The year: 1989
Two extremely important events occurred in our country.
Little Sachin Tendulkar's debut,
and...
Little Srushti holding my little hand!
Now, you might say Sachin's debut was important for India.
But what did India gain
in startled little Srushti holding my little hand?
Nothing at all at that time.
But what followed after she held my hand,
due to which...
I'll tell you later.
This much is essential to tickle your curiosity!
They say that all creation sprang from Lord Brahma.
Humans,
animals,
birds,
plants,
Rocks and stones.
Everything!
Thereafter, lineages increased gradually
and branched out.
And we eventually became so many castes and religions like this.
Hence, though we believe we have a million identities,
we are branches and leaves of the same tree!
But if you ask what fireworks this scene ignited,
before answering this question, you must know my autobiography!
I know that a nobody like me...
Wait! Rewind...
Stop!
I know a nobody like me is unsuitable for the word 'autobiography'.
Very well then... We'll call my autobiography...
Autobio-Pamphlet!?
As I was saying, we're all branches and leaves of the same tree.
And the leaf of my family, the Bendes... They're fluttering!
Why is it fluttering? Come let's see
This is my family's main man;
I mean main woman!
My great-grandmother!
Which means history,
Ancient history!
Actually, a little rain will be fine.
Her saree is fluttering in the wind- since the day her husband, i.e
my great-grandfather left her floundering!
- Don't drink! - I will!
- Don't drink! - I will, all the time!
Then feed me some too!
Our child in my womb too can have a zip!
Zip?
It's SIP!
Bloody illiterate!
That Chandrika's so much better than you!
Chandrika?
Yes, Chandrika!
Why the hell did I marry you?!
Go to hell!
Already there!
And my great-grandmother
thrown out in pouring rain with my grandfather in her belly
Her life totally washed out literally!
Do husbands really need any reason to throw wives out?
Even hot season can be the reason!
The point is, if you're in a saree,
and you're left to flounder,
your saree will certainly flutter!
In 1930,
Gandhi started the Dandi march to obtain desired freedom.
And my great-grandmother had to march for a freedom she didn't desire.
Then, wandering from place to place,
staying with relatives,
she started a husband-less life.
Hey!
Sister!
Come!
Come...
Ooouch!
Seeing this, for a second she thought...
I too should've done this!
Never mind.
She entered the house.
Space crunched!
Poverty!
Food scarcity!
Thus begins with glory,
my family's story!
And one fine day, she discovered that
'Education is the milk of a tigress'
and she drank it!
And then she leaped! Little cat to a jungle cat,
then to a leopard,
then a tigress.
Till she became the headmistress of a school!
Nature was displaying its marvels.
Sudhakar, my grandfather- his growth,
nurture and marriage
and then the growth of his family,
i.e., the birth of my father
Then the growth of my father, his employment, his marriage-
and active married life!
Then my mother's scream
and my birth!
Look-this is a nice name- Ajata
Oh, my! This child has the blessings of Shiva himself!
No, it was the tongs...
Yes, yes-the tongs!
Shiva's devotees use those tongs, right?
That has been imprinted on baby's forehead!
But the "U" shape is Vishnu's symbol!
Shiva's symbol is three horizontal bands!
Never mind!
Let's think that both have blessed him!
Yes, yes-blessings indeed!
What else can it be!
Ashish!
blessing means 'Ashish'! Which became my name!
Oh, my!
Look!
God's blessings have disappeared!
Not disappeared..
Immanent.
That's how it is!
Mother's milk,
puke,
then solid food,
loose motions-
then eggs,
chicken-pox
crossing these usual milestones, my nurture progressed.
Preparing to run the race called life!
Finally, I started going to school.
School-going in those times was different.
No school buses like today,
nor the fast cars of parents.
Instead we had the slow but sturdy Kantabai!
For Rupees 25 a month, we got infrastructure like this
which was structured like this
and we would be transported to school like this.
As I was telling you,
the country too was crossing important milestones, like me.
The day I ascended to the second standard,
the same day India's population ascended to eighty crores.
Didn't I tell you?
The important events of the country
are tied to the important events of my life.
There's a whole list!
I was born in 1979,
the same day the Janata Party Government collapsed.
Since such an important event occurred at my birth itself,
everyone kept a close watch on me
Everyone was convinced
that I would cause something important at each stage in my life,
and I too never disappointed anyone!
The day I started crawling...
And India won the gold medal in Hockey at the 1980 Olympics!
My first stuttering words
coincided with Indira Gandhi's swearing in as Prime Minister.
I left peeing in my pants
and India won the Cricket World Cup!
I broke the sixth tea-saucer of my life
and the thespian Sanjeev Kumar..
lost his life!
Similarly, when I ate my first tamarind in the fourth standard,
V.P. Singh became the Prime Minister
After eating the first tamarind
and making V.P. Singh the Prime Minister,
my friends and I stayed back to see rehearsals of the Annual Day celebration.
Oh, sorry! These are my friends.
You must remember them
they have a significant part to play in that event
of international importance in the future.
Oh dear! What happened?
Hey Sushant, come!
Wait!
Madam, he laughs at this point every day!
Oh, God!
Would any of you like to act?
And my finger raised itself
That little raised finger
would bear the mountain of not only that juvenile drama,
but also the mountain of the progress of the whole country itself.
What happened Madam?
Oh, God! Thief! Catch him!
That's right.
But you play an old servant,
speak like an old man.
What happened Madam?
Oh, God! Thief! Catch him!
God knows what I read like an old man,
rehearsals were held, the drama was finalized,
and the day of performance arrived.
Bloody hell!
Oh, God! What happened?
A girl held my hand for the very first time!
Mine was love at first hand!
This is why in the future...
We'll see that later.
Let's continue now.
I FELL IN LOVE!
I paid constant attention to her.
Her ponytails,
her crooked teeth,
the way she used to pinch Keerti...
Everything was delightful!
Her talk!
Her walk!
Her eating lunch!
No one in the world must be eating lunch like her!
I don't want to go!
No, I wont go!
I, who was once unwilling to go to school,
started fighting to go to school!
Which stunned my mother a lot!
I was fascinated with her during school hours,
and even in the holidays.
These were the most despised holidays of my life!
Let's go!
Holidays for two months!
Before the fifth standard.
Now holidays-what fun!
Holidays-damn!
The time passed in slow motion.
So Slow!
(old song) 'Tell me whom do I surrender to'
Shall we eat ice-cream?
To Nagpur, your uncle's place?
Finally, the holidays ended!
The first day of the fifth standard!
I was preparing extremely quickly and enthusiastically to go to school
- Mother was so proud!
Take this.
- Let's go! - I'll go by myself!
Nothing doing!
Either me or Kantabai will come.
Then Kantabai.
Why her?
You come inside the classroom!
Come, let's go!
If he studies like this,
Then like the great educationists Phule, Tilak and Agarkar
he'll certainly start a school!
Yes, I'll certainly start a school.
In that school, there'll be only Srushti and me.
No other children.
Or teachers!
Every day will be the Annual Day!
We'll act in plays, dance, sing,
take a break if we feel like it,
go out, eat a guava!
Start celebrating Annual Day again!
Delighted with these thoughts, I reached school slightly late.
But...
Srushti wasn't in the classroom!
Not even in the school!
Bende...
Bende!
What?!
You're called to the Office!
To see you I yearn.
Due to school timing, I burn.
How is this possible?
How did my life become a drama without a heroine?
Has she changed schools?
Has someone kidnapped her?
Or has her father married her off?
This eraser can erase even ink!
There's no such thing!
Of course there is. I'll show you!
The class is less crowded, isn't it?
Yes, it's so nice and roomy!
Why? There are a good 48 students!
Yes, but including the girls, there will be a 100.
Terribly crowded!
Girls now have morning school!
Ah yes!
That's what I was saying.
What?
I found someone's sharpener last year.
Whose might it be?
What's the girl's school timing?
Yes of course. Fifth standard!
Girl's school timing in the morning and boy's in the afternoon!
The first blow of a cruel world!
I was helpless!
Just a minute...
Was I really helpless?
Won't we learn anything from recent hit Hindi romantic films?
What's the point of this open environment that we have then?
Shall we both elope?
We'll build a hut in the forest and do plantation work and animal husbandry;
break stones at a quarry..
Hey!
Watch out!
Is your cycle made of gold?
You booze and we're troubled!
I booze with my own money, not yours!
I booze with my own money!!!
All right, booze!
Come in-slowly, slowly!
I've kept some money for Ashish's school books.
Here's the rest of my salary.
Take these!
- How much for this? - Rs. 1.50
What! Rs. 1.50 only?
- Granny, can I keep this? - Alright.
This is the local tough!
What? No! That's nonsense!
In fact, he was drunk and was.
What the hell's your problem if he's drunk?
He gets drunk on his own money!
But my son fell down from his bicycle!
He could have been hurt!
What hurt?
Hey, pup, were you hurt? You weren't!
Oh! He's your son?!
Why, is he yours, you scum! Get lost!
You had to pick a fight with HIS son?
What happened?
Ashish, you go inside
No! What happened?
Cussing in front of Ashish!
Is that a good example?
Getting bashed in front of Ashish!
Is that a good example?
Look, they were the ones beating, not me!
So proud on getting bashed!
Don't just work!
Workout as well!
No more sitting! Start squatting!
Let's go!
For a strong mind - Education!
For a strong body - Physical education!
Right, kiddo?
Yes, Great Granny!
A man was being forged in our family!
We gained a man but lost a woman
The main woman
My great-grandmother!
She was a blazing initial paragraph in my Autobio-pamphlet!
One push-up in memoriam!
She was burnt on a pyre
Before seeing me transform into a live-wire
It was due to her that this branch of this family was
established in this corner of this town!
Hey? It's only 6.30 a.m.
School's in the afternoon-sleep for some time more!
No! For man's future, nurture nature (Srushti)!
Is he sleep-talking?
Boy's school starts at 12.00 noon
and girl's school leaves at 11.30 a.m.
What?
Isn't school at 12.00?
Why the hurry?
No, at 11.30!
Teacher said it's at 12.00 noon?
That's additional.
There's tree-plantation at 11.30 a.m.
Everyday!
I was convinced of the importance of nature right from childhood
Flora, fauna and creation (Srushti) in general.
We must protect them!
I was putting off learning to read the clock
I learnt it in an hour!
And I also learnt that the time I required to learn
is called as an hour!
Come!
- Go in! - I have some work!
The bell rang.
Girls came out and...
So did she!
Hee hee!
From that day, this ritual started everyday!
Like the clock, I learnt to read the calendar too!
I earlier learnt only two months,
now I learnt the whole calendar!
I learnt that I performed the "11.30 ritual" for a whole year!
When I went to 6th standard from 5th,
how I attempted the examinations,
what I learnt- I remember absolutely nothing!
Then I went to the 7th standard.
But did not break my ritual!
I don't want to be escorted,
All my friends go to school alone!
Go alone then!
I can then take two more children to school!
Move!
A new year, but the same old worries-
What if she changes schools?
What if she goes away?
But no!
The bell rang-Srushti came out!
And today, my penance bore fruit!
The thing is, biology says that adolescent girls grow faster.
What if I'm shorter than her?
A new worry from today!
All that's fine- I'll grow taller some day.
At least I met her today!
Coincidentally, Borya came early today and I was
caught!
Kite, Sight and Bright-
these are rhyming words.
Spy and sky-
Children, write it down.
Ashish loving Srushti!
What!
How?
When did you come to know?
English!
Who's that?
Is the poem done?
No Ma'am!
Then who's speaking?
Concentrate!
I will ask questions later!
So, what is proof?
I see!
That Srushti Damle?
And this Ashish Bende!
So what is plan?
No plan!
Don't talking!
Now tell me,
Why poet says that sky is red?
Borya!
Ma'am, I was late yesterday!
I just taught the poem!
'Chyayla'!
'Chyayla'? In English!
Mother's to mothers
Tea, tea!
Tea for mother!
Have you ever served your mother tea?
As with every year,
Madam imprinted her palm on Borya's cheek
And I printed my sign on these forms
Give me that drawing paper.
So what?
What?
Of what?
Your love.
Your love is on her, no?
Yes, yes!
But she?
She doesn't know.
So letter.
Love letter.
You writing!
No! No letter!
Police arrest!
First only see and see that's all!
Right, right.
He sees, she sees,
we see. Only seeing!
How much seeing!
Here! What else?
Then - Her address? Will you find it?
Not not, difficult!
What difficult? You have a cycle!
Yes yes.. you can fastly!
Okay.
What will you pay?
An ice-lolly!
Okay.
Hey! Only to he!
But we helping!
Yes help we!
Lost a pen?
How?
Mom!
Synonyms and antonyms!
Hard, soft!
Can I come in madam?
You're late!
Madam, sorry.
I happened piles yesterday!
You happened piles?
Yes!
Happen + ed = Happened
I happened piles.
Idiot!
Go!
Sit on your piles!
Such a liar!
Nincompoop!
Silence!
Got the address!
What is it?
Ice-lolly!
I'm a little short of money.
I'll tell you once you raise the money!
Is this the worth of our friendship?
I used the idiom learnt yesterday on him.
Then I went through the wringer for nothing?
He retorted with the idiom he learnt the day before!
Grandpa!
Hello!
Your money...
I told you! Your money...
Sorry!
Even in love,
barter is unavoidable!
This is what "To CHILL with friends" means
It's a map!
Turn it aroundl. Look...
This is the road to our school.
Turn from here. Till here.
Till here only.
What do I do once I reach here?
Shout her name?
We'll follow her to the end tomorrow!
Then eat the ice-lolly tomorrow!
No!
"PILES FISSURES HYDROCELE"
Sure this is the spot?
Yess!
Maybe she hasn't come today?
Or maybe she's sick!
What if she's out of town?
Or an accident?
There's a lot of traffic outside our school!
Yes, yes an accident!
She's lost her memory!
Her eyes must have popped out!
To hell with love!
Come, let's go home, she must be dead!
There she comes!
Come on quick,
Sit quickly!
You go ahead
I reached late!
I couldn't see which gate the car entered
Let's search, then!
Yes!
What if the Car's dropped her and left?
Yes!
Whichever may be the bungalow,
your in-laws are rich!
He-he stays nearby.
I came to take a notebook!
Say something!
No. Haven't practised!
Oh cycle!
I want to drink! No! I want to drink!
This wasn't the quarrel.
It was about father wanting grandpa to quit drinking
Whatever, I found Srushti's address,
but we lost ours.
Remember?
History repeats!
In pouring rain!
Very symbolic, isn't it?
Anyway...
Once again, there was a wash-out Literally!
Life, they say, is like this.
A kiss on one cheek and a punch on the other!
Thrown out by father's father?
He who helps is mother's brother!
Sister?
Brother, who is it?
Sister?
Elders quarrel
and the lines of youngsters' autobio-pamphlet increase!
...
I used to give him my entire salary every month!
What else remained?
ANKLETS! ANKLETS!
Get lost!!
Don't send me to the shop!
What!
I won't go!
I'll whack you!
You're up?
Don't go to school if you don't want to.
No school!
What the hell is going on!
Mother and my relatives stared at me amazed.
I too stared at my image in the mirror, amazed
What's happened to me?
Never mind.
Amazed or not, I didn't bunk school.
I reached the gate.
School ended, but Srushti wasn't there.
I suddenly screamed...
She's missing school!
What the hell is going on!
Like every year, I reached office to sign the forms.
But they weren't there yet.
No forms!
At this, disgusted, I suddenly
Sorry...
Not suddenly, since it happened twice before...
But still, disgusted, I screamed!
No forms?!
What the hell is going on!
You boys! Go from there!
What's happening since yesterday!
Seriously!
Who am I?
And why are these questions troubling me?
Due to cold?
Yes, cold causes gravitas!
But these questions troubled me too yesterday!
Me too!
All of society is churning!
That's what my uncle said
But didn't society churn even during the freedom struggle?
Now again?
How many times will society churn?
Don't know. Society also turns topsy-turvy, it's said.
Damn! Then what's happening now-
churning or topsy-turvy?
We got self-governance we need good governance!
Now consider that the temple's built!
Yes, yes!
Wow! You've got variety of Gods!
Yes, yes!
We have these!
Yes, yes!
We have this!
Yes, yes!
And we have these!
Yes, yes!
Now do you understand?
What those forms were?
Who I am?
Who the others are?
Smoke is common everywhere, isn't it?
You can't really identify people just by looking at them.
For that you need to see the photographs on their walls!
You know...
How?
I mean if you have a Buddha at home,
your fees are exempt!
So he gets fee exemption and not us?
But why?
Why?
I mean how?
How?
So basically why people...
Here, a sentence from Borya would have been breathtaking!
So basically, who decided that people are different? And when?
Oh my, oh my, how would that have been!
But no. Borya said:
So basically, from which shop do people buy Buddha statues from?
Fool! You can't just buy Buddhas like that!
Yes!
I mean, you can buy,
but still, you are either a Buddhist or not!
Yes!
Even if you aren't you can become!
Yes!
Didn't Ambedkar become Buddhist?
He wasn't one first!
Isn't that right, Sir?
Are these things to be told to young children?
Run along!
But isn't Ganapati the God of intelligence?
Then there should be fee exemption even on installing Ganapati!
Is your religion itself different?
Caste!
Not religion?
No, caste!
Or Religion?
But even so,
between us...
But people...
He's going to say it, he will!
But people are all the same.
Aren't we all human, after all?
But No!
But people get Buddhism from where?
You can't 'get it' like that!
One minute...
Who are Dalits (lower caste)?
You are!
B.C. (Backward Caste)?
He is!
And Mahars (untouchables)?
Him only!
And Buddhists?
These people only!
Damn-you have four titles!
and we have only one!
Not ABC, EBC-Economically backward.
This concession is available to all!
EBC?
- Now what's this? - Who knows!
What?
I don't need devotees! I want disciples!
Thus spoke Babasaheb Ambedkar!
Ashish, a stupa!
Being devotees is absolutely easy.
Buy symbols and shout slogans!
It's difficult to be a disciple
You have to study
My father was not a devotee,
but a disciple.
Since father wasn't a devotee,
it wasn't easy for us.
Ajatashatru...
Ajatashatru!
Me?
Yes, you!
I wanted to name you Ajatashatru!
But Ashish is a nice name!
You won't understand these things now-].
Ashish is a name which 'they' use.
Who 'they?'
- They who for thousands of years - Dalits vs Brahmins?
I know.
Bravo!
But there is also Dalits vs Marathas, Dalits vs OBCs...
These conflicts are also there.
Bravo young man!
Then from today- Ajatshatru!
But he was very cruel.
He tortured and killed his father!
But he finally sought refuge in the Buddha!
So he felt remorse?
Confusing!
Say no to Ajatshatru!
Everyone will tease you- Shatru-kutru shatru-kutru!
Painjvan they tease you 'Painjan' (anklet), don't they?
They tease me 'anklet'.
No one knows the name Painjvan.
Yes, who was he?
He was a King, from our caste.
- Do we have butter? - Platter?
- Not platter butter! - Yes-we do!
We seek the refuge of the Buddha!
Thus, the things that I never knew for fourteen years,
society taught me in a day.
Our society has a splendid recipe called 'sheep-flock-soup'.
Take a tender, soft newborn baby
Then let it simmer
.
Pretend to use multicoloured spices,
but ensure that the final colour which sticks to the child is our own.
As the child gets 'Red-hot',
add 'Hate-red' oil.
Wait till nice tendrils are formed.
Baby and family will get entangled in these tendrils.
As soon as it boils, mix rant.
Non-stop raving is a must.
Since this is the story of every household,
society will be soon set ablaze-
I mean-warm up.
We are the persecuted.
We are the prosecuted!
The baby thus cooked-up is not only proud of its own,
but also hates everyone else.
HE WHO UTTERS THIS IS BLESSED TRUTH IS THE TIMELES ONE!
It's their battle-cry, not ours!
Attack!
'INDUS CIVILIZATION'
Finally, all of us calmed down.
Whatever was in our hearts flowed out.
A little blood and some snot also.
Importantly, the 'sheep-flock-soup' in us drained out.
Seeing everybody mauled,
all of us had a sudden revelation of equality.
Did you see?
Our blood is the same!
Truly!
My blood isn't redder because I'm a Brahmin!
My blood isn't saffron because I'm a Maratha!
And my blood isn't green!
Then who decided all this?
Didn't they realize what effects this would have in future?
This wicked society has conditioned us so-why?
For what?
From today, no one is higher or lower amongst us!
It's final!
No one can divide us!
Today we've found the truth of life!
BROTHERS!
Humans have one more division-
Male and female!
And if we can erase this division?
No!
This division is fun.
Hmmm!
What's the commotion here?
Quietly own up.
All those who made a commotion stand up on the bench!
Sir will be overwhelmed seeing our unity!
Come on-show your hand!
You too! Come on!
The whole class bore the brunt of the cane,
but did not tattle!
In our minds, we gave the status of an independent country to Standard 7-C,
where we were nothing more than citizens of 7-C
And citizens only!
These are my parents!
We've seen Dalit parents for the first time!
Everything will be absolutely fine now, mom and dad!
We've found a house, my dear!
Yes!
See!
Come, let's all eat guava.
Guavas are excellent for health!
Excuse me?
Thank you.
Today, we killed big villains like caste and religion
and today itself, this new villain appeared!
Adversary alias competition.
Competitator!
Competitioner!
Same difference!
Hey, we don't need an easy way! An easy way we don't need!
See that pile of trash?
That lane over there Dr.Ambedkar had visited!
You'll see this scene from time to time.
Sir, do you gamble or drink?
No?
Then we're safe!
How often does this kiddo go to the loo?
Normal.
Then no problem!
This much queue is always there!
- Hail Bhim! - Hail Bhim!
New customer?
Barrister Ambedkar has visited this place!
I just told them that!
When did he visit here?
Just listen quietly!
This queue is for water and this for kerosene.
Don't be confused!
Once, someone had washed his behind with kerosene,
and put water in the stove!
Turn right here
and the first room is yours!
Whenever you find him here,
Yell "Dhurpada"...
So what flows will be automatic.
I'll drop you to your uncle's in the morning.
Go to school from there.
Uncle's?
What'll I do there for two hours?
Wait there!
It's all right, the school's only ten minutes from here.
I have to spend only two hours here after you leave, right?
At your uncle's twoooooo hours and here "only two hours"
Drama queen!
How very nice!
Welcome!
No...
First we see here there.
Then continue.
I go.
Today's 6th December,
the train station will be crowed.
Yes, I know.
I won't go that side.
Come on, let's go.
Oh! Mr.Datar.
Please come in!
Not now.
I'll come for lunch someday.
- Very well - I'm leaving
Bye uncle!
Bye kids!
Come, let's go!
What's with the English obsession?
We are practicing so... We are...
Buy half-kilo 'bhagar'.
Bringing 'bhagar'.
I didn't know then and still don't know the English word for 'bhagar'.
Dr.Ambedkar definitely knew.
He had said 'Learn or you won't earn'.
Actually, I've said this.
But no one takes an aphorism seriously.
till they're told it's by someone famous
Your home very ugly!
And locality is dirty.
Dirty!
Thanks!
Small, my home same!
Then why living in that?
Fighting, out, no home.
Half-kilo 'bhagar'
Fetching.
Take new home.
Good!
Mustn't be having money!
How much is required?
Many money.
Tell, tell how much!
I telling father.
[Radio- 'The mosque has been demolished']
Boys! Run home!
The mosque has been demolished!
They kill me!
Why?
He's a Muslim, isn't he?
Hey-don't be scared!
We're united!
However society may behave!
Don't worry, kid, I'll escort you.
Your locality dirty.
But people good!
This means a shutdown!
Holiday!
There's no holiday.
You must come to school tomorrow.
Not even one holiday?
Don't bunk school tomorrow!
Aren't you in the seventh standard?
Should I report to Madam!
Wasn't the mosque demolished?
Or was it a rumor?
But there are no riots.
Just a demolished Mosque won't do.
A school holiday needs riots too.
Yes indeed!
Sameer went home for nothing!
Hey!
Isn't this where her handkerchief had fallen that day"
Yash came running from there to her.
Ashish was here itself.
This means Yash came running from far away
But Ashish had to cross the road,
which is why he was delayed.
Whatever be the reason,
he gave her that thing!
Yes indeed.
As it is, her things fall at a slow rate!
Her things fall once in two years.
And now there is a competitor too!
The question of how to talk to Srushti was a difficult one.
Actually, the answer to this question was difficult
And now...
[COMPETITOR]
There was no answer!
Bye now.
Stay safe! Stay in the house itself.
If you feel like going out, just lock the door.
I'll bolt the door.
If you want anything, buy it.
Yes, I will
What do you do with this motherly love?
I will handle it.
Hello, Panther?
When is school?
Sharp at 11.30.
How sharp?
Panther sharp!
The competition has increased!
Competition?
Best student competition?
There are separate marks for punctuality.
Best student!
Well-done, well-done!
Barrister of today!
Please tell me if your require anything.
- Yes. - Bye, I'm leaving
May I try?
Hey, mother!
Excellent! You did it?
That boy did it!
Oh dear!
Thank you big brother!
Isn't anyone at home?
They've gone to office!
Then will you come to have tea?
- Aunty, No, no- I don't drink tea! - Oh do come, don't feel shy!
No, aunty! Come on!
I'll make splendid ginger-tea for you!
Aunty, no!
Aunty let me at least close the door!
Nothing will happen to the door, come!
So many slippers!
This is that big brother!
Is it? Come, come!
One gets a hundred rupees for a thousand slippers
A Hundred rupees?
Wow!
Here, take this, do it!
What! Why make him work?
Difficult to remove from boots
Easier to remove directly from the feet.
Shut-up!
Easy-easy!
Why the divider etc.?
It seems so typical-
our love isn't typical!
You have no love in the first place!
My divider will accomplish something.
Accomplish what?
If madam comes to know, it's the end!
Everything's proceedingly smoothly!
Smoothly?
She smiled not at you but at my fall.
No! She smiled today at me only!
Because you look like a monkey!
Hey! Forget love and all.
Does she even know you exist?
She knows very well. She's smiled twice till now.
This looks like toilet graffiti
How can you connect pee and love!
Actually, my points were chaste.
But other than my reaching school at 11.30,
our love had reached nowhere.
Listen to me...
Shut up!
She thinks I've done it!
Listen please...
That Keerti?
Who?
Kedar's twin sister...
She's in Srushti's class.
Yes
Why carve names?
I haven't carved it!
It looks so bad!
Who carved it?
None of us!
I certainly haven't carved it!
Will you tell her?
I will!
Have one more?
Don't worry.
Today's Friday, an auspicious day.
Everything will be fine!
Srushti listen he hasn't carved it.
Damn!
And what do I see...
Divider through the heart!
Furious, Srushti did
this!
Finished!
And thus, my daily 11.30 romance was ruined!
[Radio- sad break-up song]
Are we buying something?
No song!
[Radio-An extremely important news]
[There have been serial bomb-blasts in Mumbai]
[Islamic terrorists are suspected]
[The death toll is not yet certain]
[Don't believe in rumours]
Why did you break the Temple?
I haven't!
Your ancestors did!
You too demolished the mosque, didn't you?
Then why these bomb-blasts now?
It's not me!
Damn, it's not!
Yes, Sameer, it wasn't you!
I was blaming you for nothing!
Come, everyone!
Brothers!
Will you have an ice-lolly?
[Radio- sad song resumes]
After the bomb-blasts, riots erupted in Mumbai,
and in my heart too!
Why should I fall into this Shrushti-mess?
Is it going anywhere?
Why should I fall into this Hindu-Muslim mess either?
Show must go on!
My love tragedy coincided with Borya's brother's thread ceremony.
What can be done!
Whether grief or sweets of a ceremony,
both have to be swallowed!
Even I want to have a thread-ceremony!
What!
That season's over.
I want a thread-ceremony too!
Shut up!
A thread ceremony for me too!
What!
It can't be done for just anybody!
Eat!
If my friends cannot have a thread-ceremony,
we don't want it either!
Shall I uproot your hair?
Do it, big brother, do it!
What? Uproot?!
Not like this!
We don't want a hasty revolution!
No?
We need a peaceful revolution!
Yes, Borya, yes!
Have a laddoo!
- Brothers! - Brothers!
Play!
Wow!
Self-governance has become good governance
But in the process, just like King Shivaji had to fight his own people,
I too had to fight my own school mate
from my own school for my own love.
Bloody competitor!
Sit!
Astonishingly, today her glance wasn't angry!
Perhaps she came to know that I hadn't carved our names!
This is exactly what I say,
study the facts carefully and then express opinions!
Don't believe rumors!
Avoid tension!
Let us forget all that has been carved in the past,
let us get fresh slates and uncarved benches.
But let us all bash Yash the competitor!
Girls and boys will sit together for the National Hindi Exam!
This means Srushti and I will be in the same class!
Oh yes!
Are you done?
Or do I leave?
Sorry, sorry!
They're here, they're here!
As per surnames, B for Bende and D for Damle
would be in the same classroom.
Since there was only 'C' between us and there weren't many 'C's
I suddenly started liking the letter 'C' very much!
Bende and Damle were separated by only one bench
When suddenly, in between B and D came C!
Chitale!
Chitale...
yes-Chitale!
Silence!
I know this is getting very suggestive,
but reality is many times deadlier than imagination.
But like that song said, we don't need an easy way!
Even so,
how can this be called as love?
All that's proved is that you love 11.30AM!
But how will we know whether '11.30AM' loves you?
Something must be done!
1-2-3 mike testing!
In the hand-writing competition among girls,
Sonal Rajadhyaksha from 7-A is second place
and Sejal Randive from 8-B is first.
Amongst boys, Gaurav Sawant from 6-C is second
and Yashodhan Chitale from 8-D is first.
I decided to take part in competitions, since if you won
your name would be announced on speaker to the whole school the WHOLE school!
"ELOCUTION COMPETITION"
In the Constitution of India...
First Prize
from 8-C
Ashish Bende.
INTER-SCHOOL DRAMA COMPETITION
O Creator!
First Prize
Ashish Bende.
Ashish Bende!
Flower-arrangement competition? Only girls participate generally!
Get lost!
Ashish Bende!
Tell me! What's left-tell me!
All the school competitions are over! Now enough!
You're far ahead of Yash!
Isn't there any Inter-school competition?
Tell me!
Ashish Bende!
FLOOD-WARNING SYSTEM
Ashish Bende!
The books shook me to my core.
Like the earthquake that shook Latur village.
Next day, all were shaken seeing the photographs.
Poem?
He will get a slap!
Grandpa!
Mom and dad!
Mom!
Teacher sent my poem to a competition.
it won the first prize and was published in the newspaper!
Grandpa distributed sweets all-around!
Mr.Savarkar on one side and Dr.Ambedkar on the other.
Very tricky!
Both have 'kar' in them-
When there is kar, why fear!
There's no fear of kar-but him!
[Wedding-song!]
Wedding-songs?
She's clearly sending a proposal for marriage!
For whom? He's on the Tabla!
He's just an accompaniment-
the priest at your wedding!
Will you go and talk to her?
Talk to her in English-
She will get impressed!
I'll come with you!
Eating raw mango on a chikoo (sapota) tree!
Never mind!
Excuse me!
Are you a professional musician?
Okay!
The black and white keys on harmonium...
Sorry!
Borya...
Borya I'm feeling dizzy!
What happened?
Ashish, did she hit you?
Bloody hell, man!
If you faint now
how will you survive marriage?
Whatever will happen of you!
My friend is gone!
He's there!
No, no, he's gone!
What did you say to her?
From today, Srushti is mine!
Why?
Because I like her!
Since when?
Since last year!
He likes her since the 4th standard!
He's senior to you!
4th standard?
All right...
She'll go to whoever is destined to have her!
But you know, right?
She's a Damle (upper caste)!
Don't take the law in your hands!
Once again a little spittle,
snot
and blood had to be spilt.
But this time for love.
Love must win and before that,
the lover must win!
Therefore, proper diet is essential
It's no use to only grow taller, one must also grow stronger.
Lord Ganesha is drinking milk!
See, even Ganesha started drinking milk!
Is the total strength in the atmosphere increasing?
Is society's strength increasing?
Is society getting stronger?
Is it progressing by leaps and bounds?
Is society changing?
Sewage-cleaners caste!
Auntie?
Come on in.
Dad despises him! His caste is even lower than ours.
It's foolish!
He's educated, has a job-
But dad's obsessed that he's lower than us!
He's adamant!
This is so unbecoming!
Nowadays, it is so very common
to have inter-caste marriages.
Why is father stuck on this?
Never mind.
You've left that house, haven't you?
Now go fearlessly.
Leave quickly!
We have an acquaintance from our Bank called Mehta.
He has a vacant one-room flat.
You can stay for a week at least.
I'm getting a place to stay in four days, uncle!
Don't uncle me!
Your father knows that she's eloped.
Run!!!
The wonders of the caste-system!
Down with sheep-flock-soup!
Ashish...
They're in love
Do we help them?
Yes!
Then escort them till the Bus-stop.
And alert them if you see uncle coming!
Is your father so dangerous?
You bet!
The Bus has come!
Some tea, boys?
No, don't bother.
Very well.
Mr. Barrister!
It's 11.30-run along!
Never mind-it's all right!
Is that so?
His father and brother are doing labour.
If we wouldn't have completed 2000 slippers,
We wouldn't get further work.
No problem!
We're almost done
Ashish!
No problem-I'll go late today
It's not that!
Final year of school and problems.
It's a given!
No shortage of material for autobio-pamphlet!
We seek refuge in the Buddha!
We seek refuge in the Dhamma!
We seek refuge in the Sangha!
It's been long, isn't it?
The crow hasn't accepted the offering yet.
Avi!
Tell me,
which batsman do you like?
Sachin Tendulkar!
He's upper-caste!
You must like our Vinod Kambli!
Okay!
[Radio- Vinod Kambli returning to the pavillion in tears]
India failed in the world cup,
but I passed my final school exams!
Eat!
Nice!
College! Caste and religion-based admissions
helped some and hindered others.
Friends scattered-
friendships remained.
Love too remained-
but it went to a different college!
Enemies remained too-
Yash took admission in her college.
The same worries nagged me about Srushti.
Will it happen?
Can I manage it?
What if there's a ruckus?
But- what if there's no ruckus?
What if i get her!
What if we too become like
many famous progressive couples?
But how many are they?
Hell! Why do these castes exist!?
Why do these religions exist!?
Why do these countries exist!?
Why do these clothes exist!?
Why do these bodies exist?
Wow, I'm taking this to a totally different level.
How long will this upper - lower caste war continue?
Till the majority of both groups want!
Why doesn't the President declare one fine morning
that all castes are eradicated!
It's simple!
Is the girl's family objecting?
No, this is to reduce tension in society.
Once, my boss invited everyone for a religious function,
but didn't invite me.
They were all upper-caste
and me, lower-caste!
Armed revolution is inevitable!
No one went since your. father wasn't invited
Huh?
Armed revolution cancel!
Then just what is to be done?
Amongst lower castes too, there is discord and discrimination!
Yes indeed!
Sheep-flock-soup
What?
Nothing!
We could afford this flat
only because upper caste Datar uncle helped us.
What have you done today?
Why? What's happened?
You must've certainly crossed a milestone today-
Deve Gowda's has become the Prime Minister!
Yes! Today was the 32nd time I drank from this vessel!
Yes!
Only political breaking news even after such an achievement?
Definitely need something bigger!
Srushti!
I knew it!
Kirti's sent a message.
Srushti has...
Called you to meet her!
NOW!
BROTHERS!
Finally, Srushti took the lead!
Be it my great-grandmother or Srushti-
were it not for women, this world would have had it tough!
The expense shown in my going to meet her
you must have understood that the climax is approaching!
Some probably thought of such a fiery end.
While some...
You are lower caste!
This isn't meant to be.
Must have thought.
Or...
Our castes will come in our way, Srushti.
Don't meet me from now on.
Huh!
Or...
Ashish-
I like girls!
Huh!
This too is possible.
And the biggest possibility...
Chitale's success!
But since I've revealed all these possibilities,
the shrewd must have certainly guessed 'NOTA'
"None of the above"
It's almost certain that we are approaching a happy ending.
Mom!
Dad!
We have no objection!
If you are a match, splendid!
If not, fine!
There's no need to sneak around!
Come, let's have tea!
This happened in a very mature way!
We must be the first inter-caste couple in India
whose parents themselves consented on the very first day!
We humbly wish to note
that this was an extremely important event in our lives and India's life!
Since it was from here that the series of events
that would give a twist to history began!
Look at this scene carefully.
Brahmin caste girl
Dalit caste boy
An O.B. Caste's bike
Sikh and Christian provided Petrol!
A Muslim's financial support
Maratha caste's sunglasses
Lingayat caste's jacket saved me from the rain.
We had already thrown out the traditional caste system.
Now we trampled the new politically created / vote bank inspired
Caste system.
We created the new India!
This photo was publicized by the media.
Our inter-caste love story was praised nationally,
and also internationally!
And some were horrified!
The success of this love story meant that all of India was united!
Thinking that they were now endangered,
Our neighbours
started activities on the border.
Since no one wanted a powerful India,
even western countries looked into this.
Be it an alien attack or a common bed-bug,
whatever be the issue-
These countries must poke their noses!
They thought India could be kept under the heel
only if it would be divided again.
The enemies were relying on
teenage romances to break-up.
But since our love would not break,
superpowers united to destroy India's unity.
Caused by our love!
And then, a conspiracy was hatched!
Our love seemed to be unbreakable,
so they came up with the plan to provoke us.
To destroy the unity of Indians,
a missile was launched at
Kashmir!
Now the enemy was certain that Indians would be divided.
But...
We resolved to win hearts through love and non-violence!
Look-Amar!
Akbar!
Tenzing!
Kartar Singh!
Anthony!
All came together to save the child!
The enemy was shocked! Conspiracy was destroyed!
Unease there in the enemy camp,
unease here in the Kashmiri Houseboat,
unease everywhere!
And finally, the baby was saved!
The mother and baby were reunited!
But the religious gurus were trapped under the missile!
Even the enemy's heart melted!
BROTHERS!
The religious gurus perished, saving an innocent baby.
The enemy too wept and was wracked by grief
and performed our group hug!
BROTHERS!
And our love succeeded.
And in fact, love succeeded all over the world!
Countries destroyed their nuclear arsenals, grew forests,
reduced global warming and increased warmth between humans.
And last but not the least
the strife between us and aliens also ended!
Convinced now?
Little Srushti holding my little hand
was important not just to India, but the whole world!
Autobio-pamphlet? No!
Now it's grown into an 'autobio-brochure'!