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*They stand outside an ATM - OMITTED
*They are in town hall.. Everything is expensive. Rahul tries
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to treat her and drags her in a few expensive places. She drags him back out. Rahul gives up and asks her what would she like to do. She exits frame.
*We see a few dollars changing hands and we reveal three
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balloons through a crowd.
*With the balloons tied to Riana’s hands, they both enter a
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street fair.
*There's a block street fair with little booths, sausage
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sandwich concessions, etc. Rahul and Riana have been to the makeup booth. Riana is a cat and Rahul is a pirate.
*They play various street fair games. Take a few childish
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rides.
*They get pictures clicked behind a turkey shaped cardboard.
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*After playing a bunch of games it’s lunch time. Rahul takes
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her to an expensive place. She goes through the menu outside the restaurant - everything’s above sixty dollars. She looks at him.
*They ride up on an escalator with huge slices of pizzas in
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their hands. Riana drinks from Rahul’s straw, as obsessive he is, he cleans it with a tissue. She looks at him and takes the straw out, suggests him to sip directly. They both sit in the car.
*BOULDER CITY - While Rahul is driving she puts her feet on
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the dashboard, Rahul gets irritated and pushes them down. RIANA
Hum kahan jaa rahe hain? RAHUL
Tumhein cheezein todne ka bahut shokh hai na
(beat)
aur yeh meri treat hai.
*Riana’s standing on top of a big bull-dozer, the expression
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on her face is of pure joy. We hear Rahul shout (o.s) “Are you ready?”, Riana replies “I can’t believe this?’ And BANG!! *They are at the famous ‘Big Dig’ in Vegas. Where they CRASH
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real cars with bulldozers. They both SCREAM in the open. Rahul for the first time looks free and happy.
It’s late in the evening, they both sit on the Tank drinking from a wine bottle.
*OMITTED
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OMITTED
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*The car drives through the Vegas streets with the three
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balloons stuck in the car window.
*On their way back: Riana a little tipsy looks at various
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neon signs going by. All different lights blend into one
another beyond the windshield. She is wearing Rahul’s jacket. She looks at him, her eyelids are too heavy for her.
RIANA
It really was my best birthday, thank you.
Rahul pats her head and smiles. MUSIC FADES OUT. INT. RAHUL’S APARTMENT - CORRIDOR - NIGHT
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Rahul carries a very sleepy Riana to the elevator. Her
handbag and balloons in his hand. The Security guys look at him.
INT. RAHUL’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
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He puts her on his bed, pulls a blanket over her and watches her sleep so peacefully. After a few beats, he dims the side lamp and leaves.
INT. RAHUL’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
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He steps out of the room, walks up to the couch, picks up her
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headphones and puts them on. He enjoys the music starts to groove with it. Feels like dancing, takes off his shoes. He tries to do the same steps Riana did at the Drive in. He
tries to keep it soft, so that she doesn’t wake up. He get on top off the sofa and suddenly - THUDDD!!!
Rahul collapses backwards and behind the sofa. SILENCE. His head pops up from behind, back in his senses he finds it hard to believe what he’d been doing. Feeling shy and happy he puts his head in his hands but slowly the music fades in
again and his body starts to groove again. We leave him alone letting him enjoy the best day of his life so far.
FADE TO BLACK. ________________________ INTERVAL __________________________
day
7
Have You Had Sex?
EXT. LAWYER’S BUILDING - MORNING
80 80
Rahul’s car drives in and parks outside the lawyer’s building.
LAWYER (O.C.)
So we are just gonna go through a quick check list before I can put in your application for processing. INT. LAWYER’S OFFICE - DAY
81 81
A MALE LAWYER in a business suit sits in front of a beautiful skyline. She’s ticking all the pre-requisites for the
annulment on a form. LAWYER So it happened on the 25th of December. Christmas. RAHUL Yes. LAWYER
Were there drugs involved? RAHUL
No.
RIANA Just alcohol.
LAWYER
And you both agree it was a mistake?
RAHUL
Yes. Yes. TAIRA
LAWYER Have you had sex?
RIANA Yes.
RAHUL
(almost immediately) No.
The lawyer looks at Rahul, all awkward, he picks up a glass of water and avoids eye contact with Riana. She realizes what she just said.
RIANA
Not with him...Sorry!! I thought you meant otherwise.
An awkward beat in the room. The intercom RINGS and breaks the silence. The lawyer cuts it and gets back to business.
LAWYER
Your application will be passed on for processing. You can both come on the 6th of Jan?
RAHUL Sounds good.
EXT. CENTRAL MARKET / POLICE DEPT. BUILDING - DAY
82 82
Riana and Rahul step out of a convenience store carrying over- stuffed brown paper bags in front of their stomachs. They are already in the middle of a conversation, munching on giant pokky sticks and a sipping on a slurpy heading toward the crossroad.
RIANA
Toh tumne abhi tak apne parents ko kuch nahin bataaya??
RAHUL
Kya batata? Hi mom, Hi dad..I lost my job ..and guess what.. ek raat maine itni pi li ki maine nashe mein shaadi kar li.
RIANA
I didn’t mean like that. Unhein samjha to sakte the--
RAHUL
Tumhein bachpan mein cola candies allowed the na?
RIANA
RAHUL
Kyoun ki, is duniya mein do tarah ke parents hote hain, woh jo
candies or cola allow karte hain aur doosre woh, jo nahin karte. Mere parents second category se hain - The ones with the ‘Rules’.
RIANA (mock sympathy) How sad! Ye lo!
(offers him pokky stick)
Waise socha jaye toh sabke parents abnormal hote hain!
(memory pops in)
You know, jab main choti thi toh ek din apne chote se bouncy bed par kood rahi thi, dad ko pata nahin kya hua aur woh mere saath koodne lage... do minute to bahut maza aya but then.. DHAAD!! Bed hi toot
gaya. Unka arm fracture hua- (points to her front
teeth)
-Aur mere do daaant. RAHUL
Nakli hain?
She nods. Rahul can’t understand this girl - she’s crazy! Rahul bends to pick something up, Riana notices.
RIANA
You know, tumhara bum bahut cute hai. RAHUL (checks it) Acha?? RIANA (beat)
It’s an Eight on ten RAHUL Thanks.
RIANA
Kaash mera bhi eight on ten hota. What do you think?
Rahul gestures her to turn around, she does... RAHUL
(with all seriousness) Ahhh....Three.
RAHUL Okay four!
She throws the entire pack on him. RAHUL
Meri shirt.. Okay final.. Five and a half...
(she runs behind him to hit him)
Chalo, tum bhi kya yaad rakhogi, six and a half
They get smaller in frame and music takes over. A nice moment with a perfect sunset. They sit in the car and drive off.
INT. RAHUL’S APARTMENT - LATE EVENING
83 83
Riana stands on an overloaded suitcase helping Rahul shut it. RAHUL
Ya... just a little pressure to the right...thoda aur..bas zara sa.. yes a little more...almost there, haan, bus, yes!!
Riana looks up at her and smiles, He realizes what she meant. RAHUL (CONT’D)
Oh God...Bahut hi ghatiya soch hai tumhari.
He heads to the living room to clear all the extra stuff around.
RIANA
Tameez se baat karo, biwi hun tumhari.
RAHUL
Tumhare jaane ke baad ye bewkoofiyan kaun karega?
RIANA (follows him)
Kyoun mujhe miss karoge? RAHUL
Don’t be cute. RIANA (happily) You’ll miss me.
RAHUL ..Shaayad.
RIANA
Aur shaayad nahin, kyounki tumhein ye busy rakhega.
She places a small beautifully wrapped gift on his palm. He looks at it.
RIANA Happy new year.
(pause)
Maine socha ek din pehle he wish kar deti hun.
He unwraps it. It’s a beautiful small, not very expensive, second hand camera. He turns it around and in felt pen
writing - it says Happy New Year love Riana. He’s never felt so touched before. Rahul doesn’t say a word, Riana looks at him.
RIANA (CONT’D)
Itne emotional mat ho, second hand hai.
RAHUL
(softly / confused) Who are you?
RIANA (equally soft)
I’m your new best friend.
He walks up to her and gives her a warm friendly hug, he’s not a hugger but somehow he feels comfortable..it lasts a tad bit longer than usual. It’s his first hug in years.
RAHUL
Chalo aaj bhi tum room mein so jao, main yahan so jaaonga.
RIANA (chuckles)
Itne cute nahin ho ki main apne aap ko control na kar sakun.
(he smiles)
kharaatein toh nahin marte?
He smiles and instantly brings up the camera and takes a picture. She slaps him on the arm and walks towards the room.
RIANA
Don’t! Main photos mein bilkul acchi nain lagti.
RAHUL
Camere ko kyoun blame kar rahi ho yaar?
RIANA
Actually koi farak nahin padta ismein film hai hi nahin.
We track back into a picture and slowly it FADES TO BLACK. INT. RAHUL’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
84 84
BLACK. It’s pitch dark. No visual. There’s SILENCE for a few seconds and then...
RAHUL (very softly) Ri!
A beat. She’s almost asleep, after a moment RIANA
Hmmm.
Silence. He’s changed his mind. After a few seconds.. RIANA (CONT’D)
Haan..??
RAHUL
Kuch Nahin.. Good night.
Riana switches ON the light, looks at him, he’s wide awake. She studies him for a bit with squinting eyes. He looks at her, she looks cute with her hair undone and her small eyes staring at him. She raises her eyebrows as if asking him “what is it?”. He looks at her..
RAHUL (smiles)
Main aadhi raat ko tumhein kyoun disturb kar raha hun? Sorry..Good night.
RIANA
--Tumhein allowed hai. Bolo.
They look in each others eyes, there is only silence now, of the loudest kind...and Rahul knows he’s falling for her. Rahul knows if there’s someone he can share this with, it’s her.
RAHUL What’s the trick?
RIANA Kya?
RAHUL
(after a long beat)
You know, tum itni khush rehti ho ki main tumhein dekhta hun toh sochta hun kaash main main nahin tum hota.
(beat)
Kaash tumhari tarah mera bhi koi plan hota, wahi kar rahi ho jo karna chahti ho. Aur main 25 saal ka ho gaya hun aur abhi bhi sochta hun.. ek subah uthunga aur mujhe sab samajh aa jayega - main kaun hun, kya karna chahta hun.. I wish,...I wish I had a plan like yours.
RIANA
(with a smile on her face) Plan??
(beat)
Main ballet dancer banna chahati thi, hair stylist nahin.
Rahul’s a bit surprised to hear this. RIANA (CONT’D)
Plan toh tha ki Paris jaoongi.. but then ek din rehearsal ke baad ghar jaate waqt, ek chote se accient mein..
(brings her foot up)
Here..mere ankle mein ek steel ball hai.. and I can never be a dancer.
Hurt is clearly visible in her eyes but she breaks away from it.
RIANA (CONT’D)
Kaafi defective piece hun na? Do daant nakli, ankle mein steel ball aur dad bolte hain ki meri ek aankh doosri aankh se choti hai.
She shows it to him, he notices, they break into a chuckle. They look at each other once again for a moment. Rahul knows if she looks at him for a beat longer she’ll know.
RAHUL Good night.
They exchange looks and he switches OFF the light. RIANA
Tumhein lagta hai ki tum duniya ke pehle insaan ho jo fail huye ho?
RAHUL
Nahi main apni family ka pehla insaan hun, jo fail hua hai. She switches ON the light.
RIANA
Achi baat hai, kisi ne toh shuruwat ki.
RAHUL It’s not funny.
RIANA
It is, can’t you see! Tumhare paas job nahin hai, meri jaisi bewkoof se shaadi kar chuke ho, aur...aur ab aadhi raat ko mujse advise le rahe ho jaise main Riana Braganza nahin Rajnish Osho hun.
He breaks into a chuckle and so does she. A silent beat. RIANA
(a bit more serious now) Take a break... Mere saath India chalo.
RAHUL Now that’s funny.
RIANA
Main mazaak nahin kar rahi. RAHUL
(amused) Good night.
He switches OFF the light. She switches it ON. RIANA
Kya problem hai? Ek hafte tak tumhara koi interview nahin hai, toh phir?
RAHUL
--Ri, mere parents aur tum ek hi city mein rehte ho, aur woh soch rahe hain that I have a job here. She gets the point ponders for a bit.
RIANA Right..Bad idea.
RAHUL Yup. Gnite.
He switches it OFF. Pitch dark again. RIANA
Tumne kabhi school bunk kiya hai??
He doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. She switches ON the light, looks at him, he obviously hasn’t. He switches OFF the light. She switches it ON.
RAHUL Ri-- tum paagal ho--
RIANA
Kyoun, agar main tumhare ghar reh sakti hun toh tum mere ghar kyoun nahin reh sakte?
Rahul switches OFF the light. She puts it ON. He switches it OFF, She switches it ON. Rahul’s got a sheet over his face, she pulls it down, with a scared expression he nods - no and she cutely looks at him and nods yes...AN UPBEAT NUMBER SEEPS IN. He nods again but with a smile. Smiles turn into laughter and she pounces on him with her pillow. We know he’s given in.
MONTAGE:
day
8-9
Bunking Home
EXT. VEGAS / INDIAN STREETS - DAY
85 85
*Rahul sits inside the cab with a smile fixed on his face. He
85A 85A
seems to have found something new. Riana is looking outside the window. She draws a plane on the foggy window glass.(DAY) *From Riana’s POV - Slowly the visual of Vegas Streets start
85B 85B
to intercut with Indian Streets - From beautiful sky scrapers and clean streets we cut to Indian Traffic, Indian signboards and the whole craziness. (VEGAS - DAY / INDIA - NIGHT)
EXT. BRAGANZA’S HOUSE - NIGHT
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They both are unloading their bags from the taxi.. In front of a beautiful ancestral house. It’s cozy and inviting with two warm lamps next to the door. MUSIC STOPS.
RAHUL
Listen mujhe bahut ajeeb lag raha hai.. Main.. Main hotel mein reh leta hun..
RIANA
(laughing at him) Tum paagal ho gaye ho..?
RAHUL
Exactly. Ye kya kar raha hun main?? He pays the cab guy.
RIANA
Mere saath chutti mana rahe ho-- RAHUL
--main ghar jaa raha hun.. (asks the taxi guy)
Boss, peddar road chaleinge.. RIANA
(she drags him along) Rahul, shut up!!
RAHUL
..arrey koi bahana bana doonga.. Surprise!!
(making it up as he talks)
..company ne micro housing project par research karne ke liye bheja hai.. etc. etc...
RIANA
(hands him a bag) Ye bag pakdo.
RAHUL
Oh god tumhare parents kya sochenge- RIANA
Relax.. They are chilled out.. Shaadi ke chakkar mein thoda hyper ho gaye the par..
RAHUL
(can’t belive she’s told them)
Ek minute.. Unhein maloom hai?? RIANA
Obviously!! Par unhein pata hai hum use annul kara rahe hain.
(calms him down) Easyyy!!
RAHUL Tumhara deemag toh--
(giving himself confidence)
--I’m okay..I’m okay.
Before he can finish, a cute healthy man in his late 50’s, Riana’s dad - PHIL comes down the staircase. Phil and Riana hug each other. Riana introduces Rahul.
RIANA Dad, meet Rahul--
PHIL (shake hands) --Arrey son-in-law!!
(sounding serious) Peekar to nahin aaye na??
RAHUL
Sorry Sir. (embarrassed / angry)TAIRA $
Dad, Stop it.
Rahul looks shattered. Riana’s mother, NICOLE walks out, a beautiful lady in her early 50’s, aging gracefully with a short haircut. She too hugs Riana. A dog followss Nicole and sniff Rahul. He’s scared but pretends to be calm.
NICOLE Hey Sherry ....shhh..
PHIL
Kick them in the balls!! Rahul doesn’t know how to react.
NICOLE Cheee! Phil!!
(to the dogs)
Behave Sheery, Aaj bilkul dinner nahin milega..Samajh mein aaya?
PHIL
Arrey main bol raha hun na, just a little --
(kicking action)
Nicole gives him a look to behave, The dogs move away. INT. BRAGANZA’S HOUSE - NIGHT
87 87
They all walk into the house. Rahul with all the luggage. Phil takes the smallest trolley from him.
NICOLE
Sorry Rahul, Abhi tak inko poora train nahin kar payee hun.
RAHUL
No aunty it’s a very cute dog. NICOLE
Main Phil ki baat kar rahi thi (to Phil)
Phil, c’mon help him. RIANA
Home sweet home!! Granny kahan hai? NICOLE
Upar change kar rahi hai.
Phil leads Rahul towards the bedroom and opens the door and turns on the light.
PHIL
Rahul, ek choti si problem hai.. guest room abhi under renovation hai toh humne socha tum Nicole aur mere beech mein so jaana.
Rahul quickly looks out for Riana. He’s uncomfortable and awkward.
PHIL Problem?
Rahul nods saying no... PHILA
Toh kya Riana ke room mein sona chahte ho?
Rahul starts to stutter and stammer... Riana walks in. RIANA
Dadddddd!! (to Rahul)
Sorry Rahul .. Abhi tak toh tum sochte the main pagal hun but welcome to the mad house.
NICOLE (O.S.) (overlapping)
Phil, oven se jalne ki smell aa rahi hai.
(pause)
Ri come taste this baby. RIANA
Coming.... (to rahul)
Rahul relax, change kar lo. Riana drags Phil away.
INT. BRAGANZA’S HOUSE -LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
88 88
Riana and her parents stand next to kitchen, in the middle of a conversation. Phil is sampling the soup. Riana eats some kiwis.
NICOLE Sweet ladka hai.
RIANA Haan, he is.
NICOLE (very casually)
Toh .. ab tum dono date kar rahe ho?
RIANA
Nahin mom dost hai.. friends! PHIL
(matter-of-fact)
Have you slept with him-- NICOLE
She just said.. they are not dating!
TAIRA Dad.
PHIL
Just -- checking. Baap hun tumhara. RIANA
Dad, he’s a really sweet guy, bas usse ek break ki zaroorat thi toh main le aayi apne saath..
NICOLE
--I think he likes her-- PHIL
--I think I like him... He’s rich. Nicole gives him a look.
RIANA
(a little annoyed) He’s a friend!
Riana steps out of the kitchen, Phil and Nicole look at each other. We hear a voice we recognize from before..
STEFF (O.S.) Riiiii.
It’s STEFF, thirty something, cute pregnant lady with her husband KARAN, tall banker with a paunch. He’s carrying their four year old daughter AALIA and her toys and accessories in his hands. They hug, while Nicole takes Allia in her arms. Then Riana gives Karan a hug, pats his tummy.
RIANA (re:paunch)
Pehle bola hota to ek pregnancy jeans tumhare liye bhi le aati.
KARAN
Shut up! Ye toh sirf chutti ki wajah se hai...holiday weight!!
RIANA
Kaafi heavy holiday hoga.
Phil goes to Allia, takes her in her arms. Karan heads to the kitchen.
STEFF
Okay now don’t fight hum log gymkhana jaa rahe hain?
NICOLE
No Steff... maine already dinner bana chuki hun.
RIANA
Aur main abhi abhi aayi hun. I’m tired!
KARAN
She’s so tired Steff! America se chalke jo aayee hai.
PHIL
Mujhe nahin aana, I hate woh sab budhon ke beech mein--
STEFF
Dad kuch saalon mein aap bhi usi category mein honge. Let’s go.
PHIL
Alright .. Let’s go ... but with my son in law..
STEFF (whispers) Rahul’s here??
Karan’s not been paying attention to this whole conversation, he’s busy in the kitchen.
KARAN (O.S.) Granny kahan hain?
INT. BRAGANZA’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT