Milestone (Meel Patthar)

NETFLIX PRESENTS

Hey there, Ghalib!

I saw the laborers waving red flags.

It's a terrible mess.

One or two defected when we threatened them,

but everyone else walked out.

My helper ran off as soon as I parked the truck.

They've all gone mad!

-Drivers will load their own trucks? -Do we have a choice?

Your jacket looks new!

You might wanna put it back.

Anybody home?

Coming!

I almost thought Mr. Sheikh joined the strike too.

Damn them bloody morons!

My balls are freezing.

Such a nightmare, man.

Another long night for you?

I never let the sun rise on the new Jaipur highway.

Got your truck's reading?

-No -No?

Let's go.

Let's go.

Why would checkpoint looters be out in this early morning cold?

You push yourself for no reason.

Yes, a quick stop wouldn't have hurt.

I'm feeling something in my back now.

I'll take the reading.

Alright!

Five, zero, zero, one, eight, two.

-Man! -What?

Our first truck to ever hit 500,000 kilometers!

-How much does Dilbaug have? -None of his trucks have hit five.

You're the first.

Could you give me a hand?

If you don't mind.

Okay.

So…

the smaller ones go first.

Could you get the other one?

Give it to me.

Let's keep moving, man! We'll lift this one together.

-Okay. -Get the other end.

Ready?

Watch your step.

Wait! Wait!

What happened?

-What happened? -My back.

Are you all right?

Give me a minute.

MILESTONE

Mind the pole…

Keep going…

Keep going…

Mind the pole!

Watch the damn pole!

That's it!

Dilbaug!

Hey, Ghalib!

Could you park the truck for me today?

What happened?

Let me get down first.

You're still driving like shit, boy! I'm wasting my time!

Your brain seems soft like the bread you eat.

I hurt my lower back.

-How? -Don't ask.

Is it serious?

Too soon to say.

Is that so?

-Seems you're due for a service. -No, it'll go away.

But why push yourself so much?

You want Gill to bequeath his company to you, or what?

I know cash smells good, but don't screw up your body.

-Let me park it. -Who is this guy you're yelling at?

A new intern.

I need to train him.

My night vision is not what it used to be.

I'm training him to take over my night shifts.

I'm an old man now.

Look at you! Young as an Arabian horse!

Anyway, I'll see you later.

-Go get a massage or something! -Sure.

Ghalib!

-Yes, sir? -What's the matter?

Why are you limping?

I had an incident.

What happened?

I was loading my truck this morning, when the back buckled.

Damn it.

I'm sorry you're having to load.

These labourers have been acting like thugs.

I'll fix it.

Is it hurting a lot?

Not too bad right now.

It should heal in a day or two.

Listen, an old client is sending their last load tonight.

It's local.

Never mind, I'll ask Dilbaug.

Dilbaug may have trouble driving at night.

I'll take the load.

Are you sure?

-You'll handle it? -I will.

If you need anything, call me.

Just get me someone who can load.

The client will have his own labour this time.

I'll make sure you have help.

Okay.

Mir, don't do that! Behave yourself.

I'm sorry.

Stop it! That's enough!

Hey, you!

Where's the gatekeeper?

There's a strike going on.

Why bother shutting the gate when there's nobody to open it?

Are you new here?

Yes, I started last week.

Last week? How come I haven't seen you around?

I've been doing afternoons, on that mini pickup.

-What's your name? -Pash.

Pash?

Yes.

Good night, Pash!

Are you Ghalib?

Yes.

So…

Should we start with the small ones, or the big ones?

What difference does it make? It's the same amount of work.

Ghalib,

please load the small ones while I go get more stuff.

Is there nobody else?

Nope, just me.

They lost everything.

This is the last load.

Then it's all over.

Hey Ghalib…

there's plenty of food inside. Want some?

Is there anything to drink?

Only Desi.

Bring it!

With pleasure!

Hey, wake up! I need to move my truck.

Good morning.

-How are you, Ghalib? -I'm well.

You've come after so long. We couldn't even mourn your wife's passing.

I didn't want to bother anyone here.

You're finally a city slicker.

I don't even know where I dwell anymore.

By the way, they've paved a new road to your fields.

You can get there even in your truck.

We'll see it when that happens.

It was raining quite hard that night.

I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work.

I got a phone call from Etali.

Her voice was breaking up.

The signal was poor.

The only words I could hear were,

"I'm going."

The line got disconnected.

I tried calling her back, but couldn't get through.

An hour later, I got a call from the police.

Did you ever beat her?

No.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

-Not even once? -Never.

What would you like to say, my dear?

My sister used to call us once a week.

But then she started calling every day. She'd weep on the phone.

She had had an argument with him.

After that, he refused to speak to her.

He even stopped eating with her.

She was depressed all the time.

But he didn't care.

I sold my palatial ancestral home for a tiny flat…

because Etali wanted to live in the city.

Would I have done that if I didn't care about her?

When my sister called him to say "I'm going"…

he didn't even bother to call us once.

Does your father want to say something?

He says he wouldn't have come here,

if he had not lost his entire crop to the rains.

The one person who supported us is no more.

Did she send you money often?

Yes, every month.

Ghalib…

Had you ever objected to your wife sending them money?

No.

Had you ever objected to her job?

I never objected to anything.

She wanted to move to the city. I agreed.

In fact, on her first day at the garment factory, I drove her myself.

I did everything to keep her happy.

If so, then what happened?

I don't know.

Son…

your roots in this village are as old as the village itself.

Your forefathers helped build this village from scratch.

So, it makes me sad to say this to you…

that you must take responsibility for what your wife did to herself.

And…