"How come your doctor back home allowed so much time after the first surgery?" "No, I just felt that... it would be too painful to go through another operation back then." "Keep your head straight, child." "You mean emotionally?" "Yeah." "Besides it's also rare for people to donate eyes back home." "Religious prejudice?" "Is this the coughing man?" "Are you going to do anything about it?" "Yeah." "What are you doing?" "That looks nice." "But which one do you like better?" "This one or..." " Edit" "Undo - this one?" "Show me again." "Edit" "Redo" "Hmm... that looks better." "Do you want the background so dark?" "Yeah." "Maysoon said you've been featured in today's Al Haram." "Yeah, they did a phone interview." "I am so excited!" "I wish I could be present." "I'll send you pictures and videos from the exhibition." "Is he coming?" " Is who coming?" "Of course, he is!" "Mom, come on!" "I won't put my bets on a man... who lives in the same city as his daughter and sees her ten times in two years!" "You say these things about each other... and then behave like everything is normal... laughing and bitching like teenagers!" "That's a healthy romantic idea you have about your parents." "Vinay, hello dear!" " Hi Hala!" "How are you?" "I'm Okay." "I'm Okay." "Is grunge in again?" " Grunge?" "Well, I'm just lazy." "You never sent me the animation you made." " Oh, I'll send it to you... very soon." "And have you recorded any new songs?" " Yeah, we did." "I'll send them across too." "And how is your Arabic?" " Pink." "Fantastic." "What-the-hell!" "I'm working on it." "How is your mother?" "She is very good." "She sends her regards." "Uncle, what are these?" "Those are bamboos." "They hold the building together." "They are holding the building together?" " Yeah." "How come?" "Bright orange." "Deep yellow." "Bright orange" "Red." "What?" "I was just seeing where you are." "Red." "Aunty, is this glass?" "Yes." "I'll close it for a second okay?" "And I just hung around in their house and explored the spaces... and I let them just be as they were and... then I was really intrigued by the kid." "He was really friendly and..." "I just kept following him and that's when one of those pictures was clicked." "So, you mentioned in your website that you actually took up photography... after you lost your eyesight to a cornea infection." "Yeah, true." "Why photography?" "Well, first to document, archive, and remember." "Then, to kind of... explore, understand and see." "So, I guess all art evolves from a need to record the apparent... to a need to capture the essence?" "That's very well put." "I mean that's exactly how it's been for me." "When I first started taking pictures..." "I was very much amused by the character of the perfumer in Suskind's novel." "Just the idea of a man trying to capture every scent... starting from people to surroundings to experiences." "You know, it was very much amusing." "That's a very interesting analogy." "Why black and white?" "It just gives me more control over the elements of my pictures." "But do you ever feel limited by anything?" "Umm..." "No!" "That's... that's amazing." "Is it?" "I mean... why is it so amazing to not have limits or doubts?" "Honestly, I just can't wait to begin my life as a photographer." "But you are a photographer..." "I mean, you're a good photographer!" "Hello!" "Hi!" " Hi." "Is that your house?" " Yes!" "So, I hear ducks, and lots of animals." "Are they inside?" "Yes." "Orlando!" "Are you ready?" "Yeah." "Aunty, can you start splashing?" "I will take the pictures from there, okay?" "And I just want you to splash the water on this side." "Yeah, this one is quite an image." "Alright, there's a very small pond at the bottom." "And... there are four ducks swimming in four opposite directions." "And the one in the center is frozen in the middle of its flapping of the wings." "There's one sitting at the corner of the pond, away from us." "It's wet." "And there's one flying in to the frame from the right, and one flying in to it from the left." "Wait, it's actually a pair." "And the woman?" "Oh, she's right behind the pond." "standing upright... looking towards the top left corner of the image." "And... she is splashing water in the same direction as well." "She's got some sort of a contraption on her left hand." "Yeah... it was sprained." "Well, it's giving her character." "And what about the background?" "There are a lot of trees in the background." "Small house..." "with a gable roof." "Gable roof?" "A sloped roof." "And what about the light?" "I like the way the light is falling." "It's sort of angular, coming down from top left and behind." "I think the background would have looked better with lesser elements." "It's just too crowded at the moment, I think." "Also, there are yellow pillow cases." "Yellow?" "Yeah." "It doesn't work as well in black  white as it does in color." "Why were you looking at the colored version?" "I was curious." "Okay, so will you vectorize it please?" "It doesn't work as well with all the elements in the image... to be brought down to a line drawing." "Yeah, I know I'd miss most of the details." "I'd still like to see it though." "Sure." "Yeah." "Do you want to see another one?" "Stop..." "Stop!" "Reverse..." "Reverse." "See, there's one where the guy in the right side... is actually being covered by a passing rickshaw." "And you can only see his... right hand pointing accusingly at the other guy." "I think that's the one." "It looks nice." " No, leave it." "What?" "Why?" "Doesn't sound exciting to me." "But..." "It's a crazy moment here." "It's nice." "Will you start making the sauce?" "It'll be forever before we eat." "All I am saying is that it's a very good image." "It's accidental." "Oh, please!" "Don't start that again." " Don't start the "don't start again"." "All I am saying is you don't have to be in conscious control of your art all the time." "You can be intuitive." " It is intuitive." "I am not writing intellectually stimulating essays here." "I am very much aware I am just taking pictures." "Well, then?" " Then what?" "What's your problem?" " I don't have one." "What's your problem with this picture?" "I don't even know this picture." "What's your hang-up?" "Look, I just feel you're throwing away... a brilliant piece of your art just because of a stupid hang-up." "I don't like it." "That's why I am dumping it." "Is that fair enough for you?" "Okay, let me just give you a perfect description, alright?" "Let's vectorize or etch it... and write a piece of poem to capture the essence, and then you decide." "No." " What "no"?" "Listen, these are the things I depend on, right?" "I have to draw opinion and assurance about my own art from what others say." "Yes, but you've continued to produce great work..." "Says who?" "Says everybody." "Who the hell is everybody?" "Everyone is so fucking stupid." "They watch stupid soap operas." "They fight over religion and ideas." "What are we arguing about?" "Okay, I'll tell you what..." "Remember the other day at my parents' when..." "Uncle Kumar was talking about the orchestra I shot for?" "Remember what he said?" " That he thought they were alright, so?" "No no." "He said something to the effect of... that he was wondering whether it was the music..." "Let me finish first." "What's it got to do with Kumar Uncle anyway?" "Let me finish my sentence!" "You don't even know what I am going to say." " Okay, make the point." "I know where this is going..." " NO!" "So, fight alone then... if you already know where it is going." "Okay, what did he say?" "Okay, he said something to the effect of... that he didn't know whether it was the music that was being celebrated or the fact that they were all blind." "I knew that you were going to say this." "I was there." "He didn't say anything like that." "Fine!" "Good for you." "I was hallucinating!" "Besides, why would he say something like that?" "Why are you being so obtuse?" "I am being obtuse?" "That's very nice!" "No..." "I can't understand why each time I have doubts..." " I don't want to go there..." "Exactly!" "Just being a lesser dramatic will help!" "Every time it doesn't have to be this drama." "I am just so fucking scared of what will trigger off... another unending phase of painful introspection... and I'll be left outside, guessing what the fuck you're going through." "You're stifling me all the time by being so fucking scared." "I wish you hadn't said that." "Why are you taking this personally?" "It's not about you." "Okay." "Alright." "Let's take it easy then." "You don't want this picture for whatever reason, right?" "It's fine." "I'll just put it in the memory box, so that we can look back at what we were fighting about." "If you wish." "I have no such illusions." " What?" "Why are you doing this!" "?" " What am I doing?" "I don't get it." "Why did you get so hard suddenly?" "Let me in." "You know your work is good." " How?" "Baby, please!" "Do not patronize me, okay?" "How was the meeting with the Kisstens?" "I went shopping with them today." "I got you a very nice dress." "Yaallah!" "Berlin is crazy." "You have to see it." " I will, one day." "Of course, dear." "Mom, do you remember?" "We had once gone to Fayoum when I was small, and just near the Nile..." "Nile?" "It was a lake, dear." "Yeah." "Same thing." "Anyway, there was a swan cart, okay..." " There was what?" "A swan cart!" "A swan cart?" "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have a vivid memory of it." "You know how you doubt sometimes, if what you remember... is your own experience, some dream or something somebody told you... that you pictured it so well that it became your own memory." "Strange things you remember." "Hang on, I am getting a call from the hospital." "Hello?" " Aliya!" "Aliya!" "Yeah... that's me." "Yeah, I'll be right there." "Thank you so much!" "Momma!" "I got a call from the hospital." "They're ready for the operation." "Ready for what?" "The operation Mom!" "Just call up Dad and Vinay." "Tell them to meet me at the hospital." "Okay!" "I will come down soon, as well." "Okay!" "Just call them quickly and tell them to hurry... don't forget!" "Slowly open your eyes." "Open." "Open your eyes..." "slowly." "Very good!" "Don't squeeze." "Slowly keep them open." "Open wide." "Open both your eyes wide." "Very nice... very good!" "Open it completely." "Can you see something?" "Very nice." "You didn't sign up for this" "The graft that we had put in is completely clear." "It's beautiful." "Let's look at the other eye." "Left eye is the one which we did first, right?" "Good!" "The left eye is very nice." "The graft is totally clear." "It's even difficult to tell that you have new eyes." "It's changed a lot." "Don't you think?" "I have to go." "Sir... excuse me!" "Can I take few pictures of you?" "Here?" "Two minutes." "Could you look outside?" "A frog once asked a centipede how is it able to walk on a hundred feet... so gracefully synchronized... while the frog finds it difficult to manage even two." "The centipede took a moment to analyze its own walk... and was baffled." "So... as it tried to walk further... its feet got entangled and it tripped." "No, no, no, no..." "What?" "They are good pictures." " No, I don't like them." "What are you doing?" "Oye!" "You can't just delete that!" "That's very dramatic." "Have you seen the images?" "Yes, they're good." "Good?" "Yeah!" "I think I really like them by now." "How did your lecture go?" "I think I should focus on my book rather than wasting my time on lecture tours." "Should we get ready in an hour?" "Could you please call them and cancel?" "Sure." "What?" "You didn't even protest." "Have you given up on me or what?" "Of course not, baby!" "You can take your time with the blindfold." "I can't just put it on before I take a shot and then take it off, right?" "Yeah." "But, you've seen the pictures." "It really works!" "Could you please tell me what you really think?" "Like what?" "That it's a naive and a stupid fixation." "Yes, its naive, stupid, childish and absolutely ridiculous." "I think I just want to go somewhere  somewhere inspiring." "With that?" " No." "You know I've been doing some research... and I came across amazing work, that just left me overwhelmed." "There are a lot of photographers who stage... elaborate scenes, costumes, lights... and I think this just gives them a sense of purpose." "Or else you'd just be waiting there to be lucky right." "Probably at the right place." "I mean, even then" "I really wonder what inner skill you need  to have a great moment around you... and the clicking of your camera come together." "But there must be something beyond that as well." "Like beyond taking the picture?" " Yeah." "Now that you have saved its life will you also give it a proper upbringing and a good education?" "What if it was the worm's karma to just lie there and get crushed?" "Well, is it lying there getting crushed?" "So, perhaps, it wasn't." "Or worse, the worm was trying to commit suicide... and you've put it in the pot, and now it has to crawl it's way back to nirvana." "Do you believe in our case...?" "I am sorry I didn't get your name..." " Charvaka!" "Really?" "Your parents named you that?" "No." "My parents named me Madhava after the great theologist Madhavacharya." "But I decided to switch sides at the age of fourteen." "Yeah." "I do believe in our case, but I am here... to learn to win an argument from both sides." "We are..." " Okay, we got to go." "We are all blind men trying to perceive the elephant." "How are you blind?" "You're wearing glasses." "Serial number 4, writ petition 212 of 2010." "Ladyship, please." "I appear on behalf of the petitioner." "I appear on behalf of respondent number 1." "Yes, Mr. Gupta, a meat-eating lawyer for an animal rights case?" "My client has made me change my ways." "Okay, what is this matter about?" "Well, this is about testing of chemicals on animals." "Pharmaceuticals companies in India are constantly violating animal rights." "Every ethical and scientific research points to this having to stop." "I know that may not be possible now but what we are looking at is the... complete elimination of cosmetic and non-essential research." "Okay, okay." "That calls for a larger debate." "Who's appearing for the board?" "Your ladyship, we monitor 467 laboratories, overall." "And the report submitted by them has been as per the guidelines." "It is very difficult for us to monitor this on a day-to-day basis." "These are my humble submissions to this honorable court." "My Lord, if this is the response of the board then what remains in this petition?" "Public interest litigation nowadays, has become more like "publicity" interest litigation." "and this petition should be rejected at this stage." "Okay, okay." "We'll hear from you, Mr. Gupta." " Very well." "The question is that animals which are kept in laboratories  they are treated completely ruthlessly." "They're to be killed, they are to die, and they are treated as dead." "They are kept in cramped spaces they fight with each other, they hurt each other." "They get burnt, they get cut up they suffer from diarrhea, paralysis... the conditions are despicable!" "In fact, my learned friend is not accurately instructed." "We've recently installed air-conditioning and ten by ten cages for these animals." "Yes, but then you cram ten animals in those ten by ten cages!" "Well, that's certainly more luxury than a commuter enjoys on a suburban train in Mumbai!" "That was not warranted, Mr. Dastoor!" "What I was trying to submit was... that there are many more pressing issues which the court should concern themselves with... rather than this sentimental petition." "Okay, we'll hear from Mr. Gupta." "My Lord, the point really is that molecules are required to be tested on animals before they are used on human beings." "Well, I don't know about that, because there's severe criticism of that within the scientific community itself." "Today, we have stem-cell research we have computer based research..." "there are many other options." "The point we are dealing with is the conditions in which these animals are kept and how they are treated." "So I hear your Guruji is in Boston now." "He, like our beloved Maitreya, is more an academic, less a monk." "The fringe benefits of knowing English." "The poster for the anti-leather campaign." " Aah." "It's good." "Nice." "Just cut down on the sentimentality a bit." "We must address people's reason more." "Have you forgotten your promise?" "It was your wish to sponsor a community center for my guru." "Wasn't it?" "All of you are so self absorbed." "You have forgotten your duties." "That's why I am reminding you of your promises of sponsorship and processions with great pomp." "I will be a committed devotee, once my son gets married." "Shall we start?" " Yes... yes." "Even Mr. Mahesh wishes to contribute." "Feel free to start!" "There are no celestial beings I know of." "There is no god either." "Neither heaven, nor hell." "Neither a preserver, nor an owner of this universe." "Neither a creator nor a destroyer." "No eternal judge." "There is only the law of causality." "I take responsibility for my actions and their consequences." "The smallest of creatures have a life-force just like mine." "May I always have such compassion." "May I never cause any harm to anybody." "The truth is multi-faceted, and there are many ways to reach it." "May I find balance in this duality." "I pray, may my karma of ignorance be shed." "May my true self be liberated from the cycle of life and death." "And attain moksha." "So, I hear you are a writer of jokes..." "No, as in, I have a stand-up act which I write myself." "Say something funny!" " That's like me saying, say something deep." "I can be deep." "See, once a monk went to a sandwich seller and asked him, make me one with all!" "I have one which is equally terrible." "Which email can attain cyber enlightenment?" "What does that mean?" "Which?" "One that has no attachments!" "I'm sorry, I'm just in this phase of life where I find everything that comes with no attachments rather fascinating." "I read your book, by the way." "It was engaging." "Oh!" "Thank you for reading it." "I didn't buy it of course." "One of my friends lent it to me." "But I have a few apprehensions." " That's a good thing." "Tell me." "Like I haven't read the entire thing, but... the hundred and fifty pages that I have read... you say you're an atheist, and at the same time you believe in the concept of soul which I think is rather convenient." "I don't think karmic causality is a reason enough for anybody to behave ethically." "You know, that there is retribution of any kind in this life or any other" "It's like a weak man's hope for some kind of cosmic revenge." "I agree with you." "It's very easy to believe in something out of fear and guilt." "Correct!" "All ethics must be arrived at in isolation of religious beliefs." "But are you able to practice that?" " I hope I am." "Why do monks beg alms?" "Because hunger drives the world." "And once that's out of the way there are more important things we can focus on." "And also, it makes me more patient and humble." "Humble?" " Yes!" "Why?" "So will you be begging my boss for food?" "No... but why did you snigger at "humble"?" "I remembered something." "No, rituals are symbolic theater." "Once you have accepted the symbol or the truth behind the symbol there is no need to stress on it all the time." "And you're expecting more people to follow your religion?" "No, I am on no such mission." " Okay, your ideas." "Yes, I like to share them and see what comes out of it, but not in religious discourses and conferences." "I like to share them with the political and scientific mainstream." "Something like the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit?" "Yes." "Why not?" "And will you walk to Copenhagen?" "Of course!" "Or you could keep walking inside the plane, that way you'll reach..." "Ah, so you've found yourself a new protege?" "Ah, he's the master." "So, how did the interview go?" "Interview?" "He was on a talk show yesterday." " Live?" "Did I miss something?" "No, not really." "It's going to be broadcast in a month or so, isn't it?" "Yes, it all started with the same assumption of me being a naive romantic who is trying to imagine that the world will turn vegan overnight." "Well, don't you?" "Come on, who has these delusions?" "All that we have demanded is a practical, reasonable, scientific change in the system so that we can lessen suffering." "You know, I secretly share a part of their cynicism." "I mean, does our case really hold?" "We're asking them to make the cages bigger, to better the hygiene to stop the force feeding, the torture but how does it make sense because they are all going to be butchered in the end?" "But let their lives be better than their death." "Yes." "And just because they are marked for slaughter doesn't mean you abuse and torture them." "What kind of logic is that?" "Tenzing Rinpoche was there yesterday." " Really?" "Yes." "And I am joining him for the Peace March next month." "Oh yes, I heard they are protesting against the visit of a Chinese ambassador." "Yes, they are." "What are you trying to do?" "Jagannath told me you had severe pain in the abdomen yesterday." "Why are you looking at him?" "You have loose motions as well?" " Nothing!" "And don't fool me into shelling out money now." "You don't have any." "Just lie down." "Mr. Gupta!" "How are you?" "I've got your book." "The one you had ordered." "Your liver is slightly enlarged." "What is this discount for?" " It's for all my customers." "Will you take medicines?" " No." "Okay, only if it will be necessary." " Yes, it will be." "Thank you Mr. Mehta." " Thank you very much." "Who invited you here today?" "I'm not here to see you." "I have other friends here." "It's very good." "Can I stop taking medicines now?" "Let the course complete." "Here's your magazine." "Oh, wow... thank you!" "How are you feeling?" "I'm better after taking the herbal decoction." "Decoction?" "What about the medicines?" "There was no need for medicines." "I'll have to shut shop this way." "See you later." " Sit for a bit." "Can't." "Too much work." "He says he's better with the herbs." "What can we do?" "Sir, this case will take forever." "We have our ways of doing things but I want to avoid unpleasant situations." "We'd be happy to make a donation to a charity on your behalf." "You know what you need to do." "It's what I was afraid of." "Liver cirrhosis." "What's that?" "Cancer?" "No, it's not cancer." "Cancer can be one of the complications of cirrhosis." "But we won't worry about that at this stage." "How much of the truth will you tell me?" "The whole truth." "So, should I prepare to end up here soon?" " No, nothing like that." "See, cirrhosis has reached an advanced stage." "We'll be focusing on preventing complications and getting a transplant." "Transplant?" " Yes." "It's imperative." "That means lots of medication?" "Yes." "Of what kind?" "Jagannath, bring me the list please." "You can have them." "Dr. Bhargava has prescribed these." "Just bring me the list." "It has three equivalents here." "It's a very old list." "We'll deal with it tomorrow." "All the jungles have disappeared" "And we are trapped in cages" "It's going well!" " Thank you." "They are traveling around with it." " Ah!" "Okay." "I just wanted a fresh list of all the companies that have not yet signed on the" "Illegal Treatment to Animals Act." "There isn't a single pharmaceutical company, that doesn't violate animal testing guidelines, in one way or another." "This one's pretty exhaustive." "It's arranged according to the brand names and formula patent." "And here's the latest documentation." "You can take that as well." "How is your case progressing?" "Oh, it'll change a lot of things now." "Thank you so much." "So, this is where you carry out your Experiments with Truth?" "You know, this place reeks of a violent past." "Just convenient for the community." "It was the only place we found on our way." "This is the second time we are in a biology lab this week." "How are you keeping?" "I'm alright." "Pastafarian!" "Is that a new joke?" " Not mine, and it's not a joke." "It's a very serious religion I follow!" "You know, I always knew monks are closet drinkers but unfortunately liver cirrhosis is going to give you away." "You know it should have more to do with intoxication than with drinking." "We leave tomorrow..." "Why are you not taking medicines?" "Because there are no alternatives." "Every medicine has animal violence behind it." "But how does your boycotting make a difference?" "That way, nothing makes a difference." "Exactly!" "See, it's pretty clear how inconsequential our actions are in the larger scheme of things." "I am not convinced." "Every molecule in the universe is affected by our actions." "That is the truth or else everything is meaningless." "What is the sense of existence then?" "The hedonism and nihilism of your namesake, Charvaka?" "So, your worldview provides you with meaning... purpose?" "See, we are dualists." "If you were to ask me if life is perpetual or temporary," "I would say, it's both." "Temporary for the body and infinite for the soul." "The soul is formless, shapeless, it's non-matter..." "And it connects to the world through the body... and every minute action, even inaction, leaves behind a karmic record on the soul." "And the purpose of our existence is enlightenment and eventual liberation from the perpetual suffering of life and death." "Okay, so then why is it so important to not kill?" "I mean, if you kill an animal, it's probably going to come back, perhaps happier." "Freedom of choice and right of consent is the core of our world view." "What about killing by consent?" " How do you judge the validity of consent?" "What about the violence that you are committing on yourself by not taking medication?" "How is your choice a choice of sanity?" "How is it not different from a suicide bomber who is so convinced about the fundamentalism of his political and religious thoughts?" "Are you really making that analogy?" "What happened?" "See, I am not good at this but I am going to try." "There are a lot of people who love you, respect you and need you including myself." "I know you're a rational, open minded person so I can only suggest..." "Please take care of yourself." "I will." "I'll see you later then." "Stay for a while." "No." "You know, one of my friends interns at Munshi and Lal." "I think you've mentioned of him before." "Is he good?" " No." "But this comes from him." "Apparently, they used some local muscle to threaten Maitreya." "What?" "When?" "A little while ago." "It was a soft call." "They studied his routine for a couple of days and then they tried to corner him on one of the rainy nights when he was just beginning his walk to the court." "The partners of the firm were very angry with their client for doing this." "Now, what I am surprised about is that Maitreya hasn't mentioned any of this to any of us." "He's not going to mention it." "For all you know, he won't even remember." "What exactly did Jagannath say?" "Just what I told you over the phone." "That he has stopped eating, and he rarely speaks." "Jagannath believes that Maitreya has taken Sansar Bhava Bhagga vow!" "What is that?" "It's an ancient custom in his religion." "A monk ailing from an untreatable disease can make peace with himself and choose to withdraw from life." "How do you withdraw from life?" "It's one way of saying fast unto death." "Fast unto death?" "That's extreme!" "But, his liver cirrhosis is treatable, right?" "Not the way he prefers it." "I don't get this idea of karma." "Does the intention not matter at all?" "The experiments are not being conducted with the intention of inflicting pain... but the intention of relieving pain." "You see, in his world, it's not all humanity that's equal, it's all existence that's equal." "But, anyway, keep working on it." "We'll need ideas like these before we can make him budge." "There was an island... and you were to be reborn as a tormentor or a slave." "The tormentor would make life hell for you." "He will give infinite pain to you and your kin, just for his pleasure." "And... he had no remorse over his actions to crush his victim." "Add to that there was no karma, no soul, no retribution... no being responsible for your actions." "And you had to choose any one of them." "Who would you be?" "You do realize that you're going to give up your life, for something that is nothing more than a thought experiment?" "And... monks are supposed to be celibate, right?" "So, I don't understand why there is so much intellectual masturbation in the first place?" "Look into your own religion." "There's constant reference to relativity." "Your ancients... they were masters of understanding... that there is no one ultimate rule book for all situations." "The woman churning curd into butter... she has to pull one end of the rope and let the other end go otherwise the rope will break." "Contradictions and polarities are two ends of the same rope." "You pull one end and let the other end go." "Yes, it's very convenient to hold on to one rope and let the other one lose as and when you feel like." "I guess we all agree with reason... now it's only a matter of disposition." "Keep sleeping." "How are you feeling?" "Fantastic." "Are you up for some banter?" "Always." "I got you a gift." "Alphabets." "It's amazing how we imagine that someday these few alphabets will just arrange themselves in a way that suddenly everything will make perfect sense." "A permutation of known words... suddenly bringing forward a previously unknown meaning." "It's so oppressive, this obsession with final answers." "We invent god, soul, heaven, afterlife, even life-imitating technology... all sorts of transcendence to cope with the idea of an absolute end." "And then, we die for an idea, which promises some sort of immortality." "It gives me some kicks though, to know that a part of me was a part of an animal once... a flame, a star." "A part will become mineral, flow in a plant, sprout in a fruit, get pecked by a bird." "Every atom of my body recycled by the universe." "You think you're a person but you're a colony." "A microcosm, which has ten times more bacteria in its body than it has human cells." "Here, check this out." "U for Unilateralis Cordyceps." "The fungus enters an ant's body through its respiration." "It invades it's brain and changes how it perceives smell... because ants do everything they do from their smell of pheromones, right?" "So this microscopic little fungal spore then makes the ant climb up the stem of a plant and bite hard on a leaf with an abnormal force." "The fungus then kills the ant, and continues to grow leaving the ant's exoskeleton intact." "So, a small fungus drives an ant around as a vehicle, uses it as food and shelter and then as the ultimate monument to itself." "And when the fungus is ready to reproduce it's fruiting bodies grow from the ant's head and rupture releasing the spores, letting the wind carry them to more unsuspecting food." "There... our entire idea of free will down the bin." "One single small fungus spore does that to an ant." "You have trillions of bacteria in your body." "How do you know where you end... and where your environment begins?" "Sir, please tell me..." "Do we really have souls?" "Sir, please tell me" "I don't know." "Why am I tied?" "Do you need something?" "Call my mother." "Please try to understand." "Is that you, Jagannath?" "Are you okay?" " Yes." "How are you feeling?" "Are you mocking me?" "What are you saying?" "How much time do we have?" "For what?" "Jagannath..." "Yes, sir?" "Call Doctor Bhargava." "Tell him I agree." "I am not ready to go yet." "The price is still low." "What was at 1200 is now 300." "One second." "Yes, sir." "Bro!" "It's a debit of Rs. 350,000." "Sir, can I collect the cheque tomorrow?" "You won't get these prices in the market." "Okay, I'll wait for your call." "Did you ask when we can leave?" " Today?" "Of course." "Ask today!" " I mean we can leave today." "Who told you?" " The nurse." "Who told her?" " How would I know?" "She said your reports are alright, your creatinine levels seem normal." "Get the discharge papers, and leave." " Can I take these off now?" "Maybe." "Trust you to never get proper answers." "What are you watching?" "It's the same channel repeated all through." "Idiot!" "Only 1, 2, 3 and 84 are the same." "Here!" "What else did the nurse say?" "Rest is private." "Oi!" "Private chat!" "You bitch..." "Naveen!" "What are you guys up to?" " Nothing, sir!" "How are you feeling today?" " Perfect!" "May I leave today?" "Let me check first." "Can I take this off?" "Sure." "Nurse, help him." "Else he'll carry it home!" "Sir, come home sometime." "I've been to your house plenty of times." " Not since I moved to Mumbai." "Yeah..." "How is your grandmother?" "She's great." "Thanks to her, you've recovered so soon." "Yes." "What do you call her?" " Ajji!" "Aaji?" " Ajji." "Even we say 'Aaji' in Marathi?" "In Rajasthan, we say 'Baasah'... but I call her Ajji." "You speak Kannada?" "Not really." "Mom used it only when she was angry." "So you've learnt the curses!" " Just the curses." "Your grandmother speaks so many languages... even Spanish." "But she doesn't speak Marwari!" "When Mannu got the discharge papers done" "I called some friends over." "I thought we'd throw a party for you." "Why don't you call some of your friends?" "I don't have any friends here in Mumbai." "Mukhtiyar Ali is in the city." "I have invited him too." "Do you like his music?" "Even he is from Rajasthan." "I am sure you must have heard his music." "No... never got a chance." "How are you Raju?" " I'm good... and you, brother?" "Great!" "I will join you in a moment." "I had invited Dr. Kerkar as well but he is tied up with work." "Did you get along with him?" "Yes!" "He speaks highly of you." "He used to write revolutionary songs!" " Dr. Kerkar?" "Yes!" "Just like your friend who had come to see me at the hospital?" "Yes." "Did you read her book?" "No... didn't get the time." "When she gave you the book, she asked if you would read it." "Then, why did you say you would?" "How can I say no when she's offering me her book?" "She'll be here in the evening." "Tell her the truth if she asks." "Don't make alibis like not having had the time." "Okay?" "Wait a second." "The address is right here..." "it's on the poster." "It's not .net, it's .edu." "E-D-U" "Yeah..." "I'm sorry." "You got it right?" "Hey!" "How are you?" "I'm good, how are you?" "I'm good." "How are you feeling now?" "I'm perfectly fine now." "What are you up to these days?" "Lot of things have been happening." "An activist has been imprisoned in Chattisgarh for baseless charges..." " Navin Sir!" "Sexaria wants to meet us." " It's Sekhsaria, not 'Sexaria'!" "Yamamoto guys coming along?" " No..." "But, he will give us the cheque today." "Where do we meet?" "Your office has been hijacked." "So, who did you vote for?" "You don't have to answer that!" "How can you ask?" "!" "I didn't vote." "My dear grandson is only interested in money not in the world around." "At least someone is interested in money." "If everyone is broke like us, who'll pay our pensions?" "So, you like the college type?" "Take this number down." "Might come handy." " No!" "Nothing like that." "I'll take it..." "for a lonely night!" "What about the Yamamoto meeting?" "Yes." "They've sent a cheque." "This says 28th." "The coming 28th." "That one is hilarious!" "How's grandma now?" " She's fine." "Tell me if you need any help — legal... not so legal." "I have connections up to Rao." "Rao?" " State home minister!" "Oh, right!" "Can I forward this?" " Sure." "Will you call for a nurse?" "I rang the bell a few times." "Can you send a nurse please?" "They're all busy in the operation theatre." "What about you?" " I am busy." "No one's free." "Do you need to pee?" "I wanted to, but I'll wait." "I'll help you." "No, I can wait for a bit." "They'll take at least half an hour." "You're so liberal-minded, then why are you feeling embarrassed?" "Saying that I am ignorant and uneducated is one thing... but if you call me a sucker for money wouldn't it hurt?" "I challenge you... only so you learn to live." "Your way of looking at life cannot be the only way, can it?" "Okay, then tell me your idea of living?" "I eat well, drink well... people around me respect me." "Is that enough?" " It's good enough for me." "Life is so magnificent." "There is so much to explore." " I'm not interested!" "Does that make me a bad person?" "If you don't want to understand, then don't talk rubbish." "So, you tell me What does one need in life?" "Happiness..." "and some compassion..." "Isn't that enough?" "It's enough, yes." "You can't reduce it to 'good' or 'bad'." "It's about experiencing the entire spectrum of thought and emotion about connecting with society." "But, I am compassionate!" "You don't even know who needs your compassion or what consequences your actions have." "What is the point of such compassion?" "Society should benefit from your existence!" "This is exactly what ticked off mom." "All this idealistic jargon from your pretentious friends!" "Another misunderstanding!" "They weren't pretentious." "They were activists!" "Sacrificing one's life for a cause is a huge expectation from anyone." "See, this is why I don't persuade you." "Like I might have done with your mother." "She was blessed with everything." "But did she share anything?" "And how have you changed the world?" "When the nation was fighting for freedom you'd leave mom with the neighbours and go off spreading condom awareness in villages..." "Was that your revolution?" "If your work had made any difference, then where did these billion people come from?" "!" "We've been fighting slavery and repression for three generations... just to see my grandson be a slave to the Americans?" "Have you gone senile?" "These foreign companies are my clients!" "Look at your manners!" "Calling your own grandmother senile!" "Okay, I apologize." "We'll confront this when one of us understands the other." "The country was independent by then." "Get your history right!" " Mannu!" "Take care of Ajji for a while." "But what will I do in there?" "Shall I ask her to recommend me a book?" " Are you crazy?" "She will cross examine you for every page." "Why are you watching this?" "It's only on 1, 2, 3 and 84." "Here!" "Has someone died?" "Her husband, poor guy, got fucked, man!" " What happened?" "He got his appendix operated a month ago at some shady hospital." "Got back to work in a couple of days..." "he's a laborer." "Collapsed, yesterday, on site." "His boss admitted him here." "When they operated him again, they found a kidney missing." "What do you mean?" "When they opened him up for the appendix they also flicked his kidney." "But how?" "It happens all the time in those shady hospitals!" "Please go and ask her the date of the operation." "What the hell man?" "Look at the flight of stairs!" "Please." "Oh man!" "The 16th of last month." "When was yours?" "On the 17th." "Find out his blood group." " Again these stairs?" "Same as yours." "Excuse me!" "Which ward is Shankar in?" "Shankar who?" " The guy who got operated yesterday." "His wife was crying, remember?" " He got discharged." "But he was only operated yesterday." " Yes, but he got discharged." "Can I have his address?" "Wait." "Hello Navin!" "Sir, the kidney, I've received..." "Are you sure it's from a dead man?" "Of course!" "There are only two ways." "Either from a brain dead patient... or a family member." "So... can I get some information about my donor?" "I'll connect you to an NGO." "you can take it from there." "They hold community meetings between donors and recipients." "Here, keep their card." "The doctor confirmed that you didn't get your kidney from that guy." "Then, why do we need to meet him now?" "How do we know what's going on?" "I'll feel better once I clarify it with the NGO." "And what if you discover you have a stolen kidney?" "I'll return it." "Look ahead..." " Wait... wait!" "Have you lost it?" "Who returns a transplanted kidney?" " Isn't it possible?" " No." "The car won't squeeze through..." "Then what about you?" " I'll wait it out." "It will jam against the wall." "One second." "Let me check." "Pull back..." " Are you crazy?" "There's no space here, pull back." "Let's palm him some money, then!" "But, that's wrong!" "Yes..." "Yes..." "Okay..." "Okay..." "Thank you." "You satisfied now?" "Yeah, the NGO says my kidney is from a legit source." "Lets get back to the hospital then?" "Listen!" "Now that were here let's meet him." "Should I get us two coupons?" "Where is Shankar's house?" "Two buildings after Sachin's building ... right ahead." "Wow!" "You have 46 here!" " Shut up." "Can you draw us a map?" "Is this Shankar's house?" "Must be on the other side, then." "This way." "Where are you going?" "Where?" " No, he stays there..." "The snack-seller, right?" "Not the snack-seller!" "The bricklayer." "Careful." "How do they walk up all these stairs!" "It's on the sea-link." "Looks like he lives there now!" "Oi!" "Push me." "Turn, you buffoon!" "Push me, man!" " You'll get jammed like this." "I'm hungry again." "Where does Shankar live?" " Up there." "Careful." "Aunty!" "Is this Shankar's house?" " No, not this one." "It's there." " Where?" "Listen!" "Yes, aunty?" "The cops took him." "Few minutes back." "Sir, what about a similar case that happened in Gurgaon six months back?" "Have you eaten?" "They will be punished, won't they?" "Of course." "They won't be, the bastards and the court case will burn me out." "Let them go to hell!" "Their God will see to them." "I don't want anything to do with the courts, sir." "This is for you." "Are you from the press?" " No." "Are you a cop?" " No." "Motherfucker!" "You think you can pay your way out of this?" "Return my kidney." "Leave him Shankar." "What am I to do, now?" "Shankar, we haven't stolen your kidney." "We want to help you." "What will I do, now?" "We'll find him." "Sekhsaria is pretty resourceful!" "Thank you!" "Where's Stockholm?" "How would I know?" "Ask." "Ajay!" "When I was new in town I would get confused as well." "They drink straight from the tap here." "What is this party for?" "My friend, Rasmus..." "It's his birthday!" "Join us!" "Saw her moustache?" "Aron Jacobsen seems like a nice guy." "He didn't ask too many questions." "Try not to offend him, though." "Here people sue each other for every little thing." "You'll be gone, but I've got to live here." "Sure." "It's stuck." "Careful." "Oh, I won't be able to alight from here." "I'll get down from there." "Welcome!" "Leave the shoes on." "You are?" "Ajay." " Hi!" "Navin." "You mentioned your friend works for a charitable organization?" "He wants to know which organization do you work for." "Ask him if he knows who he got his kidney from." "Kidney?" "Did you say kidney?" " Yes, kidney." "Do you know who donated the kidney?" "I don't want to talk about it." "Will that be all?" "He doesn't want to talk about it." "Can I see your identification?" "He wants to see our ID." "Let's get out of here." "Your kidney stolen..." "from this man." "No, no, no..." "Donated!" "I paid a lot of money to everybody." "What do you mean stolen?" "'Stulen'." " I know stolen means 'stulen'." "What does he mean by stolen?" "A man in need of money sold his kidney." "I am told it happens all the time in India." "It's best if you leave." "There was a needy person who sold it to him... he was told it's a common practice in India." "Tell him exactly what happened." "Listen... give us a minute to explain." "No!" "No!" "I don't understand this!" "You come into my house... tell me you are from a charitable organization... and now you show me this!" "Such liars!" "He is calling us liars." "This man was to be operated... for simple appendicitis." "And a month later he finds out his kidney was stolen." "The racket has come out in the open." "Wasn't it Dr. Rajesh Tharoor who operated on him?" "And all the doctors involved in this racket have been nailed." "Ask him if Rajesh Tharoor had..." " That's what I am asking... hang on!" "Rajesh Tharoor?" "He in jail?" " Yes... in jail!" "But he's a good man." "Balls!" "Says he's a good man." " Let it be!" "He's one of the biggest profiteers from this racket." "Were you actually told that the donor was being paid for the kidney?" "I was." "Exactly!" "They told him they were going to buy him a kidney." "Is it right to buy one?" " True." "You think it's right to buy a kidney?" "Is it fair to use poverty to your benefit?" "Is it fair to use somebody's poverty to your benefit?" "You shouldn't be doing this." "It's unfair to exploit my guilt like this." "What do you want from me?" " What do you want?" "I told you... this means trouble." "Hey!" "It's me..." "Yes." "No, listen..." "Two guys from India are here... claim that they work for some charitable organization." "Yeah..." "listen, they are asking about the kidney." "That's not what I'm trying to ask." "They're accusing it's stolen." "How?" "How is...?" "Yes, I'll call you later." "I have no way of confirming your claims." "I was told that the kidney... was purchased from a very needy person... for a rather handsome amount." "I felt very guilty about it even then." "I felt the burden of guilt at every stage of the operation." "What could I have done?" "What would anybody do?" "Wait for a matching donor and die if you don't find one?" "Maybe my family was protecting me emotionally... by not telling me it was a stolen kidney." "Maybe, the doctors feared they will lose a client." "But what could I have done even if... they told me the kidney was... stolen from somebody?" "I'd like to believe you have made up this entire story." "and are instigating my guilt to make an easy buck from me." "You are lying." "You should leave before I call the cops." "He's saying he didn't have an option." "If he had waited, he would be dead by now." "And now he wants to call the police because he thinks that we are here to blackmail him." "Brother, listen to me..." "Let's get out of here." "What the hell man?" "Talk to him." "Tell him we just want to help." "Sir!" "We just want to help." "How?" "He's asking how." "He would have to return Shankar's kidney." "Seriously?" "Shankar's kidney will have to be returned to him." "That's ridiculous." "How is that a solution?" "That's insane." "He says that's foolishness." "What kind of solution is that?" "I can't possibly return his kidney." "I'll find him a donor." "I'll pay for the operation." "I'll take responsibility for everything." "He is taking complete responsibility for everything." "I need to do this." "He really wants to." "Finish it, man." "Okay." "Okay." "Let's go." "Thank you." "He has written..." "Ajay and Navin... thank you for all the help so far..." "He doesn't want to see us both again." "Whatever remains to be sorted out..." "is between him and Shanker." "Call my lawyer for any further communication." "Has he given his lawyer's number?" " Yes, it is here." "One second..." "Hello!" "Yes?" "Hello!" "Hey man!" "Spared any chicks?" " You are crazy." "Here, speak to him." "Hello?" "Yes, sir?" " Yes Shankar..." "How are you, brother?" "Sir, thank you so much." "You've fixed everything so fast!" "Never thought I'd see so much money!" "What are you talking about?" " Can you hear me?" "A white man came by this morning and gave me Rs. 650,000." "Don't take that money, Shankar." "Why?" "I've already taken it." "No, Shanker." "Return the money." "We'll fight to get your kidney back." "Are you crazy?" "What will I do with a kidney?" "The market rate for a kidney is 30,000." "He's given me 650,000!" "You can't evaluate parts of a body." "We will sue them." "You will get a new kidney and the money you deserve." "And what if I don't?" " Then I'll pay you." "What's it to you?" "You've already done enough." "I don't want to waste my life seeking justice." "And, he said he'll send me money every month." "Hello?" "Listen to me brother..." "He shoved the phone in my face..." " Give it back to him." "Shankar!" "Wait!" "Oh, great one!" "One minute..." "I'm stuck, man... here." " Listen Shankar..." "You deserve better." "We'll fight for you!" "Not that bullshit again." "I'll be getting money every month, Why are you messing it up?" "Don't fuck it up." "Just let me be." "Keep this!" "Okay, this is Omnacortil... which is 20 mg now." "Vaisocon was 10 mg, but it's been changed to 5 mg." "So, let me just keep it with me, so you don't get confused." "This is SOS." "Only when required." " Okay." "And all the others are the same." "It's all here in the box." " Okay." "Nothing came of it." "All that happened... was because you decided to do something about it." "It's as good as it gets." "Did your donor die from a head injury?" "Yeah, he was a fit young man." "What's at the museum?" "They are screening some videos... that the NGO has gathered from his family." "Will you be meeting his family then?" "No, they have moved to Dubai, it seems." "The screening's just for you?" "There are other recipients as well." "Others?" "The way I received one kidney, there must be someone else who got the other one and those who received the heart, the lungs, etc..." "They can transplant so many organs from one man?" "Yes." "Even skin." "Eyes and ears?" "Eyes, yes." "Not sure about ears." "Can I come along?" "No, it's only for the recipients." "They say it's the first time in the city... that eight people have received organs from the same donor." "I wonder what it'll be like, to meet the others... we have a part each from the same person." "Isn't a man made up of his parts?" "There must be something more..." "Or else, replacing the parts would change the person." "Who knows?" "Where did you dirty your shirt?" "Where?" "Look there!" "It's cool." " Okay, bye." "Naveen?" "Hi!" "I am Yuki." "I spoke to you on the phone earlier today." "Hi." "Hope I am not late." "No, four recipients have reached, two more are expected... then we'll start the screening." "Oh!" "I thought there were eight of us." "The man who received the heart isn't feeling well yet." "His transplant was successful, but he's still vulnerable to infection." "Some organ donation forms..." "Please encourage your friends and family to pledge their organs." "Yeah." " This is for you." "Ah, you got the left one, right?" "This is Dr. Kaza, our NGO's chairman." "Are we watching our donor's home videos?" "No, he was a hobbyist cave explorer." "We'll be watching some videos shot by him." "Just have a seat with the other recipients... and please keep your phone on silent." "Okay." "Thank you."