Vilpana.
When you hear the title of this story,
you will naturally assume that it is about buying or selling certain objects.
And so it is or seems to be.
What MTV Sir creates here, is an opportunity to look deeper
into the life of a woman through the activity that is known as a sale.
In the great marketplace that is life,
all of us are obliged, in one way or another,
to participate in the activity of giving and receiving.
Is this not true?
While the beautiful and educated Mrs. Gita Parekh
interacts with the various clients who arrive at her house,
her desires and hopes, her triumphs and defeats are gradually revealed to us.
Wafting over the Thaannikkunnu hill
And over the banks of the silvery Nila river
O come to me, my lonely dreams
As you wander continually over my mindscapes
Wafting over the Thaannikkunnu hill
[Old Tamil song plays in radio]
[Telephone rings]
- Hello. - Hello.
I’m Sunil Das.
I’m calling about the ad in today’s paper.
Are you coming by car?
Besant Nagar.
Come straight on Seaward Road, number 22.
- Actually, I want to buy a-- - You can come by 10.30, okay?
Okay. And...
May I know your good name?
That’s not necessary.
So, I'll...
Oye!
Besant Nagar.
Brother,
number 22?
Yes, it’s this.
I’m Sunil Das.
I had called you, an hour ago,
about the newspaper ad.
Yes, please come.
Oh, no,
- Did you step on it? - No, no!
Thank God!
They’re flowers for the puja.
The maid usually puts them away.
Are you...
a Malayali?
- Yes. - Come.
Excuse me,
one minute.
Do sit down if you wish to.
Oh God!
Shall I help you?
Yes, please, will you?
I opened it even yesterday.
My husband sent this ad just the day before yesterday.
Then he suddenly had to go on an official trip.
And now it’s I who am in a mess!
Sorry, it’s not opening.
Is there something you need urgently inside?
No. Just leave it
[Telephone rings]
Ugh! It’s been ringing from morning!
Hello.
Yes, yes.
There’s a sofa and a dining table as well.
Do come and see for yourself.
22, Seaward Road.
All these hassles for no purpose at all.
No sale is going to happen.
He sent the ad without telling me.
Now I have to talk to all those who keep turning up.
The phone calls began at 6.30 this morning.
You said you’re a Malayali?
Yes.
What a coincidence!
I’m Gita. Gita Parekh.
I’m Sunil Das.
What’s for sale here?
A sofa, a dining table, a cot.
We’re selling off everything!
You must be...
You must be leaving Madras?
Yes, it’s Ahmedabad next.
A promotion transfer for him.
What do you want?
The ad had mentioned a typewriter.
Oh, that!
That's gone.
Someone who works in the next building came
and asked for it this morning.
I gave it to him.
It was very old.
That was what I needed.
So sorry.
How much is this sofa?
He wrote down the prices just as he was leaving,
on a piece of paper.
It must be somewhere here.
Where's it...
Here...
4500 for the sofa.
Four?
Is that too much?
We had all this furniture made to order when we were in Calcutta.
But now,
Mr. Parekh thinks that all these are out of fashion.
I wonder whether I too have become outdated!
Madras is a terrible city.
It drains the life-force completely out of you.
See for yourself...
It will happen to you as well.
I love Calcutta.
It is the most beautiful city in India!
Calcutta!
It was so peaceful there.
Mr Parekh…?
[Telephone rings]
[Doorbell rings]
Please talk to them on my behalf.
We had called.
A furniture sale. Is this the right place?
Yes. Please come in.
Please...
Do you want to hear this caller’s question?
When I said the cot costs 3000, he’s asking, what’s so special about it!
Does he want to know if we’ll give him something extra along with the cot?
you please come and have a look.
Okay, thank you.
Yes, please come.
Are you Tamil?
How much is this dining table?
Ma’am, 6000.
it’s as good as new. Made to order just a year ago.
but things on sale are usually cheaper,
right, darling?
What’s the price of the sofa?
5000.
It’s too expensive!
Yes, but I like the dining table.
Give them our card.
This is our card.
If you reduce the price, please give us a call.
- Sure. - Thank you.
Both doctors, with a clinic of their own.
They must be making good money.
What sort of family life do doctors lead, I wonder.
They can’t hide secrets about their bodies,
So...
Can I leave now?
So quickly?
Sit down!
No, I…
You spoke with such authority, just like Mr. Parekh.
It was a blessing from God that you thought of coming here today.
If I’d been alone in this plight, I’d have gone mad.
Come.
The view from here is so lovely!
This city...
This is not my kind of place.
I loved my house on Lake Road in Calcutta.
I was never bored, no matter how long I stayed by myself.
Nor did I ever feel afraid.
What does Mr. Parekh do?
He’s an executive in Brett and Company.
The next Indian director.
What are you doing in Madras?
I’m a journalist.
Freelancing now.
Where do you live?
Valsaravakkam.
I’ve only heard of it. Don’t know the place.
Family…?
None. I’m on my own.
Do you want something else?
A cupboard, a dining table?
There’s a good writing table.
Come, I’ll show you.
I’d forgotten about it.
Who is this genius?
My daughter.
This was her room.
Your daughter...
In London.
She won a scholarship and went to London to study Management.
Then got married and settled down there.
You have only a daughter?
Yes.
When you tire of living here, you can go to London for a change,
to your daughter.
Who knows where she is now. In London, or somewhere else?
She last wrote to tell us about the man she was going to marry.
That was when I’d just got here...
Three years ago.
Your daughter’s husband?
A German.
She had sent a photograph.
It must be somewhere here.
She was brilliant at studies.
A first rank in every subject!
400 persons wrote the scholarship exam and only two got it.
My Deepa was one of them!
Did you like the writing table?
Yes,
But...
Will there be space for it in my study is doubtful.
Sold!
The sale is done.
The first sale of the day! Done!
[Telephone rings]
I won’t sleep peacefully until I sell off everything.
Hello. Yes,
Only furniture.
No electronic goods.
[Doorbell rings]
Please.
Hi. We saw an advertisement…
Yes, yes, come in.
Okay, okay.
- Shall I get you something to drink? - No, nothing now.
- Hello. - Hi.
- What are you looking for? - We want a cot.
Alright.
We have a double cot. Come and look at it.
Do we get the mattress along with the cot?
Sure, take the mattress as well.
- You like it? - Yes.
Just come this side.
No price has been marked for the mattress.
What shall I ask for both together?
You want to sell the mattress?
Mr. Parekh had decided to sell everything.
He wants to change all the things that have grown old.
If that’s the case, I’m the most dilapidated of all!
You didn’t tell us what the price is.
For the cot, mattress and pillows together, 2500.
Oh, that’s way too much.
Sorry, it’s not like that. It’s just a little too much for us.
Okay, do you like the cot?
And it will suit you?
Perfectly.
So then, you tell me. What would you like to pay?
1500. 500 in advance, the rest in six installments
No! The rest in four installments.
Deal.
Give me the advance and take it.
- Thank you, Ma’am. - Thank you so much!
- We’ll take it away tomorrow. - Okay.
- Thank you. - Let's go.
- Don’t delay! - Yes.
Four Bombay Dyeing bedsheets as well, from me!
- Thank you, Ma’am! - Thank you!
Good thing, now we won't have to buy bedsheets!
Poor things! Let it be useful to them.
So, a sale happened!
I’m relieved!
Just a moment.
Sold!
[Telephone rings]
Please attend to that.
Hello?
Yes, this is Mr. Parekh’s residence.
One sofa set, one 8-seater dining table, and a single cot, all made of wood.
Yeah. Number 22, Seaward Road.
Okay
You’re welcome.
God sent you here.
God befriends those who are friendless.
- Tea? - No.
Maybe a drink?
There should be beer, whiskey and gin here.
So early in the day?
No.
Just come.
With your permission…
Please.
It’s noon already.
I didn’t eat anything this morning.
I’ll make something.
You should join me for lunch.
Oh no, don’t bother.
I’m not a great cook.
But we must celebrate the first sale!
Come.
Through the window, The breeze comes nearer
Chanting playful words, And I play my little veena
A silver butterfly constantly
comes to borrow the colours
In my ears a songbird Hums a tune that sketches
The outlines of my heart Cadence by cadence
The waves of that song
Will flow till day breaks
Like a forgotten time Returning to me
So, tell me about yourself.
I told you,
I’m a journalist.
My home in Kerala is near Thrissur.
I came here three months ago.
Your family?
You’re not married?
I am.
But...
It didn’t work.
It was no one’s fault.
There must always be a space between two persons.
That space was lacking.
Gowri is a fashion model.
She needed freedom.
Now, both of us are free!
Is she the one?
She’s beautiful!
The days are so dreary While I count the minutes
And my eyes keep searching For the one who’s not yet come
Gathering all the treasure
The sea’s filled in its depths
The winged boat of gold Will come to anchor here
When will Mr. Parekh be back?
Maybe tonight. Or tomorrow.
He said he’d call to tell me when he’s coming.
Anyway, a sale took place!
His theory is that I do not have enough common sense to do anything well.
That I can’t manage servants properly, or even write laundry accounts!
If you go straight ahead from this spot which country would you reach?
No idea!
Maybe Australia?
If one could go out whenever one wanted,
embark here and cross the sea, one would reach the other shore.
Right?
I grew up in Bangalore, as the daughter of an orthodox father.
Satish’s father, G.M. Parekh was my father’s close friend.
He and his family used to come to our house very often.
We used to celebrate festivals together.
That was how I grew close to Satish and how we eventually got married.
At first, he used to say, ‘She’s the ideal one for me’.
I tried my best to adapt to his preferences.
The first dinner party I went to after my wedding...
I’ll never forget it!
Someone there insisted that I drink a gimlet
and I threw up immediately.
When we got home that night he scolded me...
For not being accustomed to such things.
Now, he scolds me for drinking in the daytime!
What else can I do?
I could care for my daughter until she grew up.
She’s gone her way now.
What can I do in the daytime?
I sit idle for hours, sleep a lot.
At night, he comes back with his friends
and they party until day breaks.
You can do many things, take up a job, do social service…
[Doorbell rings]
I’ll go and see.
Pour me another drink.
Now you can have one too, can’t you?
- Greetings, Amma! - Who are you?
Are you going to vacate the house?
Who are you?
I’m Balu, a broker.
Are you going to sell the house or rent it out?
I don’t know all that. Come tomorrow and speak to Sir.
Two bedrooms or three?
Not now, I have a guest, okay?
Listen to what I’m saying, Amma. You’ll get a good rent here.
It’s sea-facing, right?
I’ll close the deal in a week!
Please go away! Come tomorrow.
Please go. Come later…
What a nuisance!
[Door knocking]
Hello.
I am Mrs. Ramaswamy.
Furniture sale. Is it here?
- Yes, please come in. - Come, Ammu.
Are you a Malayali?
Yes, and you?
That’s good. I’m Girija.
I’m from Palakkad.
This is my granddaughter.
Please come.
What I want is a sofa.
This sofa is for sale.
Sit on it, see how it feels.
Aunty, please sit down.
Do you like it?
What is the price?
My husband said it’s 4500.
Isn’t that a little too much?
Ok, aunty, what’s your budget?
It’s not a very big budget.
There’s my husband’s small pension
and I’ve rented out part of the house.
Still, you must have a rough budget in your mind.
Honestly, I don’t know what to say.
This is our problem.
We women never have budgets.
No accounts.
That’s why the men of the house have to slog so hard.
We give them so much trouble.
Is that not correct?
Men suffer losses too,
in business and at cards.
Losses can happen if there’s a pretty secretary around too!
None of these things really affect men that much though.
But if the budget at home happens to go wrong...
it’s the end of everything!
Learn all this as you grow up.
Don’t forget!
So I sold the sofa!
How much did you sell it for?
Don’t ask me that. I sold it!
A nice woman. Poor thing, let her be happy.
Let her welcome her visitors and invite them to sit on her lovely sofa.
- Cheers! - Cheers!
It was not right of us to have sent those doctors away.
Where is that card?
Dr. Rajagopal?
Yes.
Didn’t you come today, for a furniture sale?
In the morning, to Besant Nagar?
Sold everything!
Simply grand!
The doctor was delighted.
Have you seen Ahmedabad?
No.
You can come, to Ahmedabad.
Journalists are paid for their time, aren’t they?
You can interview Mr. Parekh and write about him.
The story of how an ordinary salesman became a company director.
What do you say?
All stories of victories are magical.
What is there left to sell?
You must stay here until everything is taken away.
Please!
I am alone, right?
It was God who sent you.
This sale...
is it a pastime for rich people?
I must sell everything and empty the house.
I must trouble you just a little more.
One last favour.
Even after all this is taken away,
people will still keep coming.
At that point, I will lie down on the floor and keep very still.
You must write a price on a piece of paper,
attach it to a thread and hang it around my neck.
Any price you please.
This is not a joke.
What price will you write?
You’re an intelligent man.
Tell me,
what will my price be?
I didn’t sleep last night.
I wasn’t able to sleep even after I took three sleeping tablets.
What price will you write on the tag on my neck?
[Doorbell rings]
Please give them whatever you please,
for whatever price they quote.
Yes, please come in.
This way, Sir.
Most of the pieces are sold.
I don’t know what’s left.
You can ask her.
Welcome!
I am Mrs. Parekh
and this is Mr. Parekh.
We’re selling all our old things and getting new ones.
I’ll tell you what everything costs,
you can quote a price for everything...
including this!
Behave!
Learn to behave!
Congratulate me!
I have done it!
The days are so dreary
While I count the minutes
And my eyes keep searching
For the one who’s not yet come
Gathering all the treasure
The sea’s filled in its depths
The winged boat of gold Will come to anchor here