from the far
left. By the time he fires, there is a chance he might hit
one of them if he misses.
He makes his decision. Instead of firing at the disc,
Khalujan fires the shot much above in the air.
Jaan Mohammad and his men are overjoyed and lift him on their
shoulders. There is applause all around and Jaan Mohammad
looks proudly to Begum. Much to his dismay, she is walking
toward Khalujan.
Khalujan is checking the barrel of his rifle when he sees the
Begum standing right opposite him. He puts the rifle down and
smiles at her.
BEGUM PARA
Mubarak ho..
KHALUJAN
Jee?
BEGUM PARA
Nawabon kee nawabiyat se toh hum
wakif thay magar roohaniyat pehli
baar dekhi hai.. Tashtari ke
peechhe woh parinde hamein bhee
dikhai diye thay.. Saraapa dil hain
aap huzoor, sirf dil..
KHALUJAN
(shy)
Jee.. Main.. Ab main kya...
She smiles and walks away. She passes Jaan Mohammad and
cursorily congratulates him from a distance before getting
into her car.
EXT. CAR - HIGHWAY - LATER
Khalujan drives a old model Fiat car at an really slow speed.
Babban yawns.
BABBAN
Kahan se uthai ye khatara?
KHALUJAN
Uthai nahi, khareedi hai..
BABBAN
(surprised)
Kyun?
KHALUJAN
Ab hum chor nahi hai..

38.
BABBAN
Toh kya ho?
Khalujan affectionately pulls his cheek.
KHALUJAN
Chor ke khalu..
Suddenly another car behind them, speeds up and rams them
hard. The fiat veers uncontrollably and despite Khalujans
best efforts, crashes onto a tree at the side of the road.
The other vehicle, an SUV, screeches to a halt on the
highway. Jaan Mohammad gets out smiling wickedly. His men
follow.
Khalujan and Babban stagger out of the crashed vehicle, both
of them are bruised. Blood trickles out from Khalujans
forehead and Babbans spits blood out from his mouth.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Sorry Nawab sahab sorry.. Gaadi
kaboo se bahar ho gayi.. Aapke dil
kee tarah..
He takes out his handkerchief to wipe blood off Khalujans
nose. Khalujan points to his car.
KHALUJAN
Kya haal ho gaya hai gaadi ka..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Hamare dil se badtar nahi hua hai..
Khalujan looks at a smiling Jaan Mohammad.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Aapke dil ne kitna thonka hai
hamein pichhle do-teen roz mein..
Aur phir aapne to kabhi sorry bhi
nahi bola..
Khalujan chooses to ignore Jaan Mohammads snide remarks.
KHALUJAN
Ab paise kon dega?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Kis cheez ke?
KHALUJAN
Marammat ke..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Marammat abhi hui kahan hai?

39.
Jaan Mohammad breaks into a laughter and his men join him.
Khalujan senses danger but as he prepares to move, Jaan
Mohammad punches him hard on the gut. Khalujan doubles over
on the ground. Babban moves to help Khalujan but one of Jaan
Mohammads men keeps a pistol on his head.
Jaan Mohammad carries on with his assault, punching and
kicking Khalujan.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Badaa ashiqana mizaaj paaya hai..
Hain? Begum se ishq ladane nikle
hain? Woh hamari hain sirf hamari..
Samjhe?
(turns around)
Liyaqat!
Liyaqat rushes to his boss and gives him an envelope.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Shatabdi express.. Direct dilli
chheh ghante mein.. First AC chair
car ke do ticket hain.. Kal subah
saat bajkar paanch minute par
chhootegi.. Hum chheh baje haveli
ke bahar milenge, rukhsati ke
liye..
He turns around and walks toward his car.
KHALUJAN
Ye ticket to intezari ke hain
miya.. Waitlisted..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(turns)
Toh?
Khalujan walks to him, holding out the ticket in his
trembling hand.
KHALUJAN
Intezar toh hum apna bhi nahi karte
hain..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Arrey koi problem nahi hai..
Liyaqat!
LIYAQAT
Haan Jaan bhai.. TT se meri khud
baat hui hai, chart lagne tak berth
ho jayegi..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Pakka na?

40.
LIYAQAT
Arrey haan haan.. Nahi toh VIP
quotay mein confirm ho jaega.. koi
dikkat kee baat nahi hai bhai..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Confirm ho jayega.. Hamara waada
hai..
KHALUJAN
(tearing the ticket)
Tere waade pe jiye hum toh ye jaan
chhoot jaye.. Ke khushi se mar naa
jaate jo aitbaar hota..
Jaan Mohammad puts the pistol to Khalujans head.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Waada toh phir waada hai, main
zeher bhee pee jaoon qatil, shart
ye hai koi baahon mein sambhale
mujhko..
Khalujan breaks into a laughter.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Kya hua?
KHALUJAN
Wo waada nahi baada hai baada
chootiye.. Maane sharaab..
BABBAN
(laughing)
Kaise piyenge huzoor waada? Paani
ke saath ke soday ke saath!
A henchman pushes the pistol on Babbans forehead.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Nawab sahab bas karo.. Pistaul hai
uske paas, maar dega..
Khalujan stops laughing, but only for a moment. Unable to
control, he starts guffawing again. Babban rolls over on the
ground cackling.
Jaan Mohammad looks at his men, some of whom are smiling.
Suddenly Babban takes out a small pistol from his socks and
puts it right on Jaan Mohammads groin. Jaan Mohammad looks
down at Babban in terror and loses focus for a moment.
Khalujan uses the opportunity to snatch his pistol and point
it right back at him.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Bandook haath mein ho toh sher
padha nahi maara karte hain..

41.
Almost immediately Jaan Mohammads men take out their guns. A
few aim at Khalujan and the others at Babban. A standoff.
KHALUJAN
Goli chali toh tu bhee jayega Jaan
Mohammad.. Dono me se ek kee to
lagegi.
BABBAN
Aur unki lagi to marega, meri lagi
toh sochega ki mar jaata toh behtar
tha..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(panic stricken)
Oye nahi.. Koi nahi chalaega goli!
Ruko!
BABBAN
Inse bol pistaulein phenk de.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Pehle tum phenko!
KHALUJAN
Naa.. Pehle tum phenkoge..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Woh nahi ho sakta..
BABBAN
Toh phir theek hai.. Khade raho
aise hee..
Jaan Mohammad looks around. His men are alert. So are
Khalujan and Babban.
Its afternoon. The men are frozen on their spot.
FADE OUT.
SAME PLACE - LATER
The sun is about to set in the horizon. The birds are leaving
for their nest.
The unfortunate men, stuck in the uncomfortable standoff,
maintain their position resolutely. Except one of Jaan
Mohammads men, who shuffles on his feet restlessly.
RAFIQ
Jaan bhai bahot zor se aaya hai..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Khada reh bhainchod!

42.
RAFIQ
Jaan bhai, kasam se..! Nikal
jayega..
Jaan Mohammad looks at Khalujan.
KHALUJAN
Pistaul zameen pe rakh aur ja..
Rafiq keeps his pistol down and rushes to relieve himself.
Babban stretches and picks up his pistol.
BABBAN
Aur kisi ko jaana hai?
They chuckle. All is quiet for a bit. Suddenly Khalujan
strains to hear something. They look at the far end of the
highway. The music is clear now. Its the old classic, Ae
meri zohrajabeen.
Khalujan frowns and looks at Babban whose face contorts in
terror. They look at the road, a jeep turns a corner and
speeds towards them.
The jeep stops close to them. Mushtaq Bhai peers out, surveys
the scene and grins. He steps out biting an apple, an
automatic rifle on his shoulders. Jaan Mohammad is unsure of
what to make of this.
MUSHTAQ
Salaam waleikum..
KHALUJAN
(stunned)
Wa.. Waleikum salaam.. Mm.. Mushtaq
bhai.. Aap?
Mushtaq walks up closer to them. His men follow, all armed.
MUSHTAQ
Hmmm.. Stand off...
(points to Jaan Mohammad)
Kaun hain ye?
BABBAN
Yahan ke MLA hain..
MUSHTAQ
MLA sahab.. Ye dono hamari amaanat
hain.. Aapki hamari koi dushmani
nahi hai.. Aap jaa sakte hain..
Goli nahi chalegi..
(to Babban)
Chal be.. Saamaan pe se bandook
hataa..

43.
Babban obliges. Jaan Mohammad lets out a huge sigh of relief.
His men also lower their guns. Mushtaq gestures courteously
to Jaan Mohammad to leave. Jaan Mohammad staggers to his
vehicle and his men follow suit.
As Jaan Mohammads car drives away:
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
(to Khalujan)
Kaise hain Nawab sahab?
KHALUJAN
Alham dulillah aapka karam hai..
MUSHTAQ
Kuchh phal vagairah nosh
farmayenge?
KHALUJAN
Jee?
MUSHTAQ
Phal.. Fruit..
Khalujan is unsure.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Chalo bhai.. Tokri nikalo..
He produces a pomegranate from his coat pocket and shows it
to Khalujan.
MOMENTS LATER
Khalujan trembles in fear. He is tied to a tree and the
pomegranate is kept on his head. Mushtaq does target practice
with his pistol.
KHALUJAN
Mushtaq bhai! Aitbaar karo mera..
Begum Para ko ishq hai mujhse..
Mera hee intekhab karengi woh
nikaah ke liye.. Phir toh sab aapka
hee hoga naa!
Mushtaq shoots and the pomegranate splatters all over
Khalujan. He grins in satisfaction. Babban sitting near
Mushtaqs feet claps at the perfect shot.
MUSHTAQ
Chal ab chikoo laga..
Mushtaqs man walks with the chikoo.
KHALUJAN
Arrey kya kar rahe ho yaar!?

44.
BABBAN
(to Mushtaq)
Iski nunni kyun nahi kaat rahe ho
aap?
MUSHTAQ
Kyunki iski expiry date nikal chuki
hai.. Hamein shaq hai kee ye katane
ko raazi ho jayega..
Mushtaq fires as Khalujan screams. Bang! The chikoo is done
with. Khalujan is panting hard.
MUSHTAQ (CONTD)
Angoor.
Babban is hysterical and rolls over the ground laughing when
he hears the name of the next fruit.
KHALUJAN
(desperate)
Jiji ki kasam Mushtaq bhai.. Jalsa
khatam honay tak ruk jao.. Please..
Arrey ek kya waise dus naulakhe
aapke kadmon mein rakh doonga..
Mere sar ka vaasta hai aapko..
Mushtaq walks to him as Khalujan pleads. He holds his roughly
by his chin.
MUSHTAQ
Main jalsa khatam honay tak yahan
rukunga.. Begum ne tujhe shauhar
chuna toh theek.. Varna tere sar pe
chilgoza rakh ke nishana lagaunga..
Khalujan head bows down in relief.
INT. HAVELI - HALL - NIGHT
A large sheet of paper, which has a drawn out map of the
haveli ramparts, is laid out on a table. Muniya's fingers
point out to the area in question. The hall they are in.
MUNIYA
Hum yahan hain..
It's a large hall across the haveli but within the ramparts.
Dim lit with the help of a single bulb atop a table. The
faces are dark and focused on the map lying on the table.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Ye Begum ka kamra hai.. Ye do
raaste peechhe ke hain aur ye aage
ke.. Zeena duchhatti pe jaata hai
aur ye chhajje pe khulta hai.. Aur
agar..

45.
MUSHTAQ
Uthana kab hai?
MUNIYA
Woh aapko bataya jayega.. Shayad
jalse ke baad.
MUSHTAQ
Paisa?
MUNIYA
Total paanch karod.. Ek aapke aur
chaar hamare..
MUSHTAQ
Kam hain.. Dedh se neeche nahi..
MUNIYA
Sochna padega.. Mujhe thoda waqt
chahiye..
(to Riyaz)
Par mamaji aapne inhay shart toh
bataa dee hai na?
MUSHTAQ
Kya?
MUNIYA
Agvai bilkul peshevar honi
chahiye.. Begum kee har kharonch pe
lakh rupya katega..
MUSHTAQ
(to Riyaz)
Oye Mama.. Hamari shart bhee bataa
de apni bhanji ko..
RIYAZ
Firauti kee deri ke har din pe
aapki Begum kee ek ungli kaat lee
jayegi..
MUNIYA
Uski naubat nahi aayegi..
Suddenly they hear a noise. They see a shadowy figure
climbing to the balcony of the mansion in the darkness. Riyaz
takes out his pistol but Muniya stops him.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Aap log jaaiye.. Main sambhal
loongi..
As she walks:
MUSHTAQ
(to Riyaz)
Ye sagi bhanji hai teri?

46.
RIYAZ
Nahi durr ki hai..
MUSHTAQ
Toh durr hee rakhna issey.. Bahot
harami hai..
INT. HAVELI - CONTINUOUS
Different shots of Babban walking stealthily in the haveli
and looking at various spots - closets, trunks, storerooms for the necklace, or anything of value. His search grows
steadily desperate as nothing turns up.
He tiptoes into Begum's room and finds her sleeping soundly.
He opens the closet and looks over stuff. Nothing.
He swings his arm in frustration and accidently hits a china
vase on a table. The vase teeters dangerously and but for his
reflexes would have smashed noisily on the floor. He manages
to save it awkwardly, heaving a sigh of relief.
He turns around and is struck to see Begum up from the bed
and staring straight at him.
BABBAN
(pale)
Sa.. Salaam waleikum Begum sahiba..
Main Nawab sahab ko dhoond raha
tha.. Raat ke sair pe nikle aur
abhi tak wapas nahi aaye.. Phir
maine dekha ki ye phool daan girne
wala hai.. Main dauda tak bak tak
bak aur dekhiye tootne se bacha
liya.. Phool daan..
He quietly, nicely puts the vase back on the table. He turns
to see Begum walking away.
BABBAN (CONTD)
(confused)
Aap kahan jaa rahein hain itni raat
mein.. Aap bhi sair pe? Itni raat
ko? Begum sahiba rukiye, mera
aitbaar kijiye..
MUNIYA
Zaraa dheere bol.. varna jaag
jayengi..
Babban turns around to see Muniya at the other entrance to
the room.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Naa unhone kuchh dekha naa suna..
Unhe neend mein chalne kee aadat
hai.. So raheen hain woh abhi..

47.
Babban walks very close to her.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
(whispers)
Magar main jaagi hoon..
Babban takes out his glass cutter in a flash and puts it on
Muniyas neck.
BABBAN
Toh sula doon tujhe? Hamesha ke
liye.. Zabaan jabde ke andar
rakhiyo apni.. varna kaat doonga..
Muniya stares at him quietly, silently, for interminably
long.
MUNIYA
(whispers)
Kaat..
Babban's expression changes. She comes close to him and takes
her tongue out. Babban breathes heavily. She starts to kiss
him.
She grabs him and pushes him with all her might. Babban is
dragged along with her and she locks him in his arms while
kissing wildly. She throws him on Begum's bed and tears his
shirt open.
She makes love to him furiously while he watches. After some
time he gathers strength and pushes her down and climbs on
top of her and she giggles as he kisses her.
EXT. HAVELI - MAZAAR - NIGHT
Begum stands in front of his husbands grave. Behind the
headstone, leaning against it, is Jaan Mohammed.
LATER
A bar is laid out on the grave with glasses, ice box and
snacks. Jaan Mohammad grins and raises his glass. Clink!
Begum gulps her drink down and hands over the glass to him to
make another drink for her.
BEGUM PARA
Kya kar raha hai? Dhang se bana.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Thoda aaram se Begum. Sharab piyo
mat, jiyo. Ahista ahista.

48.
BEGUM PARA
Ghanta.. Doh ho gaye hain par
khumari tak nahi aayee hai. Kahan
se laya hai botal aaj?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Kahan se kya matlab?
BEGUM PARA
Matlab teri factory ki toh nahi
hai?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Lo.. Bas isi ki kasar reh gayee
thee. Din bhar sabke saamne uss
Chandpur ke buddhe se chonch ladati
ho aur raat mein ye ilzaam ki
bhenchod main naqli sharab pilata
hoon tumhe.
Begum tousles his hair lovingly.
BEGUM PARA
Tu bahut bada harami hai. Kuch bhee
kar sakta hai.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Achha?
BEGUM PARA
Haan.. Isiliye to main tujhpe jaan
deti hoon. Suar..
He jumps and tries to kiss her.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Hatt! Hatt..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Aaj sookha ghar nahi jaaonga.
Begum pushes him away. She leans to one side and coughs
violently.
He gathers himself and offers her a water bottle. As she
drinks he gently caresses her back. She moves away.
BEGUM PARA
Hatt door hatt mujhse..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Kya hua?
BEGUM PARA
Kaun sa itar laga ke aaya hai?

49.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(smelling himself)
Achha nahi hai?
BEGUM PARA
Muncipalty ke aspataal jaisa
sunghayee de raha hai.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(under his breath)
Maadarchod Phattan..
(forces a smile)
Wo itar wala Phattan hai na chowk
mein, bola ki naya aaya hai Qatar
se. Lily Chameli mix, Night Fire.
Keh raha tha ki khushboo se baraf
ki silli bhee pighal jaayegi. Toh
mujhe laga shaayad aapke mood mein
bhee aag lag jaaye soongh ke.
BEGUM PARA
Mood ki Ammi ka tota. Ye LilyChameli mix laga ke tu Phattan ki
le aur mera peecha chhod.
She picks up the rum bottle covering her nose with the
dupatta.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Arre Begum suno to..
She doesnt respond. Jaan Mohammad tears off his kurta.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Lo.. Dekho, na ab Lily hai na
Chameli..
BEGUM PARA
Ab mood bhee nahi hai.
She walks on, drinking from the bottle. He follows.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
3 mahine se chutia bana rakkha hai.
Kabhee tambaaku ki badboo to kabhee
itar ki khushboo. Tum badal rahee
ho Begum. Aisi nahi theen tum.. Jab
se wo Chandpur ka buddha aaya hai,
tab se..
BEGUM PARA
(turns around)
Tab se..? Darr lagne laga hai
tujhe?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(whispers)
Mera naam Jaan hai.
(MORE)

50.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONT'D)
Main de bhee sakta hoon aur le bhee
sakta hoon.. Jaan..
A beat.
BEGUM PARA
Hai meri jaan..
(pulls his cheek)
Meri badmaash laundi.. Meri maashoq
raand..
Jaan shrieks in pain and frees himself.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
(laughing)
Shauhar banega hamara?
He nods.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
To phir jeet le humein us Chandpur
ke buddhe se.
She walks away leaving him alone.
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(loudly)
Tum ya to meri hoogee ya kisi ki
bhee nahi.. Samjheen?
She walks on, raising her bottle in the air.
TERRACE - LATER
Babban and Muniya are on the terrace, post-coital embrace
under the stars.
BABBAN
Zindagi mein pehli baar main tay
nahi kar paa raha hoon..
MUNIYA
Kya?
BABBAN
Kee aaj maine lee hai kee dee hai..
Muniya laughs and turns to Babban. They laugh for a bit and
then are locked in a stare.
MUNIYA
Hum chalte hain..
As she moves, Babban pulls her back.
BABBAN
Ruk na..

51.
MUNIYA
Naa..
BABBAN
Arrey ruk na..
MUNIYA
Nahi..
BABBAN
Kyun?
MUNIYA
Kyunki hum rukte nahi hain..
BABBAN
Toh phir..?
MUNIYA
Behte hain..
(pauses)
Nadi hain hum, talaab nahi.. Rukay
toh.. Khatam..
She walks away.
Babban slumps back on the floor. He looks at the stars,
unbelievably happy.
Music fades in.
FADE TO:
HAVELI - CONTINUOUS
To Iqbal Banos Dasht-e-tanhai:
Muniya walking to her room in the dark corridors of the
mansion. A smile.
Khalujan by the window, gazing at Al Jauza. A kiss on the
handkerchief.
Begum walking in the mansion. She passes by the portrait of
the late Nawab.
WAQFAA
INT. JAAN MOHAMMADS HOUSE - DAY
A life size portrait of Jaan Mohammad, posing as a Nawab.
The Nawab of Jahanpura relaxes on an easy chair sipping beer.
The tension has eased off his face.

52.
He watches Jaan Mohammad who stands in front of a tall mirror
dressed in Nawabi finery. He places a royal turban carefully
on his head and Liyaqat gives him a sheathed sword to hang by
his belt.
His attire ready now, he turns to Nawab of Jahanpura
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Nawab sahab.. Kya kehte hain?
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
Arrey kya kehna miyan.. Masha
allah.. Ab ye to bataiye huzoor aap
hamein azaad kab kar rahe hain?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Pehle aap ye bataiye kee hum Nawab
lag rahe hain kee nahi?
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
Lag toh rahe hain..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Magar?
The Nawab of Jahanpura is quiet, afraid to say anything.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Haan? Magar hai nahi..
(chuckles; walks to the
Nawab)
Ye shamsheer, paanch sau saal
purani, Nawab Siraj udd daula ke
birse kee hai.. Dekhiye dhaar chhoo
ke dekhiye..
Nawab of Jahanpura looks afraid. He makes a fist and touches
the sword ever so slightly. Jaan Mohammad smiles and runs his
finger through the blade. The finger cuts in a line of blood.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Aapke lahoo ka rang bhee aisa hee
hai kya? Surkh?
The Nawab nods.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Dekhiye hamare paas Begum ke
marhoom Nawab ke gauhar hain, pagdi
hai, shamsheer hai aur hamare khoon
ka rang bhee surkh hai, nawabon kee
tarah.. Phir kya cheez hai jo
hamein Aminabad ka Nawab banne ke
liye hamare paas nahi hai?
The Nawab is looking down, knowing the truth but too scared
to say it.

53.
JAAN MOHAMMAD (CONTD)
Boliye..
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
Begum Para..
JAAN MOHAMMAD
(laughs)
Durust.. Aur unhone agar hamein
chuna toh aap hamari qaid se
azaad..
NAWAB OF JAHANPURA
Aur nahi chuna toh?
JAAN MOHAMMAD
Toh apne jism kee qaid se..
Jaan Mohammad smiles benevolently.
INT. HAVELI - DAY
Begum is on a diwan reading a book in the balcony of her
room.
Muniya tiptoes behind her and peers at what the Begum is
reading. She smiles mischievously and pulls out the
photograph which the Begum was reading with such rapt
attention. She looks at the picture of Begum and Khalujan.
MUNIYA
Shaayari padh rahi hain ki dekh
rahee hain?
Begum tries to snatch the picture back but Muniya moves away.
She tries again but Muniya doesnt give her the picture.
BEGUM
Qabar mein jaa.
Begum makes a face and turns around to lie flat on her tummy.
Muniya giggles, sits next to her and starts to untie her
blouse.
MUNIYA
Achha, ek to chori aur upper se
seena zori..
Muniya takes the bottle of oil from the side table and starts
to apply it on Begums back.
BEGUM
Chori..! Bhala kiski..?
MUNIYA
Ishq ki.

54.
BEGUM
Ishq! Kise? Humein..?
Muniya presses her hard, Begum winces.
MUNIYA
Nahi humein..
Muniya bends down close to her ears.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Aapko ilm toh hai na ki aap kya kar
raheen hain? Bhool gayeen aap hee
kehti theen..
BEGUM
Kya?
MUNIYA
Iss sheher ka mausam ishq ke liye
durust nahi hai.
Begum smiles and purrs softly as Muniya massages her
shoulders.
BEGUM
Apni choli mein jhaanko pehle.
Ghanto Nawab sahab ke launde ke
saath band kamre mein aayatein
padhti ho?
MUNIYA
(stops)
Hai..! Aap jaasoosi karvatin hain
hamari?
Begum giggles.
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Aur ek baat jaan lijiye ki hum kisi
ke ishq vishq mein nahi hain.
BEGUM
To kismein ho?
Muniya bends down, close to Begums ears.
MUNIYA
(whispers)
Hum sex mein hain.
Both women giggle. Muniya bites her ear and Begum squeals.
BEGUM
Kameeni!
Muniya runs out.

55.
She sprints to the door and sees Muniya scurrying towards her
room in the corridor. She shuts her door. Hindustani
Classical is heard coming from somewhere in the mansion. She
opens the door. Curious.
I/E. HAVELI - MOMENTS LATER
Begum walks through the corridors and stops outside a room.
Music plays from inside the room. She looks at the open latch
and opens the door.
Khalujan is on a reclining chair by the gramophone listening
to an old recording.
BEGUM PARA
Aapko yahan aane ki ijazat kisne
dee?
KHALUJAN
Dil ne..
She walks and puts the gramophone off.
BEGUM PARA
Chaliye..
KHALUJAN
Nahi.. Aap wapas aaiye..
BEGUM PARA
Jee..?
KHALUJAN
Kyun khud pe itna zulm dha rahi
hain aap?
BEGUM PARA
Aap kehna kya chahte hain?
KHALUJAN
Manvaa bairi julmi jiyara.. yaad
hai?
He picks a pair of ghungroos kept on the table and shakes
them.
Begum is genuinely surprised now.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Yaad hai? Bhopal mein, satrah baras
kee rahi hongi aap.. Town haal
aaditorium ke manch par.. Aapke
ustad Birju Maharaj bhee aaye
thay..
BEGUM PARA
Aapko kaise pata?

56.
KHALUJAN
(all smiles)
Hum bhee uss program mein maujood
thay.. Uss din aap naach nahi
raheen thi balki naachte naachte
khud naach ho gayin thi..
Begum smiles. Wistful.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Phir chhod kyun diya bhala?
BEGUM PARA
(looks at her palms)
Lakeeren kat gayi hatheliyon se..
She starts to walk. Khalujan follows.
KHALUJAN
Kyun?
BEGUM PARA
Lamba afsana hai, kabhi aur..
Fursat mein.. Magar tees saal pehle
aap kya kar rahe thay Bhopal mein?
KHALUJAN
Wahi jo aaj kar rahe hain.. Aapka
peechha..
A beat.
BEGUM PARA
Jee.. Hum chalte hain..
As she walks:
KHALUJAN
Ab wapas laut aaiye.. Raqs mein..
Raqs aap se hai aur aap raqs se..
Ek baar dil se, uski razaa se raazi
ho jaayen phir koi naaraazgi baaki
nahi rahegi..
She turns to him and smiles. Music fades in:
INT. TOWN HALL AUDITORIUM - FLASHBACK
A 17 year old Para dances kathak to a semi classical song. We
see Iftekhar, 26 watching her from the wings.
INT. HAVELI - BEGUMS ROOM - DAY
Begum tries on the ghungroo and taps her feet to the music.
Soon she lets go, whirling to the song. Khalujan watches her
through the window.

57.
INT. HAVELI - MUNIYAS ROOM
Muniya smiles as her dupatta sways and settles on top of
Babban and her. Both of them are inside the cover of the
shimmering cloth. He is trying to kiss her. She is teasing
him.
BABBAN
Bataa na, kahan jaana hai?
MUNIYA
Jahaan zameen aasmaan se milti
hai.. Jahaan jab mere gaon mein din
ho toh wahaan raat.. yahaan jab loo
chale roh wahaan barf barse..
Chalega?
BABBAN
Haan! Mere paas waqt hee waqt hai
meri katto!
She grabs him by his hair.
MUNIYA
Chootiye.. Wahaan jaane ke liye
waqt nahi paise lagta hai..
BABBAN
Toh launga na! Tu bol bas.. Kashmir
se le ke kunwari kanya tak kahin
bhee..
Muniya cracks up. The lovemaking stops.
MUNIYA
Mujhe Kashmir se Kanyakumari nahi..
Honolulu se Timbuktu jaana hai..
Paris se London se New York se
Moscow se Tokyo se hotay hue bas
jaate hee jaana hai jaate hee jaana
hai jaate hee jaana hai.. Kabhi
wapas nahi aana..
BABBAN
(wide eyed)
Uske liye toh passort lagega.. Tere
paas hai?
Muniya leans over and gets her passport out from a drawer.
MUNIYA
Tere paas?
BABBAN
Hai nahi par ban jayega..

58.
MUNIYA
Tab tak toh mere ek darjan gore
gore bachche paida ho chuke honge
har mulk kee rajdhani mein..
She pushes him, laughing.

CUT TO:
EXT. HAVELI - TERRACE - NIGHT
Begum dances completely surrendered to the music. She looks
possessed. Khalujan is watching her. She knows.
INT. HOTEL - NIGHT
Mushtaq addresses his men.
He says that the confirmation has come through and the plan
needs to be executed tomorrow, just as the wedding ceremony
ends. He draws up his elaborate plan. He makes points in the
map telling positions of his men during the wedding. All will
have their phones hooked up to headsets.
When the rituals are done with, Begum will step out toward
the hall to greet the guests for the feast. She will have to
travel through the corridors for about 15 seconds with her
entourage, including Muniya. Muniya has made arrangements
that two of Mushtaqs men will be in Begums entourage
dressed as ladies in burqa.
As soon as Begum comes out of the female holding area - the
Janankhana - Riyaz, who will be dressed as one of the ladies,
will step up close to her and whisper to her that he has a
gun in his hands and not to raise an alarm. The car will be
parked near the exit. Riyazs phone will be on conference so
everybody will hear it. As soon as this is done, they will
surround her entourage and walk her to the car. Muniya will
take care of the ladies so that no alarm is raised until the
car is well and truly out of the haveli. There it is, as
simple as they come.
EXT. HAVELI - TERRACE - NIGHT
The music reaches its crescendo. Begum in her element.
As the song ends, she falls in Khalujans arms. She opens her
eyes.
BEGUM PARA
Taa-umr aapke ehsaanmand rahenge..

59.
KHALUJAN
Jee?
BEGUM PARA
Hamein hamara aks dikhane ke liye
shukriya.. Aap aaeene kee tarah
sachche hain Nawab sahab.
We see them in a wide view.
FADE OUT.
INT. TOWN HALL AUDITORIUM
Young Khalujan holding a young Begum Para in his arms just
like the last image.
YOUNG BEGUM
Aap aaeene kee tarah sachche hain
Nawab sahab.
JUMP CUT TO:
INT. HAVELI - KHALUJANS ROOM - NIGHT
Khalujan wakes up, sweating. He gets out of bed. Tense, he
paces up and down the room.
He looks out of the window. He sees Begum walking down the
corridor.
EXT. HAVELI - LATER
Khalujan steps down the stairs and sees Begum standing at the
edge of the corridor. He walks to her and stands behind her.
He takes a moment, clears his throat.
As he starts to speak, she walks. He follows.
KHALUJAN
Aapse kuchh kehna hai Begum
sahiba.. Kehna bhi kya, batana
hai.. Hum tabla nawaz Shakoor
Hussain Khan sahab ke bhatije
hain.. Unke gandabandh shagird thay
hum. Uss Bhopal waley program mein
hum unke saath aaye thay.. Aapko
yaad hoga ki uss raat hamare chacha
aapki sangat kar rahe thay.. Aap
shayad bhool gayin hon, uss raat
uss program mein ek haadsa hua
tha.. Jiske zimmedar aur koi nai..

60.
Khalujan is unable to finish as someone gags him from behind.
He resists but Babban is too strong for him. He pulls him
away from Begum.
As they turn the corner out of earshot, Begum stops and looks
back. Curious. She thinks for a bit and heads back to the
haveli.
INT. HAVELI - KHALUJANS ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Babban locks the door of the room.
BABBAN
Pagal ho gaye ho Khalu? Saara
budhapa jail me bitana hai? Shukar
manao ki usne kuchh nahi suna hai.
Woh so rahi hai, ussey neend mein
chalne kee bimari hai..
Khalujan is stunned.
KHALUJAN
Hain! Magar.. Er..
BABBAN
Agar magar kya Khalu.. Chalo!
KHALUJAN
(stopping)
Kal usne agar hamein chun liya toh?
BABBAN
Toh chun jaana.. Agar ishq sachcha
hai to ussey kuchh farak nahi
padega.. Sachche ishq pe bharosa
rakho..
KHALUJAN
Tu aur sachcha ishq?
BABBAN
Haan kyunki ab uske alava aur koi
chaara bhi nahi hai.. Naa tumhare
paas, na mere paas.
KHALUJAN
(alarmed)
Tujhe bhi? Insay?
BABBAN
Nahi nahi nahi.. Ghabrao mat..
Insay nahi inki kaneez, Meenu se..
Sachcha sachcha ishq..
KHALUJAN
(smiles)
Arrey kya baat hai.. Mubarak ho!

61.
They hug each other tight.
EXT. MAZAAR - NIGHT
Jaan Mohammad sits alone on the mazaar. He looks towards the
haveli. He looks at his bottle. Empty. He throws the bottle
on the ground and muttering abuses, walks home.
INT. TRAVEL AGENCY - DAY
Babbans fingers travel through a world map; from Shanghai to
Honolulu to Timbuktu.
He looks at the names wondrously.
LATER
He talks to the travel agent.
BABBAN
Passport banvana hai..
TRAVEL AGENT
Voter ID lagegi.. Hai?
BABBAN
Nahi..
TRAVEL AGENT
Ration card?
(Babban shakes his head)
Bank account?
(Babban shakes head again)
Pan card?
Babban has none of these ID proofs. The Travel Agent takes a
deep breath, sizing him up.
TRAVEL AGENT (CONTD)
Toh ban jayega..
Babban smiles.
TRAVEL AGENT (CONTD)
Lakh rupya lagega..
Babban is shocked. Before he can protest:
TRAVEL AGENT (CONTD)
Musalmaan toh nahi hai?
BABBAN
Haan hoon toh?

62.
TRAVEL AGENT
To 2 lakh..
Babban looks at him, nods and gets up. He stops at the map
and turns to the agent.
BABBAN
Wuld tour ka ticket kitne ka
padega?
TRAVEL AGENT
Business ke economy?
BABBAN
Honeymoon ka..
TRAVEL AGENT
(smiles)
Paanch lakh..
BABBAN
Hindu ke musalmaan ka?
TRAVEL AGENT
Insaan ka..
BABBAN
Woh toh dono hee nahi hain
bhainchod..
The agent breaks into a laughter.
EXT. LUCKNOW
Babban spots a shining new Innova outside a shopping complex.
He look around and then picks up a stone. Hiding behind a
wall, he throws a stone at another car in the same parking
lot. The window smashes and the alarm goes off.
The owner of the damaged vehicle rushes to his car. Crowd
gathers around him. Taking advantage of this commotion,
Babban steals the Innova. The alarm comes on, but scarcely
does anyone notice.
USED CAR GARAGE
Babban walks up to the burly owner of the garage. He points
to an Innova parked in the garage.
BABBAN
Ye kitne kee hai?
GARAGE OWNER
Chaar lakh..

63.
BABBAN
(grinning)
2 mein lega?
The garage owner frowns.
INT. HAVELI - KHALUJANS ROOM - DAY
Khalujan whistles to himself and checks himself out in the
mirror. He looks dapper in the black sherwani with a red rose
on the chest pocket. He wets his hair and pushes it back and
smiles.
He steps out of the room into the corridor. As he takes a few
steps, he hears a sound and then sees that the pillar next to
him has concrete smashed. He stops, puzzled. He inspects the
mark and his eyes widen as he realizes that someone is firing
at him with a silencer pistol. Just then another shot is
fired and barely misses him.
He makes a dash for it. As he turns a corner, he sees a few
men blocking his path. Armed with knives and chains. Behind
him too are another group of men. His hand is shaking, he is
breathing hard and there is nowhere to go. He takes out
Begum's handkerchief and ties it to his shaking hand.
EXT. HAVELI - LAWNS - CONTINUOUS
The people of Aminabad, the hoi polloi as well as the high
and mighty have assembled for the last ceremony of the
weeklong event.
Begum is seated on the stage flanked by an aged maulvi and a
few dignitaries.
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Main Begum Para kee janib se yahan
maujood mehmano aur mezbaano ka
khairmakdam karta hoon..
Jaan Mohammad shuffles uneasily in his chair. He looks toward
the entry. Liyaqat leans to him.
LIYAQAT
Ghabrao na Jaan bhai.. Woh Chandpur
ka Nawab, chand ke paar pahonch
chuka hoga..
Jaan Mohammad smiles uncertainly.
CUT TO:

64.
INT. HAVELI - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Khalujan lets out an intimidating cry as he runs headlong
towards his attackers. The attackers brace for him with their
deadly weapons. Just before he would have reached them and
would have surely been pulverized, Khalujan takes a sharp
turn to the right. There is an open door which leads to the
indoors of the mansion.
Meanwhile, Babban walks through the corridor towards
Khalujans room. He sees one of Jaan Mohammads men entering
the walk past at the other end. Babban stops and hides behind
a pillar.
Khalujan is hiding behind a wall, straining hard not to make
a sound. The attackers look for him.
One of the attackers comes his way and Khalujan prepares to
take him on. As he turns a corner, Khalujan grabs him with
all his strength and bashes his head against the wall. The
man swings his knife and it catches Khalujans arm. As he
falls, Babban enters through the door. He grabs one of the
men and snatches his rod. He then uses the rod to pulverize
the goons. Khalujan is happy to see him. Babban tells him to
rush for the ceremony. Khalujan wont leave till they are
done with the men. Babban tells him to buzz off, hes good
enough for these jokers.
Khalujan gives him a quick hug and makes for the exit.
CUT TO:
EXT. HAVELI - LAWNS - CONTINUOUS
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Ye kehna galat nahi hoga ki iss
baar ke jalse ne pichhle saare
jalson ko pheeka kar chhoda hai..
Award kameti ke liye bada mushkil
tha iss baar ka Nishan-e-Aminabad
ko chunna.. Phir bhee ek ko chunna
tha so bamushkil chunna padaa..
(to Begum)
Ijazat hai?
Begum nods. He opens an envelope.
MUNIYA
Toh san 2012 ka Nishan-e-Aminabad
hai..
(pauses for effect)
Nawab-e-Chandpur Iftekhar Hussain
Khan sahab!
There is applause and cheer. The master of ceremony looks
around, the Nawab of Chandpur is nowhere in sight.

65.
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Khan sahab, aap yahan maujood hain?
Jaan Mohammad smiles.
CUT TO:
EXT. HAVELI - CONTINUOUS
Khalujan is running at top speed towards the ceremony venue.
Now he can see the crowds assembled just outside the venue,
he can hear MCs voice calling out to him on the loudspeaker.
He staggers into the event arena, just as the MC is
announcing that maybe Iftekhar Hussain Khan sahab could not
make it today. He raises his hands in the air:
KHALUJAN
Hain! Maujood hain!
MASTER OF CEREMONY
Khavateeno hazraat! Nishan-eAminabad Nawab Iftekhar Hussain
Khan sahab! Taaliyon se istakbaal
kijiye!
Khalujan walks to the stage, passing close to Jaan Mohammad.
He looks at him and does an aadab. Jaan Mohammad is gritting
his teeth and Liyaqat is shocked.
He walks to the stage to receive his trophy. Begum greets him
and notices his bruises.
BEGUM PARA
Kya hua Nawab sahab? Aap theek toh
hain?
KHALUJAN
Jee thay toh nahi par ab ho gaye
hain..
The crowd is on its feet, cheering, whistling and clapping
for Khalujan. He lifts the trophy.
I/E. HAVELI - CONTINUOUS
Three men lie passed out on the floor. One of them tries to
get up and receives a kick from Babban.
Babban turns to look at himself in a mirror. He arranges his
hair, settles his shirt and grins.

66.
INT. HAVELI - MUNIYAS ROOM - DAY
Muniya packs her stuff in a suitcase. Babban enters the room.
He smiles at her but she ignores him.
BABBAN
Agle jummeraat pe tera haapy burday
hai na?
MUNIYA
Haan toh?
BABBAN
Main gift laya hoon tere liye..
MUNIYA
Hum kaam kar rahe hain, baad mein
aana..
Babban hold her hand. She looks at him.
BABBAN
Aankhe bandh kar..
She is irritated.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Please..
Forced, she shuts her eyes. Babban takes out his passport and
keeps it in her hands.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Ab khol le..
She sees the passport.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Honolulu se Timbuktu se Paris se
New York se Moscow se Tokyo..
Muniya aur Babban, saath saath, har
din har raat..
Babban grins. She looks at him stonily.
MUNIYA
Paagal ho gaya hai?
Babban nods. She goes back to packing.
BABBAN
Kon see tareekh ke ticket karvane
hain..?
She doesnt answer. Babban stops her one again.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Bol na..

67.
MUNIYA
Dekh.. Hamare chakkar mein naa
pad.. Pachhtayega..
BABBAN
Ab kuchh nahi ho sakta..
MUNIYA
Kyun?
BABBAN
(sighing)
Pataa nahi kyun.. Par kuchh ajeeb
saa ho gaya hoon main aajkal..
subah favvare mein aankhe meechkar
ek ghanta nahata hoon main.. Din
bhar ghaas mein kutton kee tarah
lotne ka mann karta hai.. Aur raat
mein jaangho ke beech takiya dabaa
ke kheen kheen kheen kheense
niporta rehta hoon..
MUNIYA
(sarcastic)
Hamein maloom tha..
BABBAN
Kya..?
MUNIYA
Yahi toh problem hai aajkal ke
laundon mein.. Ishq aur sex mein
farak hee nahi kar paate hain.. Ek
raat jo agar kisi ke saath so liye
phir agle din chaddhi utaaro toh
usme dil dhadakta milta hai..
(folds her hands)
Dekh bhai.. Hamein maaf kar hamse
galti hui jo tere saath sex kiya..
Ye ishq vishq ke naam leke rooh mat
kanpaa hamari.. Meherbaani kar aur
baksh de hamein..
Someone calls out to her. Leaving the room:
MUNIYA (CONTD)
Wapas aaoon tab tak nikal jaana..
Please..
Babban is frozen sitting on the bed.
CUT TO:

68.
EXT. HAVELI - LAWNS - LATER
Khalujan sits on the front row and the MC takes to the mike
again. He says that now Begum Para would like to make an
important announcement.
Begum is offered the mike. She addresses the entire avaam of
Aminabad.
BEGUM PARA
Allah ke ghar mein naa koi nawab
hai na Begum, sab ek hain.. Aur
ussi Allah ke vaaste pe marhoom
Nawab sahab ne hamse vaada liya tha
ki unke baad hum Aminabad ko uska
nawab muhaiyya karayenge.. Ab
nikaah kee na toh hamari umr hai
aur naa hee tabiyat magar
vaadakhilafi woh bhi allah kee
shaan mein.. Azeem gunaah hoga..
Aaj aap logon ke saamne mein hum
Aminabad ka Nawab chunna chahte
hain agar woh bhee hamein kubool
karein toh..
The crowd, listening in rapt attention, waits with bated
breath for the announcement. Jaan Mohammad watches coldly.
Khalujan is pretty moved by her speech.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Woh shakhs jiske saath hum apni
baaki hayaat baatna chahenge uska
naam hai.. Huzoor Jaan Mohammad
Khan sahab..
The crowd cheers. We stay with Khalujan whose world has come
crashing down. Its deathly silent for him. He stares at Begum
who looks towards Jaan Mohammad currently being congratulated
by all and sundry. His people lift him up. He is grinning
from ear to ear.
Tears flow down Khalujan's cheeks. He is left alone in his
chair. He watches as Jaan Mohammad struts onto the stage and
does an aadaab to Begum and the audiences.
Khalujan can't watch this anymore. He gets up and walks
towards the exit.
CUT TO:
INT. HAVELI - LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Jaan Mohammad, a few senior citizens of Aminabad and a Maulvi
are in a conversation with Begum Para about the arrangements
for the wedding.

69.
MAULVI
Jaan Mohammad sahab paanch lakh kee
meher pesh karna chahte hain..
Begum aapko manzoor hai?
BEGUM PARA
Aitraaz naa ho toh hum chahte hain
kee meher kee rakam ko masjid ke
yateem welfare fund mein de diya
jaye..
MUNIYA
Begum sahiba..
Begum sees Muniya at the door. Muniya walks up to her and
whispers in her ear.
BEGUM PARA
Unse kaho ki hum masroof hain..
MUNIYA
Kaha.. Magar woh kuchh sunne ko
raazi nahi hain..
BEGUM PARA
(getting up)
Hum abhi aate hain..
Jaan Mohammad gets up too. Begum keeps a reassuring hand on
his shoulder and shakes her head.
INT. HAVELI - CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER
Khalujan paces up and down, watched carefully over by Jaan
Mohammads men. Begum appears, shielded by the wooden blinds
in the doorway.
KHALUJAN
Aadaab..
BEGUM PARA
(nods)
Jee..
Khalujan looks at the men hovering around. Begum nods at them
and they step back.
BEGUM PARA (CONTD)
Kahiye..
KHALUJAN
Kya kahen.. Goonge huey jaa rahe
hain hum.. Aap kaise hamein
chhodkar uss shatir ko chun sakti
hain?

70.
BEGUM PARA
Hum aapse tehzeeb ke daayre mein
rehne kee ummeed rakhte hain.. Woh
kal hamare shauhar ho jayenge..
KHALUJAN
Wohi toh.. Kya kami ho gayi hamse
itna toh bataa dijiye?
BEGUM PARA
Kami nahi galatfehmi ho gayi hai
Nawab sahab.. Hamein aapki shayari
pasand hai aapka andaaz pasand
hai.. Iska matlab ye toh nahi ki
hum apna dil..
KHALUJAN
(cuts her)
Jhooth keh rahi hain aap..
BEGUM PARA
Dekhiye Nawab sahab..
KHALUJAN
Zabaan se kitna bhi jhooth bol le
aapki aankhein sachchi hee rehti
hain.. Aap sirf hamse ishq karti
hain.. Koi majboori hai jo aap uss
gunde se nikaah karne chali hain..
BEGUM PARA
Bareilly 157 kilometre durr hai
yahan se.. Wahan ek bahot purana
magar badaa jadeed pagalkhana hai..
Aur wahan ke doctors aap jaise
mareezon ke muntazir rehte hain.
Aap wahin chale jayen abhi ke
abhi..
She turns and walks away.
KHALUJAN
(loudly)
Pagal hum nahi aap hain! Aur aap
pagal hee nahi jhoothi bhi hain!
Makkar bhi hain, pari ke libaas
mein daayan hain... aap..
Khalujan is losing control. Jaan Mohammads men rush to him
and drag him away.
Begum doesnt stop for him. She walks away, stony faced.
INT. HAVELI - KHALUJANS ROOM - NIGHT
Babban is slumped onto a chair, his eyes shut in pain. A
gazal about heartbreak plays on the radio.

71.
He picks up his glass full to the brim with rum and washes it
down in one gulp.
As he makes another drink, Khalujan enters the room. Tears
well up in Babbans eyes as he sees Khalujan. He rushes to
him.
BABBAN
(crying)
Khalu.. Kahan thay tum?
Khalujan is unresponsive. The hurt clearly seen in his eyes.
BABBAN (CONTD)
Patthar dil nikli woh haraamzadi..
Ussey sirf sex chahiye tha sirf
sex.. Khalu mere saath hee kyun
hota hai aisa?
Khalujan picks up Babbans glass of rum and offers it to him.
KHALUJAN
Dheeraj rakh beta.. le pee le.. Ro
mat.. Waqt ke saath sab theek ho
jayega..
Babban takes a gulp and wipes his tears.
BABBAN
Tumhara kya hua?
Khalujan smiles and takes the glass from him. He swallows the
entire drink.
KHALUJAN
Wohi jo hota aaya hai aaj tak..
KLPD..
BABBAN
Usney bhi?
(tears well up)
Khalu ye allah miya kyun har
khoobsurat ladki ko itna haramkhor
banata hai?
KHALUJAN
Aah.. Ye toh kudrat ka ajeeb khel
hai beta.. Mujhe iska ilm hota
toh...
Khalujan is unable to control himself. As he speaks, he
starts bawling, just like Babban.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Toh.. Main kyun har martaba apna
dil inn kasaijaano ke galle pe
kaatne ko rakhta..
(MORE)

72.
KHALUJAN (CONTD)
Mujhe kuchh nahi pata beta Babban..
Main toh khud kahin ka na raha..
Both men are sobbing uncontrollably. They only have each
other. They hug each other.
I/E. HAVELI - DAY
Music fades in. Wedding day.
A traditional rendition of Amir Khusrau by musicians.
A quick montage. A large contingent of guests; a handsome
feast and the mansion dressed up in celebration. Begum walks
to the janankhana dressed as a bride with her escorts. She
wears an exquisite dress adorned by Khalujans necklace. Jaan
Mohammad greeting guests, being hugged all around.
Mushtaqs men are in position. They are coordinating with
each other through the headsets in their phone. Mushtaq waits
in the car.
Jaan Mohammad takes his seat in the male area. Begum is
brought to the female area. The Maulvi starts the wedding
rituals. He recites from the holy book; hands are cupped in
reverence.
Jaan Mohammad is asked if he accepts Begum Para as his wife
thrice and he accepts her. Just when he finishes, two ladies
dressed in burqas get up from their seats in the female area.
The Maulvi poses his question to Begum; just before she can
reply, gunshot!
Some of the guests scream. Pandemonium. Jaan Mohammads men
take out their pistols and aim but are confused. Frenetic
activity amongst Mushtaqs men.
We know that it is Khalujan and Babban who have created this
mess but nobody else knows it yet. They keep a gun on Begums
head and warn everybody against making a move. They lift her
up and pull her towards the exit. Muniya makes a move to
snatch the pistol from Babban but he pushes her and asks her
to stay away.
To everybodys horror they take the Begum to the backyard
exit. Jaan Mohammads men have their weapons trained at the
duo but are helpless as the men have Begum in a tight grip.
Some of the male guests try to intervene but the kidnappers
fire shots in the air and they are held back.
Begum tries to resist the kidnapping. She flails her hands
wildly, trying to get out of the tight grip of her
assailants.

73.
As they come out of the building, Babban takes out a
handkerchief and puts it on her nose. She passes out, limp in
Khalujans hands.
The wedding party watches aghast and helpless. Begum is being
kidnapped in broad daylight.
The kidnappers drag Begum into a car and drive away. Shots
are fired, the fiat rear windshield shatters, but the car
speeds away from the scene.
Inside the car Khalujan and Babban take off the veil and look
back at Begum. She is fighting consciousness.
FADE OUT.
INT. HIDEOUT
Random unconnected images as Begum slips in and out of
consciousness - Khalujan and Babban, looking down at her.
Images of her husband on his death bed. Of Jaan Mohammad, of
her in her childhood and a smiling Muniya.
She comes to consciousness and takes a moment to realize
where she is. She doesn't know. A hard mattress in what seems
like an abandoned room. Weeds grow out on the floor.
As she comes to her senses fully, she rushes and bangs on the
rickety door. Babban opens it. She stares at him, benumbed.
He steps aside to make way for her to come out.
She walks out to see Khalujan sitting on a ledge of a broken
wall. They are in a ruined courtyard of an abandoned house,
weeds growing everywhere. She walks to him, questioning,
confused eyes at him.
KHALUJAN
Aur koi rasta nahi bachaa tha sach
jaanne ka.. Hamein jaanna hai ki
aakhir aapki majboori ke vajuhat
kya hain.. Kyun aap khud apne dil
ke khilaaf jang ka elaan kar rahi
hain uss naamaakool, doh kaudi ke
gunde se nikaah karke. Sach ugal
dein ek baar phir aap azaad hain..
BABBAN
Ae Khalu tum paagal ho?
Khalujan raises his hands to Babban. He walks to her.
KHALUJAN
(emotional)
Hamare dil se kyun khilaune kee
tarah khela aapne?

74.
She stares at him for very long, her heart sinking to the
bottom.
BEGUM PARA
(whispers, finally)
Kyunki aap ek behad chootiyana
mijaaz ke aadam hain..
Khalujan squints. Did he hear it right?
KHALUJAN
Jee?
BEGUM PARA
(louder now)
Jee.. Avval darje ke Chutub Uddin
Ehmak... soorat se goo aur seerat
se peshaab.. Hamare poore plan ki
ammi aapa kar daali aapne.. Saray
bazaar jins kar diya hamein.. Aur
hum bhi toh ek number kee ullu ki
patthi hain na.. Jail bhijvana
chahiye tha aapko nakli nawab
bankar hamare jalse mein shamil
honay ke liye..
BABBAN
Tujhe pata tha ye nakli nawab hain?
BEGUM PARA
Jiss raat ye apni dastan-e-dard ki
chugadkhori karne hamare paas aaye
thay hum uss raat jaage thay..
Hamein koi neend mein chalne valne
ki beemari nahi ai. Aur humne aapse
nikaah isliye nahi kiya ki aapne
humse jhooth bola tha balki isliye
ki hamein aapki asliyat pataa chal
gai thi..
KHALUJAN
Kya?
BEGUM PARA
Ye ki aap chor hain.. Hamein yaad
aaya ki woh Bhopal wale program
mein Shakoor Hussain Khan sahab ka
bhatija unka saara saaman chura ke
bhaag gaya tha. Phir hamein aapki
manhoos shakal bhee yaad aayi..
bhatije wali.. Pachaas saal se
chori kar rahe hain magar anti me
ek athanni nahi hai aapke.. Shaadi
karne nikle hain..
KHALUJAN
(angry)
Matlab?
(MORE)

75.
KHALUJAN (CONT'D)
Agar hum karodpati chor hotay toh
aap hamse nikaah kar leti?
BEGUM PARA
Yoon hota toh kya hota.. Arrey
nikaah chhodiye. Aap karodpati
hotay toh saari umr aapki laundi
ban ke guzaar dete hum.. Doh hee
ishq sachche hain duniya mein, ek
khali hatheliyon mein duaaon wala,
doosra bhari mutthiyon mein
asharfiyon wala..
Khalujans eyes are watering.
CUT TO:
I/E. POLICE STATION
There is mayhem in the Aminabad Police Station. Cops are
cowering under the table, running helter-skelter, locked up
in the bathroom, begging for forgiveness in the name of their
little children.
Jaan Mohammad has a policemans baton in his hands. He is
furious and hammers anyone who comes in his way. He abuses
the lame-duck police. Somebody had the gall to do this to a
man of his stature and all the department could do was be the
bystander.
He lifts the table up and throws it against the wall. Liyaqat
rushes in. He sees the scene and runs to his boss. He holds
him tight, trying to calm him down. Jaan Mohammad commands
him to let him go. Liyaqat is shouting but to no avail.
Finally Jaan Mohammad calms down; when Liyaqat tells him that
they know the identity of the kidnappers.
EXT. HAVELI - MUNIYAS ROOM
Muniya locks the room from inside. She looks out of the
window. There is tension below. Guests giving interviews to
TV crews. Frantic activity.
Behind her is Mushtaq and his crew. Mushtaq tells Muniya that
Khalujan and Babban are like his children, only ones that are
spoilt. He makes little of the mess up. He asks her to
consider the situation as a diversion, they will achieve
their goal eventually.
Muniya abuses the hell out of him and his inept gangsters.
You call yourselves professional! Bloody idiots!
Mushtaq intervenes. This was unexpected. The womens area
wasnt under our control. You were there. You should have
checked. He reiterates that nothing is lost. He is a
professional and hell make sure it all goes right.

76.
A police car enters the premises. Blaring siren. Muniya looks
out.
HIDEOUT
Babban pours Begum a drink.
It was Muniyas plan but the idea was mine. This is no place
for a woman to find happiness but there are other worlds out
there. We wanted to leave, just leave. Begum tells him.
Babban remembers - From Honolulu to Timbuktu to New York....
A lie! All this is a lie! You have everything... Khalujan
explodes.
I have nothing, Begum replies. Youve got it all wrong. Ive
spent 25 years caged in this crumbling mansion with nothing.
Nothing! My husband, the late nawab screwed my life and lost
everything. He had many hobbies - cheap alcohol, gambling and
young boys. Unfortunately I wasnt one of them. I was the
Begum, a role model for my people, too overwhelmed by my
position, burdened by the responsibility of it all. And for
what?
Near his death, he revealed that we were bankrupt; that
everything was lost and the banks would auction it all. I had
never felt lonelier. Thats when Muniya entered my life.
The Nawab died and things reached a head. Jaan Mohammad
controls the town's fear and now, he wanted to forcefully win
their hearts as well, by becoming the Nawab. He accosted me,
said that if I do not marry him he will take the estate.
Thats when I knew that I had to leave this place. But with
what? This was the only way and with Muniyas help it all
started falling into place. We got Jaan Mohammad to finance
the jalsa so that I could legitimately accept him. And then
he will have to pay the ransom.
Babban pours another drink for her. Quiet. Khalujan laughs
quietly, And I thought...
Well, you arent entirely mistaken. We did have a moment.
Its just that..., before she can finish Khalujan gets up and
walks away.
Babban looks at both of them. He shows his phone. Muniya
calls. Ahem.. Now what?
HAVELI
Jaan Mohammad walks into the premises. The press crews run
after him asking questions but he pushes on. His phone is
ringing. Hello?

77.
Sir Jaan Mohammad. I have a simple proposition for you. You
have a whole lot of money and we have your whole wife in our
captivity. Yet..
You fucks! You think you have any chance of getting away
with this? Jaan Mohammad growls.
Probably not, but well take our chances. I guess theyd be
worth your 50 million. Give the money to Munira Bano. Well
tell her where. The line goes dead. Jaan Mohammad looks
around, sees a police constable. He nods to him, the cop
rushes to him. Yes sir? Jaan Mohammad slaps him.
INT. HAVELI - MOMENTS LATER
Jaan Mohammad calls out for Muniya as he climbs the stairs to
her room.
Inside, Muniya and Mushtaq hear his voice and things go in a
tizzy. Muniya tells Mushtaq and his crew to hide.
Jaan Mohammad pounds on her door. She opens it. Jaan Mohammad
has tears in his eyes.
Mushtaq watches from behind the curtains as Jaan Mohammad
breaks down and hugs Muniya. Jaan cries, Dear sister, please
save her! I cant live without her.
Muniya steals a glance towards the curtain. She is awkward.

EXT. HAVELI - MOMENTS LATER

Jaan Mohammad and Muniya drive out in his car. Mushtaq and
his men watch. Riyaz muses that their hard work isnt going
to yield any results and theyll go back empty handed.
Nothing doing. I will have my money, no matter what.
JAAN MOHAMMADS HOUSE
Jaan Mohammad, still emotional, takes out wads of cash from
his safe as Muniya watches. He asks her if the kidnappers
have told her about the rendezvous.
Just then her phone rings out. She moves out of the room to
take her call as he watches expectantly.
She comes back and nods. He asks where. She says that shes
been instructed not to tell anybody or Begums life will be
in danger. Jaan Mohammad nods, understanding. He gives her
the bag. He reiterates, please bring her back safe.

78.
OUTSIDE
Muniya leaves with the money. Jaan is at the door. Some
distance away, Riyaz starts the car to follow her. Mushtaq
stops him, his eyes fixed on Jaan Mohammad.

* Climax - Where? Malihabad mushaira; railway station;

* Meeting of the two women. Emotional reunion of two lovers.
KH and BB realising the truth about BP and MB. They discuss
how the money is to be divided.
Open the suitcase. No money! Poetic insults from JM. Before
they recover from the shock, he arrives with his men.
They are surrounded.
* Mushtaq to the rescue with Nawab of Jahanpura. Reveal JM is
not a poet. Impromptu mushaira at gunpoint. BB helps women
get away.
What about money? The necklace business?