CHITRA: (Blushing.) Oh, I just came this morning, ji.
RAI SAHEB: (Flirting.) Well you must come to the Club and meet everyone.
CHITRA: (Gushing.) Oh yes ji, I’d love to meet, ji.
RAI SAHEB: (Putting his arm around her.) How about a drink for you, my dear? Don’t tell me you are going to keep drinking tea the whole evening.
CHITRA: (Reluctantly.) Well, you know Rai Saheb, I don’t drink really.
RAI SAHEB: (Flirting.) There’s always a first time. Come along, my dear, just to keep us company.
CHITRA: (Giggling.) Well, if you say so ji, just a tiny bit.
RAI SAHEB: Come!
(And he takes Chitra with him towards the drinks table. He still has his arm around her.)
Come, we’ll go to the Club this evening. (Chitra giggles.)
It’s settled, then.
ANSUYA: Let’s go outside, Deepak. It’s dark now.
DEEPAK: (Reluctantly.) Later, Ansuya.
ANSUYA: (Feverishly.) But its’s lovely outside. Come!
RAI SAHEB: (Smiling.) Ansu, my dear, why not celebrate it with a drink?
ANSUYA: (Crossly.) No.
RAI SAHEB: Let’s have some music.
(To Chitra.)
You do dance, don’t you, my dear?
CHITRA: You can teach me, ji.
RAI SAHEB: Amrita my dear, don’t you have anything danceable? How about a fox-trot?
AMRITA: I’ll put on the music.
(As the music comes on, Rai Saheb swings and does a few steps, humming to himself and starts demonstrating the steps to Chitra.)
RAI SAHEB: Amrita, why don’t you bring your guests to the party at the Government House?
(Silence.)
AMRITA: (Hurt.) Is there a party at the Government House?
RAI SAHEB: Yes, tomorrow evening.
AMRITA: (Hurt.) We haven’t been invited.
RAI SAHEB: (Covering up.) Really? Not possible. Someone’s slipped up. (Rai Saheb takes Chitra in his arms and begins to dance with her.)
AMRITA: Besides, those parties aren’t worth going to any more.
CHITRA: You move so nicely, ji.
RAI SAHEB: Just follow me.
CHITRA: (Hesitantly.) Oh, I don’t know these steps, ji …
RAI SAHEB: It’s easy, see. One, two, three; one, two, three …
CHITRA: (Getting into the swing.) Oh! You move so smoothly. You make it so easy.
RAI SAHEB: (Seductively.) I like the way you move.
CHITRA: I like the way you move, too.
MAMU: They like the way they move.
AMRITA: Aren’t they cute, like youngsters?
(Rai Saheb now holds Chitra closer and they dance tightly together)
RAI SAHEB: You are warm, my dear.
CHITRA: You too.
RAI SAHEB: I like it.
CHITRA: Me too.
AMRITA: They are dancing like they’ve danced together before.
MAMU: It’s a familiar game … they both know it.
RAI SAHEB: You’re not shy.
CHITRA: I’m … I’m not?
MAMU: It’s an old ritual … as old as man and woman.
DEEPAK: (Shocked.) What! Don’t say that about my mother.
MAMU: Are you surprised?
DEEPAK: (Angry.) Yes.
ANSUYA: Deepak, let’s go out on the verandah now. Come!
MAMU: (Desperately.) Ansu, please don’t go out!
ANSUYA: Mamu, what’s wrong?
MAMU: (Frantic.) I don’t know what’s come over me. I’m afraid something … something is going to happen.
AMRITA: What’s wrong, Karan?
ANSUYA: Come on, Deepak! Let’s go!
MAMU: (Pleading.) Please don’t go out, Ansu!
DEEPAK: (Sneezing.) Let’s go, yaar! I need to breathe … away from the cat.
ANSUYA: (Singing.) Cum-bal-la Hill! Ma-la-bar Hill!
(Exit Deepak and Ansuya.)
AMRITA: Karan, you are behaving very strangely.
MAMU: Don’t you see, she is vulnerable. She has been lonely for so long. Anyone, anyone who comes along could … Oh, the hell with it!
(Stomps off to his room.)
RAI SAHEB: (Dancing close.) Let’s go out for a while.
CHITRA: Mm … if you wish.
RAI SAHEB: Let’s go.
(They stop dancing and go to the others.)
Amrita, my dear, we’ll nip over to the Club and I’ll bring your lovely guest back soon … very soon.
(Fade on Amrita alone on stage, as she switches off the music, picks up a pack of cards and starts playing Solitaire. Spot on Deepak and Ansuya in the veranda.)
ANSUYA: (Sullen.) You were really ‘lagaoing’ an impression on him, weren’t you?
DEEPAK: If I get this licence, it will be a big thing for my career, yaar.
ANSUYA: (Sulking.) You are ambitious!
DEEPAK: (Appeasingly.) What the hell, yaar!
ANSUYA: Be yourself!
(Pause.)
DEEPAK: (Pensive.) I suppose you are right.
ANSUYA: (Gently.) And don’t be ashamed of your father.
(Pause.)
Come, don’t look sad. You have too much dignity.
DEEPAK: (Suddenly energetic.) Let’s light the candle, yaar.
(They light a candle and then one sparkler each. As the candle and sparklers are lit, lights are slowly dimmed.)
ANSUYA: (Glowing.) Oh Deepak, it’s beautiful!
DEEPAK: And now the sparklers.
ANSUYA: (Vivaciously.) Deepak, your mood is infectious. I’m already happy.
DEEPAK: Give me a match, yaar.
(Deepak starts lighting sparklers and gives them to Ansuya.)
DEEPAK: Hang on … I’ll light this.
(He lights another one, while Ansuya makes patterns in the air with the sparkler.)
ANSUYA: I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.
(Deepak is busy lighting diyas. She sings.)
Cum-bal-la Hill, Cum-bal-la Hill!
(Looking out.)
Here I am, in this beautiful world, with the stars and the smell of the pine trees and the hills. Why can’t I be this happy all the time?
(Pause.)
Deepak, you know, you remind me of my father. You smile like him. You have his same sense of life … and hope.
DEEPAK: (Pensive.) How life changes! You were the spoiled daughter of a rich father, remember?
ANSUYA: (Wistfully.) No rich father, no spoiled daughter, no house, nothing. It’s all over!
DEEPAK: (Suddenly serious.) Ansuya, come with me to Bombay.
ANSUYA: (Stunned.) To Bombay?
DEEPAK: Yes …
ANSUYA: (Overjoyed.) Do you mean it?
DEEPAK: Yes.
ANSUYA: Oh, but I couldn’t. What will they say?
DEEPAK: (Hesitantly.) I have a large flat and …
ANSUYA: Do you really think I could go?
(Frowning.)
But what will I do?
DEEPAK: You can work. You could start by converting this house into a hotel. I’ll fix up appointments with the hotel people. I can see it, ‘Jakhoo Hotel.’
ANSUYA: (Frowning.) But I can’t do anything. I can’t even type.
DEEPAK: I’ll help you.
(In a professional manager’s tone.)
We shall ask them to restore the
