(Sounds of footsteps outside.)
DEEPAK: That must be Ma.
(Deepak gets up at once, straightens himself. Ansuya gets up to leave.
Chitra walks in with a brisk step. She is high, looks pleased with herself, and speaks louder than necessary)
CHITRA: Oh, there you are, Deepak. Oh, and Ansuya too. You know Deepak, I almost fell over that cat. Bahut chalak hai. It seemed to laugh at me. Maine bhi use zor se thudda mara. Saali bhaag gayi. (Hiccup.) A wonderful man, Rai Saheb! (Hiccup.)
DEEPAK: You’ve been drinking again, Ma!
CHITRA: Kya mard hai, Deepak! I tell you, you won’t find another one like him. No wonder he is such a big government officer (She pronounces it ‘gourmint ufsar.’ Giggles and recalls her dance steps from the previous evening.)
One, two three; one, two three. Oh Deepak, kya life hai, kya manners!
(Hiccup.)
DEEPAK: And now you’re drinking during the day?
CHITRA: (Winking.) Oh-ho, thodi si to pi hai!
DEEPAK: And what’s happened to your clothes, Ma?
CHITRA: (Smiling.) A bit crushed, are they?
DEEPAK: They’re a mess.
CHITRA: (Her eyes light up.) Son, it is done. Your future is pucca, and your licence meri mutthi mein hai!.
DEEPAK: You did not … Oh Ma, you shouldn’t have … I would have taken it up with Rai Saheb myself in course of time.
CHITRA: Kya hua maine kar diya? Ek hi to baat hai. But Deepak, that is not all … I have some very big news for you! Oh, main to khushi se paagal ho jaungi!
DEEPAK: What is it, Ma?
CHITRA: Deepak, I have found a girl for you.
DEEPAK: What?
CHITRA: Haan beta! Maine tere liye bahut hi vadhiya kudi dhoondh li hai!
DEEPAK: Ma, what are you saying? I … I’ve given my word to Ansuya.
CHITRA: Kya? Ansuya? Yeh kya bak raha hai?
DEEPAK: Ma, I’ve given my word to Ansuya.
CHITRA: But last night you said …
(Looks at Ansuya and draws Deepak aside, away from her.)
Last night you said that you were only talking.
DEEPAK: I had to say that to keep you from blowing up.
CHITRA: Achcha! To keep me from blowing up? Well, I am going to blow up. I am going to blow up! How dare you commit to this …?
ANSUYA: Deepak, I am afraid.
CHITRA: You sneaky thing! Jab se hum is ghar mein aaye hain, tu mere bete par dore dalne ki koshish kar rahi hai!
DEEPAK: Ma, please!
ANSUYA: That’s not true.
CHITRA: I know her kind. Oh, madam, look at yourself. How old are you? Haan? How old are you?
ANSUYA: Twenty-six.
CHITRA: Well, let me tell you, you look thirty! Too old for my son!
DEEPAK: Ma, what are you saying!
CHITRA: Tu beech mein mat bol! Money hungry, that is what she is.
ANSUYA: I don’t want anything.
CHITRA: Oh really? Don’t want anything? Well we want, madam, we want! Look at you! No hips! No hips! How are you going to give us a son? Haan? No hips!
DEEPAK: (Screaming.) Stop it Ma, stop it this instant!
ANSUYA: (Weeping.) I can’t take this anymore!
(Exit.)
CHITRA: Stop it Ma? All these years I’ve been teaching you: don’t marry beauty; don’t marry for love; marry a rich girl!
DEEPAK: But I love her, Ma.
CHITRA: He doesn’t listen to me. ‘Don’t marry a beauty; don’t marry for love …’
DEEPAK: Yes, Ma, I heard you ‘… marry money.’ But, on the train up here; you said yourself that you wanted me to think of marrying Ansuya.
CHITRA: That was before I found out that they had become poor.
DEEPAK: Ma, I’m doing well. What do we need more money for?
CHITRA: Oh-ho, we always need more money. There’s never enough. Oh, tu kya jaanta hai, what it is like to grow up poor. What do you know what it was like to be tenants of these people in Lahore? Kisi ke tukdon par palna, tu kya jaanta hai? After Partition, what do you know what it was like to be a petty kiranawalla’s wife in Ghatkopar?
(Disgust in her voice.)
Ghatkopar!
DEEPAK: (Cutting her short.) I know. I know all that. Don’t start it again.
(Pause.)
Ma, don’t you care about what I want? Don’t you care about my happiness?
CHITRA: Oh beta, I care only about your happiness. I always have. Jab tu itna sa tha, to din raat ek kar ke tujhe padhaya-likhaya. Khud bhookhi rah kar tera pet bhara. Tujhe is layak banaya jahan tu aaj khada hai …
DEEPAK: And this is happiness?
CHITRA: (Animatedly.) Achcha beta, yeh gussa chhod de. Don’t you want to know who I’ve found for you?
DEEPAK: (Wearily.) No, Ma.
CHITRA: Yeh changa munda hai! After all I have done for him …
DEEPAK: (Wearily.) You’ll tell me anyway.
CHITRA: All right, I will tell you. Deepak, Rai Saheb has a niece. I think she is just the right match for you!
DEEPAK: Who?
CHITRA: Rai Saheb’s niece! Look Deepak, you won’t find another match like her. Beta, beta, thande dimag se soch. My guess is the dowry is not going to be under two lakhs. And maybe they will also give a car, a fridge and an air-conditioner. Uff! Main to khushi se paagal ho rahi hoon! I don’t think I shall be able to sleep tonight, Deepak.
DEEPAK: (Bored and tired.) What about the girl, Ma?
CHITRA: Hain?
DEEPAK: What about the girl?
CHITRA: I didn’t meet her.
DEEPAK: She forgot the girl.
CHITRA: Beta, I have seen her photo. Now look, they are in a rush. We shall have to act fast.
(Pause.)
Well, aren’t you going to say anything?
DEEPAK: (Matter-of-factly.) I’m tired, Ma.
CHITRA: (Stunned.) You are tired?
DEEPAK: Yes, Ma, I’m tired.
CHITRA: Achcha! Here I have been slaving for him—and the burra saheb is tired. (Hurt.)
I thought you would be jumping. Think of your future, son. When they find out about her in your company, you will probably get a double promotion.
DEEPAK: (Barking.) To hell with my promotion, Ma. I want Ansuya.
CHITRA: Yeh phir shuru ho gaya!
DEEPAK: It’s my one chance for an honest life. She is a fine person, with ideals, Ma.
CHITRA: Oh-ho, that girl is only after your
