Chhoti Si Baat (छोटी सी बात)

The office working hours of Jackson Tolaram Private Limited...

begins at 10 am every morning for the last 60 years

For the last 60 years, at about 9 am every morning...

the employees of this company have been setting out for work

General Manager, Nowshirji Bomanji Batliwala...

uses imported dyes to darken his hair

Who doesn't want to stay young? Time was when his hair was naturally dark

His long-standing romance with Shireen Daruwalla...

is still the talk of Malabar Hills. The Batliwala-Daruwalla union...

bred four children. All daughters

Heerji Nanji Parikh, the Chief Accountant...

actively engaged in tallying his own accounts too, vis-a-vis...

Hansa Mehta, junior employee in the office. 20 years on, it still seems...

as if it began only yesterday. Between 1947 and 1950...

romance blossomed at the office, at Pamposh Restaurant in Bandra...

and under the trees in the nearby Almeida Gardens

One day, the accountant succeeded in balancing his ledger with Hansa

Hansa Mehta was elevated from the little office table...

and entered Parikh's spacious apartment, and today...

the accountant has three children to his credit

M.K. Vasdevan Nambiar, executive officer...

sandwiched between promotions, allowances and overtime work...

he has never found the time for romance

Once he met with an accident, went to the hospital...

and seduced his nurse, Parvati Amma. She was single too. They got married

Pandurang Ganpat Dhole, loyal servant for 15 years...

has romanced no less than five women, but the matter ended with...

Rukmini, a widow with two children. And then romance wasn't enough

He had to marry her. Rukmini's two and his three

How to feed a fivesome of kids in an Indian home off 200 a month...

only a clever orderly working for an Indian company can tell you

Arun Pradeep, Supervisor Grade 2. Our protagonist

He too is eager to carry forward the legacy of romance

He is in love with Prabha who takes the Number 86 at 9:05 am

Irrespective of the fact that Prabha is wholly ignorant of him

Here comes Prabha

And here's Arun's heart, beating faster

Had they not cared for queues as in Delhi and Calcutta...

Arun and Prabha would've been in the same bus. Next time, maybe...

All this lady knows is how to dress up and strut around...

and I get to do all the work. - Why didn't you come...

for Rosie's wedding? - Couldn't manage to get time off

Today he got off right after me, and he followed me right up to the lift

Had you told me, I could've taken a look at him

How could I say? He was standing right behind me

He had this look on his face when the liftman didn't let him in

Where does he work? - Maybe somewhere nearby

And once...

we were standing close by. The bus was very crowded

Two people got off, and I got the window seat

He tried to get into the seat beside me, but...

What happened? - Someone else took the seat

Everything all right, Pandu?

When did he call me? - As soon as you arrived

Another boundary!

Late again?

Be on time

Where's Bhatt? - He has been absent since yesterday

He must've gone to watch the cricket match

Let me have the statement of accounts of Bluebird Company

Have you drawn up the statement of the Bluebird Company?

Stop disturbing! I'll see it later

There, you got him out

Ever since he was promoted to Grade 2 he thinks no end of himself

Send Arun. - Arun sahib has left

All right, go

They've no interest in overtime! - He's young. No knowing...

where he's doing his overtime

White cream? It'll give a good shine. - Hurry up!

Waiting for long? The buses aren't on time nowadays

And when they arrive, they stop ten yards too short

What are you doing this evening? Don't tell you have no time

A nice movie is running at Eros. Let's watch it

I'll come to your office at five. All right?

Come in queue. - We're together

We'll have tea at Gaylord's, then we'll go to the movie

Two to Fountain

Arun, have you fallen asleep in there? Hurry! Even I have to get to office

Coming

What's the time?

Nine twenty. - What?

Nine twenty

Today was fun. He stood next to me in the queue, and he was squirming

I thought, why not needle him? So I just asked him the time

He looked at me as if I was holding a gun on him

Like it happens in films. - I feel sorry for him

Yes, he's a nice sort. But every time I see him, I feel like teasing him

And nowadays, he even accompanies me right upto my house

Jokes apart, I hope this doesn't turn a problem

Sahib, we're working overtime today. - I haven't the time

Who was that Prabha? - He keeps tailing me

Why don't you complain? - I will

Where's Jackson Tolaram? - 2nd floor

Excuse me, whom would you like to see in Jackson?

General Manager

What work do you have with the General Manager?

Listen, I'm not a hoodlum. You must be mistaken

Yes, yesterday I did follow you from the bus stop. But...

What...? - Please don't get me wrong

Where's the General Manager's room? - Over there

It'll be too bad if you report this. You see, I'm always late. Believe me

You can see my character certificate. I'm not a bad person

Who's that? - I don't know, sir

He keeps following me day in, day out. I'm here to complain to you

If he persists, I'll report him to the police. Shameless!

What is this I hear? This not only gives you a bad name...

it also gives us a bad name. You must apologise immediately...

and you must promise never to do this. - Apologise for what?

Is loving someone a crime? Yes, I love Prabha

Didn't Mr Nambiar fall in love with the woman he has married?

Didn't Mr Parikh fall in love with Ms Hansa right here?

And you and Mrs Daruwalla...

I can suspend you right now for misconduct and gross insubordination

The boss has called you

One of their consignments seem to have arrived. But our invoices haven't come

Please see where their papers are. - I have sent them already

It might be lying in the despatch section

Let her have the copies

Please go with him, Ms Prabha. I regret the delay

Your eyes, my love...

have stolen my heart

My eyes aren't thieves

You must've lost your heart, my love

Pull down the barriers between our hearts

What's your problem? Let our hearts meet

We've just met

Are you raring already? Wait a while

This wait has killed so many seasons of Spring

Your eyes, my love...

have stolen my heart

My eyes aren't thieves

You must've lost your heart, my love

You're always tagging along; you're always hovering around

And I know what's on your mind. - All your fault

Every day and all the time, you're making false promises

Don't you know you madman? Do you expect me to show how eager I am?

I won't trouble you anymore. Just tell me, how long...

will you go on making me pine? - Don't you lose heart

The rainclouds will rain someday

What good will rains do...

once the blossoms have wilted and the elegy is sung?

Your eyes, my love...

have stolen my heart

My eyes aren't thieves

You must've lost your heart, my love

Scoundrel!

You're looking glad. Did you see him again?

I meet him everyday. But today, in the bus...

he managed to get a seat beside me. - Then you must've chatted a lot?

He was in a cold sweat. - Why didn't you speak to him?

How could I have spoken? But your plan worked

Yesterday I went to his office, to ask for the consignment

He thought I was about to complain to him

And afterwards, you didn't talk? - Just a few words

But yesterday, he was in bad shape. He wanted to show me...

his character certificate! Said he isn't the bad sort

Anyway, so what if you didn't speak to him? All you talk of is him

Do you know what this indicates? - Indicates what?

You want me to spell it out? - No!

I know you're Prabha Narayan. And you live in Ninth Lane Khar

3rd floor, Shyam Niwas. - How long have you been after me?

On the bus you keep reading Denise Robbins. Romantic novels

Have your tea before it gets cold. - Last Wednesday, you wore pink

Last Friday, green. You always wear light hues; your bag is always white

You always cross your legs while sitting

And you've grown the nail on that little finger on your right hand

Not having your tea? It's getting cold. Arun, what's on your mind?

Have you ever held a girl's hand? - That's on your mind?

How does one hold a girl's hand? - Like this

You haven't reached the hand yet? You have a long way to go!

Did you receive your consignment? - Which one?

You came to my office asking for it. - Yes... must've reached

I saw a movie at Eros the day before. Have you seen it?

The bus comes late nowadays

Sorry, what did you say?

Back from the holidays? - I'm joining work today

Going to the office? - Yes

Come, join me

Come on

Come on, hurry up

Yes? - This is important

Can you come for lunch?

No, I'll tell you when we meet

At Samovar. One o'clock

Yes, I'll be there

Be there at one. There might be a crowd

Hey mister, a fifty

Come on, this is funny!

What's it? - He telephoned...

to ask me out for lunch. - Are you going?

Should I? - Won't you, if I were to say no?

Even Nagesh is back at work

If Arun asks something embarrassing, or if he holds my hand...?

Don't be nervous. Your Arun won't make any such mistake

Arun is a gentleman. You told me so. But I know what you're thinking

What use being a gentleman? - Forget it!

I'm not going for the lunch. - Don't go

What are you doing here? Sit, have some lunch

I'm sitting there

Let me give you company