"In loneliness, or illusions of greatness, go and face the sea," "and hear the restless waves speak" "Who says you are alone?" "An ocean's vastness will ask," "You aren't bigger than me, are you?" "Baba taught me this, from times when I was a child, he made me strike a friendship with the sea" "Yes, we very often talk to the sea, for hours together, in silence" "This story is" "Baba, you can't" "This Nanda, her two-day vacation has stretched to four" "You leave rolling the bread for me" "Are you challenging me?" "Yes" "How often do I tell you?" " I know" "Those with courage never face defeat" "At every turn, you must recite your favorite poem" "It's more than my favorite." "It's my life, my thinking my creed" "Those with courage never face defeat" "Today, it's defeat" "Africa?" " Africa?" "Sorry, more like Indonesia" "Ronu, son..." " Yes, Baba" "What time is your flight?" " You've asked four times already" "Tonight, at 11.30 pm." "OK?" "At what time, Baba?" " 11.30 tonight" "Looks a perfect Italy" "Flour in the face" "Admit failure, Baba." "I'll manage the bread, go" "Trisha" "Now what do you say!" "Fearing waves will not get you to the other shore" "Those with courage never face defeat" "I know" "Failure is a challenge." "Accept it" " Excellent" "What's left to improve go ahead and improve it" "Without achieving you cannot attain victory" "Those with courage cannot be defeated" "Now say cheese" "Watch out for Mummy." " A minute" "Professor, is it kitchen-class today?" "Sit please" "Friends, forgive my being late" "Yesterday, we discussed Rama's worship of the female divine" "In this poem, poet Nirala visualizes" "Rama not as a god but as a human being" "I can even say that Niralaji humanized the god-head" "Isn't this the Hindi Literature class?" "Sir, this is the Chemistry class." "Final year, science" "Oh..." "I beg your pardon" "Sir, may I see you to the Staff Room?" "I'll go by myself" "Baba, come for breakfast" "When will you learn to eat like a human being" "Sit and eat." " I'm getting late" "Nanda, bring the curds" "Baba, breakfast is getting cold" "Here I am" "What's the occasion, Baba?" "You look solid, absolutely knock-out" "What's wrong?" "I know" "I know who you are" "You are Karan Choudhary, son of Uttam Choudhary" "Nineteen years of age and useless at your studies" "I didn't stop because I wondered who you were" "I'm amazed at your language." "Who'd say that you're son of a Hindi professor?" "Who'd say that you're son of a Hindi professor?" "Baba, my sister is here for Hindi experiments" "Leave me to my English, please." " Then, give us a lecture in good English, or recite a poem" "Shelley, Keats, Byron, Elliot, anyone." "Or, a passage from Shakespeare?" "A Shakespeare passage?" "Right away" "Baba, he... is getting late, for college" "Today's generation has no respect for language" "They don't know Hindi, can't speak English" "Baba, eat your breakfast." "Look, I've made potato-paratha" "Let him be" "Baba, how about an English farewell?" "Wait..." " Now what, revered father?" "Your post-office is open" "It happens... happens" "Don't you also forget?" "Baba, get your hair trimmed" "It doesn't look good." " I'll get it done" "Naina get my briefcase ready." "I'm getting late for the University" "Nanda, tell my wife to get my briefcase." "It's getting late" "Baba, you... you are forgetting..." " What?" "It's late to go where?" "University, 11 am class" "You've retired from work" "I merely thought of it" "Yesterday, by mistake I walked into the Chemistry class." "That's why I felt... like warning you that the Vice-Chancellor may not grant me an extension" "Chemistry class?" "Your chemistry-class incident happened three years ago" "Don't joke." "Tell your mother I'm getting really late" "Mother died a year and a half ago" "Baba, give me your spectacles" "You know Baba, sometimes even I miss mother a lot" "Of late, I find I am so forgetful" "When that happens," "I feel really frightened" "When your mother was here, I was not so scared" "Everyone forgets, Baba." "I keep forgetting so many things" "You talk of being afraid?" "You?" "It was you who taught us." "What did you teach us?" "Those who have courage cannot be defeated" "See, you remember." "Who says you forget?" "Let's do this." "Let's both go to Uncle Gattoo's place for a while" "Uncle Gattoo telephoned; and it's been ages since I tasted Delhi's spicy 'chaat'" "I'm running to a meeting at office" "Bye, have your lunch" "Delhi" "We have all worked on this together" "Had we not helped each other, this task would be difficult" "In this connection, let me add, on child education and children's issues... a world conference is being held in Brazil" "Trisha will be there for a month representing "Pratham"" "Brazil?" "For a whole month?" "Any problem?" "You will not go?" "One month!" "I cannot leave Baba for a whole month!" "Look Trisha," "I know how attached you are to your father" "For one, Karan can't care for him." "And neither will Ronu" "Why doesn't he take him to America?" "They have good institutions" "Ronu is away eight months at a time on ships" "When will you think of yourself, and about us?" "I'm about to be transferred to Australia" "Are you about to say, you aren't coming?" "One minute" "May I know your rate?" "Pay the usual, uncle" "What's this "uncle"?" "Tell me, what will you charge?" "Normally, a hair-cur at home is 100." "You can give me 80" "It's just me, not the neighborhood" "It's the cost of one haircut, uncle" "My barber takes just 10." "And 2 for a shave" "What times are you talking about?" " I am talking about now, 1979" "OK, I'll give you fifteen." "Don't bargain... begin" "Fifteen rupees?" " Yes" "Get it cut by whoever does it for fifteen." " And rude at that" "First you ask for a hundred and then you insult one?" "Go, no haircut for me." " May I take my towel?" "There" "Earlier Baba forgot small things... names, faces, places, but now it's increasing" "At times, he forgets that he is now retired" "In old age these symptoms do occur" "You mean, his condition might worsen?" "The same medicines you prescribed last time?" "So...?" "Dr. Bharoocha, my father is no guinea pig for you to experiment on for years" "Ms Choudhary, if you feel I am at fault you can take him to another doctor" "Please do not be unduly stressed" "Try to keep your home at its most normal" "As I said, if he forgets, let him" "Why do you take me to this goat?" "Did I forget anything?" " No" "Who suggested this goat?" " He is Ashish's company doctor" "Your Ashish and his company" "Karan is meant to be in college?" " He has a study tour" "Karan, you didn't say that you are Professor Uttam Choudhary 's son" "The one who was Hindi professor at Bombay University?" "His son, right?" "Yes" "My mom teaches Hindi Literature at Mithibhai College" "She is a fan of your father" "Will you do something for me, please?" " Sure, tell me" "It's my mom's birthday next month" "And that book by your father." "A New Approach to Language Instruction" "Can you get your father to autograph it?" "Baba, your book, A New approach to Language Construction" "Language Construction?" "Instruction!" "Yes, instruction." "I need an autographed copy for someone" "Nanda..." "Please fetch one A New Approach to Language Instruction" "Bring what?" " New Approach... my book... what was the cover color?" "Blue, or is it yellow..." "Blue, isn't it, Baba?" "Blue, he wants the blue book." " I know, I'll get it" "Karan, please do not go out today" "I must go to Ramesh's place to watch a D VD" "Stop that grating with the knife!" "Your brother is a savage" "Here's a butter-knife and he is using his finger to spread butter" "Is this the one?" " Yes, it is." "Instruction" "What's the girl's name?" " Girl?" "Which girl?" "The one you took to Fame Adlabs to watch a movie" "Film?" "Fame Adlabs?" "Girl?" "Karan, not fair." "Baba knows it all and I don't?" "I've no idea what he's saying!" " Baba..." "When we were in the car yesterday, I saw them" "Yesterday we went to Dr. Bharoocha." "And you saw him?" "Forget it." "What's her name?" "Natasha" "Her name is Natasha" "Nice girl." "Bring her home someday on a study tour" "The name?" "Natasha" "I don't want breakfast" "Baba, give me your specs" "I will not be able to go" "My father's health..." "I see" "The funders coming in December." "What about their blueprint?" "It'll be ready, rest assured." "Enough time for that" "Anything else?" "Being with children has taught me one big lesson" "In whatever they do, they give their hundred percent" "And they expect the same in return" "The kids in Pratham's Dharavi Center expect the same of their Trisha Didi" "But I feel that you, these days..." "I feel bad about not giving enough time but you know the reasons..." "Nor are you able to give enough time to your father" "When you are with your father... you worry about the Center's children." "When you are here... your thoughts are with your father." "Life cannot proceed like this, my dear" "If you give, give a hundred percent, otherwise... you decide" "How is she wrong?" "Count your blessings, it's an NGO" "Had it been the corporate sector, you'd be sacked in minutes" "Trisha, you realize that you are placing your family before your career?" "Sunitaji wants you to oh so you've received her message?" "Sir, we must meet at the earliest... mid October?" "It cannot be any earlier?" "You are in Frankfurt?" "I'm sorry, I'll call you later" "Who...?" " Doctor Kothari" "Famous psychiatrist, Sunitaji gave me his number" "Aren't you drinking too much, that too, in day time?" "No drinking next month." "Not even a whiff." " How come?" "Next week my parents are coming." "I'm going to Chennai with them, a cousin's wedding" "If they come to know that I drink beer, I've had it" "Do they at least know that... we have been seeing each other for the past four years?" "Or not even that?" "I just told them" "The news hit them like a bomb" "Actually, in my family, ours will be the first love marriage, that too... inter-caste" "And your parents...?" "Their opinion?" " They will come to meet you" "When?" " Maybe on this visit" "And please wear a sari" "Sari!" " Trisha... we're South Indian, try to understand, bit traditional;" "my parents, even more so" "Did you tell them about Baba?" "No" "Let them meet first" "I'll do the explaining later" "Preparing for tomorrow?" " Yes" "What is it?" "Didi... (Didi:" "Sister)" "What if... we meet Ashish's parents some where outside and not at home?" "Baba could say something or behave..." "Nothing will happen." "Don't worry" "Will it look nice?" "If Ashish's parents agree, will you get married soon?" "Karan, what's on your mind?" "Didi, don't misunderstand me" "I too am sad about the state Baba is in" "But I don't have your kind of courage" "Where Baba will live after your wedding... is up to you to decide" "With you or with Ronu in America?" "Or... we could admit him in an Institute." "It may cost a bit... yes and asylums aren't as bad as they show us in films" "How many asylums have you seen?" "How many have you seen?" "Are you an expert?" "Didi, even the doctor says the case is getting worse" "A case, he isn't, Karan" "He is yours, mine and Ronu's father" "What does Ronu do?" "With the merchant navy, settled in America" "Nanda, bring the coffee" "Child, do you know South Indian cooking?" " I don't even know North Indian cooking" "I mean, there was mummy, then Nanda, so, there was no need" "Sugar?" "For you?" " Two spoons" "Brewed properly?" " Lovely" "But nothing like filter coffee" "Have you learnt dance or music?" "Not dance or music, but..." "I'm deeply interested in literature thanks to Baba, mostly poetry" "You should hear Baba recite, his favorite poem" "His parents may not know Hindi" "They want to hear" "Ashish's parents want to hear your favorite poem" "Those who have courage cannot be defeated" "Courage... courage" "Those who have courage... can't be disrespected" "Not... can't be disrespected." "Cannot be defeated" "Those with courage can't be mistreated" "Those who have courage can't be disrespected" "How can you forget this poem?" "Ever since I was a baby, he taught me his favorite poem" "Take him upstairs" "How can you dare... to place your ashtray on Gandhiji's photo, and stub cigarettes" "And your tainted mug?" "You don't understand on Gandhiji's photo!" "A playful child could be forgiven, but you...?" "You are the cause of Gandhiji being insulted in this country" "After all, it's only a newspaper photo" "You take this to be a photo!" "For me, this is not a photo" "Not for me... to me... it is a symbol, a symbol of our nation, of our freedom" "All of you, please leave." "Now!" "This instant!" "You will place an ashtray on Gandhiji's photo?" "Please go upstairs." " Go away from my house!" "All because of men like you" "You're no playful children to be forgiven, how dare you insult him" "Soiling Gandhiji's photo?" "Since when is he like this?" "Soon after retirement and after my mother's death" "Hereditary, is it?" "Do not take this badly, my dear." "Heredity can create problems" "In my case, I have my father's high blood pressure and sugar" "Perhaps your grandfather..." " There is no such history in our family" "Not at all hereditary." "Besides, there is a fine specialist, Dr. Kothari... we are waiting to meet him" "God bless you" "I'm flying with my parents tomorrow." "I'll return by month-end" "Call me from there" "Please come again." " Sure" "Didi" "Didn't I tell you... let's meet outside, not at home?" "You saw what happened?" "Nanda" "What happened?" " What is this?" "Have you torn today's papers?" " Have I nothing else to do?" "And why are you shouting at me?" "Please apologize to your parents." "Call when you reach there" "Didi, where are you going?" "Have your breakfast." " I don't want it" "How can this be, Didi" "If you aren't here, who will eat with Baba" "You didn't even eat anything last night." "Give him my share as well" "And if he asks why, say it is in celebration of yesterday" "Please, Baba..." " I don't want to hear" "Baba has done what harm he could, now, you do whatever you think fit" "Baba's pet" "What did you say?" "What did you say?" " I've worked here for 15 years, not for money, out of love" "I put up with what you say because I take this to be my home" "Here I'm worried about Baba." "He said he'd be back soon, that was two hours ago" "What... where did he go?" "Karan quick, take a look around" "Where have you been?" "You will drive us mad!" "Do you know what you did yesterday?" "What did I do?" " Baba, you don't know what you did?" "You might as well remind me, what I did" "You may not need to remember, but Ashish's parents will remember it all their lives" "What is in your hand?" "Think" "I do not have the strength" "It's enough to be alive Now, show me" "Show it" "Our good wishes on this happy day." "Baba and mother" "Give me your spectacles" "I'm sorry." "I don't know what came over me..." "I just began shouting" "You remember my birthday... but you do not recall what happened yesterday" "Yesterday, Ashish's parents were here and I asked you to recite... and you forgot your favorite poem" "Those with courage, Cannot be defeated" "I've told you Miss Choudhary, if you wish, you are free to change your doctor" "Your father must get the best treatment" "I don't mean otherwise, Dr. Bharoocha, but I keep telling you, he forgets certain things." "Yesterday, he remembered my birthday, but not what happened the day before" "Hello..." "Ashish... hi!" "How are you keeping?" "You've all but forgotten me" "Stop that constant horn" "Stop that horn!" " I'll call later" "Stop it!" " Where are you going?" "You aren't going anywhere." "Please don't use that horn" "And please hurry up and look ahead and drive, please" "The treatment was useless and he was going from bad to worse" "Between spells of silence and bouts of anger, he goes wandering without telling  we go looking for him" "Days bring me not hope, but fear of what Baba might do today" "What's the matter, Baba?" "Where have you brought me?" "Where else?" "You live here" "Come" "I live here?" "Of course Baba, this is your room" "This is my room?" " Yes, Baba" "Who are you?" "Baba I am Karan, your son" "All right, go" "Now, please go" "Can any tree forget its branch?" "Tomorrow, will he forget me, and ask, who's Trisha?" "I knew Baba liked to read the newspapers" "But why is he collecting old newspapers?" "What is he trying to find or eliminate?" "I keep calling out to him but he just won't open the door" "What should I do?" "You can go." "I'll take up his dinner" "Baba, open the door." "Dinner" "Keep it there" "OK, but open the door" "I said, keep it outside" "But..." "Baba keeping himself locked in his room becomes a worry" "What if he did something to himself?" "What is happening to me?" "Why am I thinking so negative" "Open the door Baba" "What's burning inside your room?" "Open the door" "Karan..." "Karan!" "Please!" "Get up" "What happened?" " Karan..." "Baba's room could be on fire" "Come quickly" "I've been banging on his door and he isn't opening" "Open the door Baba" "Something's burning, Baba" "Climb in from the balcony and try the back door" "Go in" "Switch on the lights" "Baba, where are you?" "I didn't kill Gandhiji" "I did not kill Gandhi" "Is that you Ronu?" "I'm at home, I'm on leave... one minute" "Sorry, yes?" "The fire?" "How did you know?" "Dr. Bharoocha!" "What can he say?" "But I'll manage, brother" "But you were to come only in February?" "A sudden change of schedules?" "Thanks, brother" "I will, brother." "Bye" "I phoned and told him to come right away" "You know, he has just returned home after six months on ships" "He was supposed to come in Feb anyway." "In the least, you could've spoken with me" "Wife, children... he has responsibilities" "We too are his family and Baba is his responsibility as well" "He is doing his duty, Karan" "Were it not for him, would we be where we are?" "This bungalow... could we afford to maintain this?" "Doctors' bills, medicines, your studies" "And you!" "How do you help?" "Shout at your boyfriend instead, he picked this doctor" "To begin with, if you admitted him to an institute, this could've been avoided" "As for me, what am I, a donkey!" "I don't have any sense in me" "Out for shopping" "I am his fiancée" "What?" "When?" "Can I have his new number?" "What...?" "Ashish, transferred to Melbourne... didn't even tell me... how can he do this?" "A mental patient's daughter, how can he marry?" "Not I, it's what they must think" "Do you remember Ashish's father asking, could it be heredity?" "Didi!" " Now what?" "Baba just threw away his food, he says I'm poisoning his food" "I'm not eating this food" "Yes Baba?" "I'm not eating this!" " It's all right, but..." "They're taking revenge, poisoning the food in this prison, they want to kill me" "This is no prison Baba, this is home!" "No!" "This is a jail, a jail, not a home" "Baba for heavens' sake, this is our home" "Please..." "Look around." "This is our home" "You too are with them?" " No, Baba" "You call a jail a home?" "Not that kind of jail, this is a private jail" "Baba, look around, carefully" "This is home, not any jail" "Sir, I'm telling the truth!" "Someone else loaded the gun with real bullets" "I'm telling the truth, the truth" "Guns, bullets, what are you saying Baba?" "This is our home; and look there's Karan, your son, my brother" "No!" "He's the warden" "Look at him, that hard stare in his eyes" "Tell him please, I didn't kill deliberately" "I haven't killed anyone, I won't eat this food, not this food" "I never killed anyone, I won't eat" "I never killed anyone" "Please meet Trisha just for once." "She is in terrible straits" "If you can't take up the case, at least guide her" "Miss Choudhary, I'm working on my book" "I am taking a three month sabbatical, to write my book" "If you would for only once, please meet my father..." "Yes, so tell me what's your father's problem?" "Well... he thinks that our home is a jail," "that his son is the jailer and... he feels that he has killed Gandhiji" "My father thinks that he has murdered Mahatma Gandhi" "What should we do until your visit?" " All I'll advise now is... you accept whatever he says." "Don't question him" "If he talks of jail, warden, prisoner let it pass, never argue with him" "How could it possibly..." " It will soothe his anxiety" "Baba used to say, no matter how endlessly stretches the dark of nights, dawn brings day" "After having met Dr. Kothari today" "I feel there is hope, however faint, my mind is more at peace" "Uttam..." "Go and wash" "You're lucky to be living in free India" "Instead of Gandhiji had you shot a white man, your very soul would shudder... at the punishment that'd be yours" "I keep telling you again and again," "I did not want to kill Gandhiji, someone loaded my gun with live bullets" "Silence" "Go away from here" "Baba, what happened?" "Look, he keeps saying, I'll never be absolved of my sin" "Who... where?" " There... he is... constantly talking of my sins, standing right there" "Listen" "Go away from here" "Stop harassing my father" "There, I've told him off, Baba, told him, why are you harassing my Baba" "Go away" "Go away from here why are you pestering my father" "Now I've told him, they won't pester you anymore" "All right now?" " Yes, now they're gone...?" "Yes, gone." " Gone" "And won't ever return." " Wort ever return" "Please come" "I filed a complaint, so he has come to meet you" "Your daughter says that in jail some persons are harassing you?" "I have taken charge of this place." "No one will trouble you" "I am Dr. Kothari" "Doctor?" " Yes" "I also happen to be a doctor" "You have not eaten?" "Yes Baba, come on, eat" "I do not eat jail food" "This food isn't from the jail, Professor Uttam Choudhary" "This food comes from your home" "Your daughter has brought it" "How can I be sure that they don't want to kill me?" "I assure you, this is not so" "Why?" "You see, it's nothing like that" "Come on, eat" "Why do you feel that you have killed Gandhiji?" "Would you like to meet my superiors?" "Professor Uttam Choudhary, you were a Professor of Hindi in Bombay University?" "Professor Choudhary, you were a professor of Hindi in Bombay University" "Yes, Bombay University" "No, I wanted to join the armed forces to serve the country" "What year are we now in?" "2004?" "Yes, 2004" "In 1975 you wrote a book that became really famous" "A New Approach to Language Instruction" "I don't know" "In 1978, your second book" "History of Hindi Poetry" "Don't know" "Professor Choudhary, which is your favourite poem?" "No poem, a hymn" "Sorry, I forgot." "Yes, it's a hymn" "Those who have courage cannot fail" "One who is truly in love with God sees no difference in caste or creed" "You are a great believer in Gandhiji" "I am his disciple" "Why don't people believe me?" "There's one point I can't understand" "If you are his disciple, then why did you shoot him?" "I've told you..." "I didn't mean to kill Gandhiji" "It happened by mistake" "OK, but how?" "How did this mistake happen, Professor Choudhary?" "We were playing, someone put real bullets in my fake pistol" "I pulled the trigger," "Gandhiji came in the way, the bullet hit him" "And then he was bleeding in his chest" "I'm saying the truth." "I never knew, someone loaded real bullets in the gun" "I told everyone, it wasn't my fault, but no one would listen" "Not even my father, not even Gandhiji" "Then they got together and threw me in jail" "When did this incident happen?" "Can you recall?" "January 1948." "Birla Garden, Delhi" "It was evening, at 17 minutes past five." "We were playing" "Gandhiji was going to pray" "Suddenly Gandhiji walked right into the middle of our game" "30th January, 1948" "5:17 pm" "Birla Garden, Delhi" "If you killed Gandhiji, then why do books say that..." "Gandhiji was killed by Nathuram Godse" "I don't know" "But believe me," "I did not kill Gandhiji on purpose" "I didn't" "Dr. Verma's view is, your father's trauma is definitely due to a childhood incident" "When Gandhiji died, your father would be 8 or 9 years old?" "His students would say, "Sir, from you we imbibed..."" ""not only Literature in a new light, but also a new way of looking at life"" "Trisha, the loneliest person isn't someone who has lost all his loved ones" "Rather, he's someone who has lost himself" "Sorry, Sunitaji, I will be there" "The papers are with me." "I'm sorry, I'm coming over, right away" "A meeting, I'd completely forgotten about" "Please see to him." "I'll be back in two minutes" "Please manage, I got to leave." " What, you got to leave?" "You have the details, you should explain." "Please take care of it, I can't wait" "My father is in the cab." " Why did you bring him along?" "I took him to the clinic." "We got delayed so I'm coming directly, please manage" "Then get along, I'll manage" "Don't just stand there" "Ashish" "I had no idea that you're back" "Yes, it all happened in a rush" "Was she the one?" " Yes" "Seems normal to me" "My father was sitting inside!" "Where has he gone?" " He left" "I told you to keep an eye on him!" "Where has he gone?" "I asked him where he was going but he didn't reply" "He just took off." " In which direction?" "That way" "Get in, quickly" "Stop" "Don't touch me" "You stay away Who are you?" "Baba, I am Ronu" " I don't know any Ronu" "Baba, he's our brother Ronu from America" "Don't touch me." "I am fasting" "I won't touch food, I'm doing penance" "I've even taken a vow before Gandhiji" "What's happening to Baba?" " He doesn't recognize Ronu" "He wants me to break my vows, he wants to poison me, kill me" "Stay away!" "Keep him away from me" "Stop this racket" "Why do you want to break his vow?" "You want to poison him, kill him?" "You are my brothers no more!" "Stay away" "Leave us alone" "Let him be" "I've warned them off" "They won't pester you" "No one will disturb you now" "I can't take it any more, I've lost all courage, Ronu" "I'm lost, tired, I can't bear this" "Water!" "What happened, Didi?" "I knew... that rascal" "Why?" "What was my fault?" "How are you to blame?" "We'll talk tomorrow" "How is Baba?" "Take this and sleep" "Let's go" "Given the medicines?" "She's asleep" "For four years, they were together" "Happens" "Now it becomes imperative for us to know the connection... between Gandhiji's assassination and Professor Uttam Choudhary" "Incidents, conversations, images from the past... maybe a childhood friend knows something" "Trisha spoke of an uncle in Delhi" "Uncle Gattu" "He and Baba grew up together" "He might know something, we should go there, meet him" "Dr. Kothari was doing so much in helping me to recover, not as a doctor, as a friend" "He took up Baba's illness as a challenge, he had become a part of my family, before I knew it" "In him I found an awakening of new hope" "After four days, we were in Delhi to meet Uncle Gattu" "I see, so it's that again" "Which is?" "Gandhiji's assassination" "In our childhood, we got together to play our favorite games" "The one we liked most of all was... hitting targets with bow and arrow" "We filled water balloons with red color," "and we pinned them to a photo" "Then, with eyes blindfolded, we would take aim" "You missed!" "My turn" "Uttam's aim was the surest of us all" "We regarded him as our leader" "One day we could not find a photo" "There was a blindfold on Uttam" "I've found a photo" "Someone had found a photo and we pinned it up" "On the mark" "What have you done!" "You killed Gandhiji!" "Only practicing aiming..." " With killing Gandhiji?" "No, I didn't kill Gandhiji" "You aimed at Gandhiji?" "It was Uttam's misfortune, that on the same day, 30th January 1948," "Nathuram Godse assassinated Gandhiji" "How was Baba to blame?" "His father saw it as an evil omen" "He came to believe that had Uttam not committed the act..." "Gandhiji may have been spared" "I wish never to see my son's face ever again" "When I die, he will not give me my last rites" "He never looked at Uttam again" "Even the elders tried to make him see reason, but he would not listen" "He did not attend Uttam's wedding, nor did he ever meet Uttam's children" "Whenever I went to Mumbai your Baba asked only one question" "What crime did I commit?" "What we took for an old-age problem or a minor... forgetfulness was emerging as dementia, pseudo-dementia Alzheimer's-kind-of dementia, or some such terrible affliction" "Dr. Kothari explains, patients of such syndromes... tend to forget how to differentiate... between reality and imagination" "An arrow from Baba's childhood times, becomes a gun" "When Dr. Kothari admits that this case is a challenge for him, I'm so afraid" "Is Baba so demented that he will never be cured?" "I only want to ask one thing, just tell me, is there a cure?" "Honestly, as of yet, there is no permanent cure" "You mean, Baba will remain like this forever?" "There must be some solution" "I cannot bear to see him the way he is" "Can't we somehow convince him that... he is at home, not in jail and he has no connection with Gandhiji's assassination" "Never before has such an experiment been conducted and you know it" "I know that you come up with innovative ideas and I am proud of you" "I know that this experiment will not bring about a cure" "I only want that he rids himself of the guilt of killing Gandhiji" "Siddharth, you're about to enact a drama but the denouement remains to be scripted" "You'll take off to America." "I'll be the one left here" "I cannot handle all this" "And Trisha Didi?" "What about her life?" "Her boyfriend has walked out on her, she had to give up her job!" "What more?" "No need to show pity for me." "Speak what you got in mind" "All I wish is, after this experiment," "if Baba doesn't recover, we should admit him to a good mental hospital." "Period" "Are you out of your mind?" "What's all this talk of mental hospitals, asylums" "Didi, do you see the state Baba is in?" "I can't bear to see this" "Today it is a jail, tomorrow it'll be another hallucination" "Shut your mouth" "He's ranting, why don't you stop him?" "Supposing he does something?" "Suppose he thinks he is sentenced to hang and he goes in and he hangs himself?" "In this state, he might do anything, he might imagine anything, no knowing what story he'll create" "He'll do nothing of the sort" "If he does, then what?" "Would you forgive yourself?" "Does this mean... is it final, doctor?" "I told you, at the very outset, this is just an experiment" "About our successes..." "I give no guarantees" "So it's decided, after the mock-up courtroom drama, if Baba doesn't not improve... then we will admit him in a mental hospital..." "The very thought of my father being institutionalized is scary" "Inexplicably though, Siddharth's approach, his confidence, makes me hopeful that Baba will return home, to us" "Please go to the greenroom." "He will meet you there" "Please to remain seated" "You did not watch the show?" "You should, along with the audience." "From the wings, you are distracted" "I'll send you invitations for the next show" "What role would you have me enact?" "The role is a lawyer's" "You ought to inform us about the change of location" "Move it guys." "Holiday Inn." "Location switched." "Two o'clock shift" "Don't waste time, move" "You see what, I just don't get this... neither a film, nor TV serial... you still need artistes?" "What's the con?" "Ronu, this is Mr. Joshi." "He will handle your father's case" "Toughest part of the experiment was... getting Baba to agree to the trial and taking him to court" "Baba refused steadfastly" "Ronu..." "Baba isn't in his room" "One day, he even ran away" "And we find him under Gandhiji's statue" "We convinced him that the case was being re-opened" "We showed him the power of attorney." "Then he conceded" "He signed the papers sitting under Gandhiji's statue" "Tomorrow, we are to go to the court." "No knowing what will happen there" "Now I wish that... even if Baba doesn't recover to suit our interests... he ought to be allowed to live in his own world" "Let's go Baba, it'll all work out fine" "Proceedings may commence now" "Baba, it'll work out fine" "You stay here." " I'm sitting there." "I'll be right here" "Defense counsel, you may present your argument" "My client Professor Uttam Choudhary is wrongly accused of murdering Gandhiji" "The truth is, my client was playing with a toy pistol," "into which, someone filled real bullets" "When he pulled the trigger, suddenly, Gandhiji came within range" "He repents having killed Gandhiji" "But no one would give him a hearing, not even the previous courts" "Therefore, it is necessary that this case be heard afresh, so that... my client Professor Choudhary gets a chance to return to an honorable life" "There is no need to re-open hearings in this case, for he is no common criminal, he is Gandhiji's assassin" "And his sentence has been but meager, therefore the verdict should stand" "Prosecution to take note, that this court decrees a re-assessment" "Do you have any other point?" "May I be given permission to question the accused?" "Permission granted" "Professor Choudhary, you stated that you were playing with a toy pistol" "Children as a rule, play with toy pistols" "You are lying" "I am Gandhiji's disciple." "I don't lie" "Answer to only what you are asked, only in yes or no" "Were you playing with a pistol?" "Don't nod your head." "Say it" "Yes or no?" "Well..." " No!" "Yes or no" "Louder!" " Yes" "There were people near you, some playing, some bystanders" "Did you notice them?" "Not that." "Yes or no?" " Yes" "And you say, it was someone else who loaded your pistol with real bullets?" "Yes?" " Yes" "And you say that all the time the pistol was in your possession, yes or no?" "Yes." " So how... could someone else have loaded the pistol that was with you?" "Speak up" "The prosecution is trying to intimidate my client" "No!" "This is a valid point" "If the gun was with you, then how could someone else have loaded it?" "Answer" "The prosecution is trying to frighten my client" "Dr. Kothari's instructions" "So Professor Choudhary, if the gun was in your possession, how could someone else have loaded it?" "Tell us." " I don't know" "You noticed everyone around you, but you did not see Gandhiji?" "I did not see him" " You saw him clearly!" "And you also knew that the pistol was a real one" "I tell you the truth, my pistol was a toy." "I didn't know the bullets were real" "You knew!" "And you knew that the pistol was real" "I tell you, the gun was a fake but someone else loaded it with real bullets" "And you also knew when Gandhiji was going to say prayers, date, place, time" "You saw Gandhiji, you shot him and now you're making up stories" "I'm telling no story" "I never knew about the bullets..." "I never knew about Gandhiji, suddenly..." " Not suddenly" "A pre-planned, a cold-blooded murder!" " No-no" "Yes, yes and yes" "Trisha" "I didn't kill" "Baba, it'll all turn out fine, don't worry, Baba" "Take it easy" "I have not been able to do anything for you, my children" "What must you think of me, your father turns out to be Gandhiji's killer" "I don't accept that my Baba was Gandhiji's killer" "I deserve to rot in jail till I die." "Why do you keep talking of jails?" "That government lawyer... did you see... trapping me with words into..." "It won't happen, don't think of it" "You'll see, we will win this case." " If we lose?" "Even I was scared, what if we win this false hearing to lose the real battle?" "What if Baba still remains disillusioned?" "I spoke to Siddharth about my fears" "He said, to convince Baba, we'd have to show hard evidence" "Good and evil co-exist, but it doesn't mean that we regard them as equals" "What is the point you're making?" "If you want to question the appellant, you may" "Let no innocent be punished, even if it means that a criminal may go free." "No..." "Who is innocent here, how to decide?" "It is so difficult for the law to procure even a single conviction" "If we show any leniency or kindness towards Professor Chowdhury... then we give a weapon of an alibi to countless murderers, insurgents, rapists" "They'll say, like Professor Choudhary," ""I did not commit murder deliberately," "I made a mistake, very sorry"" "Are we to let them off?" "I'm getting really angry at Rasikbhai, he is overdoing it with my father" "Siddharth isn't stopping him." "And why is Mr. Joshi not objecting?" "Speak up" "Miss Choudhary, please remain seated" "We will present hard evidence in court, it's expected soon" "On the basis of false allegations, my client was sentenced for life" "I request for more time to present the real evidence" "I present before you the pistol which was found on my client's person, supposedly the weapon of Gandhiji's assassination" "The pistol has been procured from police custody and it has been examined" "Mr. S. K. Parasher is an expert in arms and ammunition" "I seek permission to present him as a witness" "Your name and profession?" "My name is S K Parasher." "I am an expert in arms and ammunition" "Are these your certifying licenses?" " Yes" "Your Honor, his provenances" "On 30th January 1948 at exactly seventeen minutes past five pm" "Gandhiji was killed at Birla House" "The weapon, supposedly used for the killing, was recovered from my client." "This is the weapon" "Please check it and give us your expert opinion" "I have already tested this gun in the laboratory" "This pistol cannot kill anyone" "Meaning?" "This pistol may seem to be real." "But in reality it is a toy pistol" "This means, Your Honor, that someone from behind, used a real pistol" "And my client, Professor Choudhary, who in 1948, was only a child of 8 years, thought that the bullet was fired from his pistol" "Before he had a chance to even think, his father began to beat him" "And he came to believe that the bullet was fired from his pistol" "The truth is that my client did not commit this murder" "My client was sent to prison forcibly." "Therefore, I request this court... to exonerate Professor Choudhary" "Prosecution... do you wish to examine the witness?" "In the light of depositions by witness and the evidence unraveled... this court has arrived at the conclusion that... in the earlier instances, not only did the courts give a wrong verdict, but also perpetrated the injustice" "of imprisoning an innocent for years" "This court now declares that Professor Uttam Chowdhury... is hereby exonerated" "Professor Choudhary, you're free." "Do you wish to say anything?" "Judge... the truth is that I did kill Gandhiji" "So have you... and we, so have we all" "One day in prison, I realized... murder for which I've been imprisoned," "is murder we commit everyday... all of us" "Collapsing edifices of New York make no difference in lives of those in Dhaka" "Bombs tear Japan apart but tea-cups in Washington are too far for trembling" "In jail when they gave us newspapers to read..." "I was shamed to realize I can read" "Only to one I never complained... for what was there to tell him, he was always with me" "Gandhiji" "In jail, if there was anyone in whom I found solace, it was he" "His daily hymns were soothing" "And he shared his thoughts with me" "But every day he would say," ""Uttam my son, I live no longer in the minds of people"" ""Everywhere else, I am"" ""In political offices," ""governments, courts," ""this country has even stamped me into currency bills and coins"" ""I am everywhere, except in the minds of men"" ""Because in your world of today anyone with a Gandhi in his heart," ""is a threat to everyone"" "Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is a threat to India" ""They named me Father of the" "Nation but they imprison me in photos and idols"" ""Only twice a year they come to me"" ""Once, on the day when I was born"" ""Second, on that day when..." ""Nathuram Godse shot me"" "October 2, January 30" "But then Gandhiji says, "Never mind, Uttam"" ""Nor do I seek these people anymore"" ""This is not the freedom I seek," ""nor these patriots, whose patriotism is awakened only in times of war," ""where nationalists only seek positions of power," ""where citizens preach non-violence but nurse hatred for their neighbors"" ""What have you made of this country?" "For this freedom, we did not fight"" ""I am afraid of people like you"" ""I do not want this India."" "What have you brought this country to?"" "Trisha," "I feel suffocated here" "Take me outside, where the air is free" "I don't want to be here" "Baba, give me your specs" "It's been so long since you recited your favorite poem for me" "Those with courage cannot be defeated" "Will you listen to my favorite poem?" "Fearing waves is not the way to cross to the other shore" "Those with courage cannot be defeated" "Lovely poem." "Recite the rest" "A tiny ant when carrying its single grain, slides down a hundred times on a slippery wall" "Fearing waves is not the way to cross to the other shore" "Those with courage cannot be defeated" "A tiny ant when carrying its single grain, slides down a hundred times on a slippery wall" "To believe in what you think strengthens the mind" "To fall when ascending" "To rise up again after falling" "That's the challenge" "That kind of courage is not in vain" "Those who keep trying Cannot be defeated"