Dekh Kabira Roya

Come in Rekha. We've been waiting for you.

l was late in getting the proof.

- Deepa, when did you arrive? - l've been here since morning.

Here, look. He's written the story...

and is printing it in the paper.

- Am l in it? - All three of us!

Three heroes and three heroines.

Read it for us.

Life and Love

Love is a precious gift of life.

lt's the mother in the blooming morning of life.

lt's a friend in the beautiful morning of life.

lt's a woman in the sultry afternoon of life.

lt's an innocent child in the evening of life.

And when the night of life falls, love becomes one with the Maker.

Love and life came into this world together.

Love came to the cities and has witnessed many revolutions.

Gradually the purity of love turned to lust.

These days love is considered a thing.

lt is measured by thoughts, not emotions.

Nowadays people love with their heads, not their hearts...

and they love the exhibition of humans, not human beings.

They fall in love with fame and competence.

And the problems that are created by this...

sometimes hand you over to the whirlpool rather than the shore.

This story unfolds one day in the Janata Coffee House.

- Good day sir. - Yes.

lt's been a long time. Where did you go?

- To commit suicide. - Successful?

No. l didn't have money for the rope.

You should have asked me. l'd have lent it!

What a coward! Your life is starting and you want to end it!

You would say, you'd make a great painting.

You'd go abroad! You'd get 1000 rupees!

lf you want to enjoy, you must fight life!

Fight tooth and nail! Get it?

Now tell me, hot or cold?

- Water. - l know. Plain water.

May l sit here?

Sure. l don't own the seat.

Hello. Fine?

Excuse me, l've been sitting at this table for six years.

lf you don't mind, may l sit here today too?

- Sure. - Thanks.

- Good day sir. - Good day.

- l know you love water. How many glasses? - Just one.

- One glass cold water. - Not cold! Hot, boiling hot!

Cold water will ruin my throat.

You seem to be fond of singing.

That's my profession. l'm a born singer!

l've been singing since birth.

My voice is sweeter than Talat Mehmood and Manna Dey.

l can sing in a pitch higher than Mohammed Rafi.

And can sing lower than Hemant Kumar.

Alas! Fate! No music director gives me a chance!

But a day will come when every music director will want me!

Lovely! That's nice.

lf a dog can have its day why can't a man's day come?

That was about me. What are you guys?

l'm a small writer. You must have heard of Triveni.

The Triveni where the rivers Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati meet?

No, this is not that one. lt's a paper and l'm the editor and owner.

- You must have read it? - l have no time to die!

Which is precisely why newspapers don't sell.

l print 2000 copies of this paper. 200 are sold. The rest goes as trash.

6 annas a seer and the seer is made of 12 ounces. Say what?

Excellent business sir!

- Hot water... - Boiling hot?

Will you only have water, or eat something too?

- One cold coffee. - Cold coffee. And you?

Hot for me. Absolutely hot!

Hot water, hot milk, hot cup. lf possible hot sugar too!

What about you, sir?

No milk, no sugar.

Without milk or sugar? What's your problem?

Why do you drink black coffee?

All the great painters of the world paint with the blood of their heart.

They would drink black coffee and wear black shrouds.

So you're a painter? Let me see.

Lovely! What a sketch!

l hope you're in your senses?

No one even looks at my pictures, and you're praising it?

Of course. l can print it in my paper if you wish.

There are takers for my sketches even for free!

- And you want to print it? - Why not?

- Where do you live? - Close by.

l'd like to see your other paintings.

My house? You want to see my paintings?

l'll bring them here. Or to your office.

Why do you want to trouble yourself and come home?

l'll be glad. Come on.

- Will you come? - Sorry, l've got to go to a studio.

- l have a trial recording. - Then we'll meet tomorrow.

Here. Let's shake on that.

What a combination!

Black coffee, cold coffee and hot coffee! What a combination!

- Who'll pay for this? - You pay it today. l'll pay later.

- Who'll drink it? - You.

Hot coffee!

Cold coffee!

Come in. No need to fear. This is my humble home.

- Come on. - Unlock the door.

- l've lost the key. Come on. - Where?

Open sesame!

Did you see that? Come in.

lt's pitch dark in here. Switch on the light.

Don't talk of lights. The bills are too much.

The other room is well lit. Come.

- How do you work here? - l paint at night.

- And during the day? - l try to sell it.

Open the window. You don't have to pay for sunlight and a breeze.

This window is more dangerous than the light.

The main door locked. Entry is from the back door.

Lights off, window shut. Do you mind if l ask a question?

- Yes? - ls this your house?

Yes!

No point hiding from you. l haven't paid the rent in six months.

My landlord lives across.

lf he finds out l'm here, l'll be in trouble!

You'll die of suffocation! Don't worry, l'll pay the rent if he asks.

And if he says something wrong, l have a pen and a paper.

l'll raise a storm against him!

- Please don't. - l'll see what he does!

Your landlord seems very strict.

l did tell you!

Father, get up!

- Who is it? - lt's me, father.

l thought your mother had come.

lt's only 5 o'clock and you went to sleep!

Five in the morning or evening?

You never remember anything!

- Do you know l just saw him? - Keep looking at him.

- Who did you see? - The painter.

l was standing by the window and finally saw him.

- l'll just call him! - lt's teatime. lnvite him for tea.

For the rent, not for tea!

He'll pay it later if not now. And even if he doesn't pay...

it's our good fortune that such a famous painter lives in our house.

Our house isn't an inn! Today l'll get the rent!

Ramu not Shamu.

Go and call him.

- Who? - Him! - The painter?

- Go fast. - Right.

Master said he's at home but the door is locked.

l warned you not to open the window.

But you paid no heed! Now tell me what to do.

- l'll go and see. - No! Don't go!

lf he discovers the back door, l won't be able to come here!

Don't you worry. l'll sort it out.

- Do you want to break the door? - Master has called you.

Which master? Younger or elder?

- Elder. - Elder.

- Hello. - Hello. What do you want?

Nothing. You tell me what you want.

- Nothing. - How funny! You sent your servant.

l gave you my house assuming you're a good sort.

l'm not your tenant. l'm his friend.

- Who called you? - He's busy so l came.

- What did you want to say? - l won't talk at all!

- l want the rent! - He'll give it.

He's shown me his face just once! Comes and leaves like a thief!

l never said a word this long. But today l want the rent.

- How much is it? - For 6 years. - 6 years?

- No, 6 months. - Pardon?

Wait.

- Rekha - Yes?

- How much does the rent total? - Nothing.

- Nothing. - What?

How is that possible? l want the rent today. Understand?

Yes. What do you think of us? We are artists not thieves.

You must look at the helplessness on our faces, our torn clothes.

Our empty pockets. Artists create for you, not themselves!

You adorn your drawing room with our paintings.

You entertain yourselves with our music.

You exercise your brains with our writing.

Without our art, your world wouldn't be beautiful! lnteresting.

lf you still consider us so debauched and lowly...

here is your rent.

2 rupees 12 annas. l'll pay the rest later.

Don't be offended. That's not what father meant.

- Right, daddy? - Definitely not.

- Keep this. - No, let it be.

Please keep it.

Don't worry about the rent.

Consider it your own house. Right, father?

Yes, absolutely your own.

And he can stay here as long as he's alive.

Thank you. Good day.

Excuse me! Don't take father's words to heart.

God knows what has happened to him since mother passed a way.

- l hope you're not offended. - Not at all.

ln fact, l'm glad to meet you.

Me too.

l've wanted to meet you since you first came here.

- Meet me? - Yes.

You wouldn't know how much l respect you.

You're such a great painter!

Me? You are mistaken.

- l'm just a small... - Your saying won't make you small.

- No, l'm just a small... - Forget it.