a short story based on early writings

In order to understand the experience of the film as a whole I have written a short story based on the earlier drafts which was in fragments. The script - writing which is the next step, will draw from both the drafts - the fragmented as well as the whole.

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Introduction

This city drowned in beliefs and rumors does not know if the time machine exists or not for all it knows are beliefs and rumors. No one has ever searched for the truth behind the time machine.

The one who searched for this truth, found the time machine, but he also, cannot know if he is running the time machine or the time machine is running him. He has reached his childhood, he does not know why? Maybe deep inside somewhere, this great discoverer is still struggling with his childhood fears.

No one knows his name now but he was called Babu then. He is a ghost in his own childhood, for one soul cannot have two manifestations in the same point of time.

Summary

At a riverbank, Babu is letting away an old photo frame into the water. Someone asks him what is inside the frame and he replies, “a ghost”

While the whole house is busy in everyday activities, Babu is lost in thoughts. He is not able to study. He has only jotted down a point in his notebook.

One night Babu finds a ghost in his Dadi ma’s room which is attached to the kitchen. The ghost has a towel like cloth on his head. This might be the ghost that Dadi ma talks about often. Ghost knows everything about the time machine, which Babu has been wondering about for a long time now. But instead, Babu lets the ghost find out how much Dadi ma knows about the time machine. She talks about sand islands in between the river.

After meeting the ghost, Babu’s world in his mind is separating him from the rest. Sounds from places and events are getting mixed up. He escapes to the island only to find his family arriving there the next day.

This chaos leads Babu to look at the image of god and in his childish curiosity he opens up the framed image. This leads to scolding which he doesn’t affect him at all.

At the same riverbank, Babu is letting the same frame away in the water. The ghost is also there. He is the voice who asked Babu what it is. He picks up the frame as Babu drops it.

The world outside is crowded. People are just moving. Loudspeakers are just blurting religious words. There is no meaning in anything.

Babu is at a haircutting saloon, wrapped in a white cloth getting a haircut. When the barber steps out for a while, Babu unwraps himself from the white cloth and puts it on his head.

Babu is nowhere to be found in his house. His mother just dismisses the fact by saying he become a brat these days. The sounds of the city are heard even inside the house.

Babu is lying down under his bed, thinking something. There is silence and a content expression on his face.