Lukka Chuppi (ലുക്കാ ചുപ്പി)

'Hide and seek'

- Have you got my stuff ready? - Sure...long back

2 snake gourds Some curry leaves

Is it enough?

1/2 kilo Rs 10

Take this money

Don't you want the balance?

- Howmuch is this? - Rs 350

- Must grind some more - Can't we just grind it in a mixie?

Girl, curry tastes better when spices are ground on stone the traditional way

Ask your mother She'll vouch for it

I've heard spicy tales of how you and mother 'cooked' together

- What? - Nothing

What?

There's neither rice nor vegetables here

Will you come home early today?

I'm driving I'll call you back later

Benny annamstop Benny anna

Benny anna What's up?

Did you stop my auto just to enquire about me?

Alavi'kka appears to be out of town I had gone there

There's a courier for him

He must have stepped out to buy some river fish

Courier?

Leave it in my auto I'll deliver it

- But it needs his signature -I can sign, man

- Isn't that good enough? - Sure

Give it to me

Why are you stinking like this from every pore?

Don't forget Or I'll lose my job

Alcohol improves memory power

- Haven't you heard that? -Sure, I have

This one also

Leave it inside the auto

Heard they were having a party, a get-together or some such thing

So you are in for a blast today, eh?

Me having a blast? I'm just a gone case

- Hey! I need to see you later -Sure, we can meet up

MBRHDRG

Where the heck were you, man?

I had to buy all that you needed, right?

This isn't a Benz car Lend me a hand, dude

You have to pay extra for porter service

You and your lousy English!

You are eating your heart out for some booze today?

Later this booze will eat out your heart for good!

Alavi'kka?

I'll be back this evening

If you can manage, I want just 1 peg

Forget that dream

Siddhanh has arranged this get-together after so many years

Don't you dare hang around here

That isn't the point Ages since I had foreign liquor

Just a peg of Scotland

Siddhu's house...?

Please help me bundle myself in?

Park this car out of the way?

- Is he at home? - He'll be back soon

- Dude...? Can you buy me a bottle? - Dry day today, sir

'Moonshine' will do

You know... 'battery water'? That will do

Let me try, sir

Hey! My sandals Must be left outside

Can I get you something to drink?

What's your name?

MBRHDRG

'On the way I met my aunt at our ancestral house'

'One chap who claims he's your friend has landed'

'Reeking of booze Swaying on his feet'

Get up

It's been so long Where were you all these days?

I'm right here Where else will I be?

My wife Revathi

Raghu, you reached early, rig ht?

Look at you!

You are still the same smart guy, eh?

Pan of my job

Must be playing around behind her back, eh?

Why else do you glam-up like this?

Manu!

What are you doing?!

Com e, sit here

I'll be right back Let me get them settled in

Look at the state he's in. ls Annie really a fashion designer?

Why do you even tolerate him I wonder

- What are you doing? - Dad! Give it to me

It's not meant for games I have work to do

I leveled 72 points Give it to me

Dad

Okay, take it

- Is she also coming? -Who?

Your...once upon a time heroine

You mean Radhika? She's somewhere in America

Unpack this for me, please

MBRHDRG

- What's your name? - Manu

- Which grade? -4th

- You know me? -Yes

- Who am I? - Daddy's friend, right?

What's your name, uncle?

Rag huram

What do you do? No job

Ask dad He'll get you a good job

I will Your house looks good

Nice home

Manu

Go in and play, okay?

Be careful with that It's got important files

Just a minute

A couple of important stuff to attend to

You are like those prosperous chaps...

...with a home by the riverside who fish as a fashion statement

Where is your 'bait'?

Hey! No

I'll be done in a minute

Give it back, man

Just a minute

Now tell me

Where is your mobile?

In the toilet

I've been trying to reach you whole of last year

And it's always switched off Where did you lose it?

- I dropped it into the closet -What?

- Put it into the toilet - Toilet?

Yes, it would have gone deep into the earth

And disappeared by now

You just haven't changed one bit

I did it deliberately

Ad-agencies hire talented people for their creative department

And then ask them to create utter nonsense

Why do you agree to write all that nonsense?

You are capable of earning in millions

Just focus on that

Don't go back to your old ways

So nowl must earn millions

What else?

Car, house and wife, don't excite me.

And go in search of myself

At least that way I don't lose myself

Stop all this existentialism stuff

This was your problem all along in life

lam going in search of myself

What else? Where is Annie?

Rafique says you are always stone drunk

He says that's why she hardly comes home

You've been fiddling with it for a while

Is it an extra marital...?

I already have issues Be quiet, please!

She will be mad at me

Annie...!

I'll tell you when the time comes

About what?

- Can't get along -Whaaat?

- Not working out -What?

- Not compatible -Who?

Your stupid head!

Come with me We'll talk

Get up Let's talk

Let's have a drink

That gives you a pep, eh?

Look at that sudden spun of energy

The way you came in I thought you'll just sleep through the night

That was just to fool that old man

Where is the ash-tray?

No need for ash tray.

Tell me, what's the problem?

- No problem at all - Do you know?

I've watched you and Annie so often green with envy

Behind the commerce block under the gulmohar tree

Didn't you write a script...a story? Wanting hero Mohanlal to act?

Didn't you write impressive dialogs?

Annie and me under the gulmohar tree...?

If Lal had done that role he would be out of films now

Now there is neither the gulmohar nor the rain

There never was anything that connected us then

Even back then, we used to be at loggerheads

Radhika was the one who sorted out your squabbles

Mention her name and look at the rapid blood circulation!

Rad hika

In Mumbai I have seen all the top models you can find

But no one can hold a candle to her

Did you know?

One day in 1997 just after the summer holidays

I was getting off a bus at our college bus stop

I just stepped out and a sudden shower of rain from nowhere

As I look at the opposite road I see her walk towards me

- Radhika -And the way she looked

With rain drops clinging to her hair

And streaming down her face

Clara

It trickled down as I watched stunned

By stunned I mean I was lost in that moment

I just stood staring as she walked towards me

When I regained consciousness

After a long time, I simply ran to that-

Remember that old man's small eatery?

I ran, got an old umbrella from him and went back

I drew her under the umbrella

Just she and I under the umbrella with the rain lashing around us

In that rain, she and I under the umbrella