Lajja

Smoking and drinking is injurious to health.

Smoking and drinking is injurious to health.

Madam! Where do you have to go?

Ambika Agraharam.

Okay, let's go.

Give me your hand.

Sit there.

Whose house are you going to?

Chinta Deekshitulu's orphanage.

Oh, you are an orphan like me.

I'm an orphan even though I have everyone.

I couldn't save the life of the man I love.

I'm an orphan who rejected my friend's company.

I'm a woman left all alone in this world.

You look sad.

Yes. What can I say about my Saleem Sameer?

Who is Saleem Sameer?

It hurt me when people said that I eloped with a man.

I left those people behind to live in peace.

If Saleem refused to touch me..

..I would've left to sacrifice my life for my happiness.

My husband's name is Sridhar Rao.

I told him my likes, opinions and thoughts..

..before marrying him.

He agreed before our elderly ones because he liked me.

But after a few days I started noticing changes in him.

He used to get irritated and angry at everything I did.

He showed that he disliked me.

But I took good care of him.

One day I told him one of my wishes.

What do you want to achieve by learning to dance?

Just learn to cook good food.

It was my mother's desire. Please don't say no.

I married you to cook good food for me.

I don't want you to dance in the streets.

Give that to me.

His words didn't hurt me at all.

I was determined to learn the dance form of Kuchipudi.

So I called my friend and took Deekshitulu's phone number.

I was waiting for the bus to go and meet Guruji.

It is 12 o' clock. He asked me to come before 11 o' clock.

Auto! Will you take me to Agraharam?

No, I've to go to Tripurantakam.

Oh dear! How do I go now?

I'm late.

Hello..

Rascal! So arrogant. Why couldn't he stop?

Useless..

'Did he hear me?'

I know what you are thinking. Come.

Sit on the bike.

Thanks. I need to get there quickly. Please hurry up.

Where do you have to go?

Chinta Deekshitulu's house in the next village.

Yes, I know him. He teaches dance.

Do you want to learn dance from him?

Yes. My mother's wish. How do you know him?

Who doesn't know him? All the villagers know him.

What do you do?

Me? I collect these hides and sell them in the town.

I manage to save some cash every day.

I go around the neighboring villages.

Your husband..

Can you hurry up? He asked me to come by 11 o' clock.

Now it's past 12 o' clock. Oh dear, he might be angry.

Why didn't you go with your husband?

He doesn't have time for this.

Can I ask you something if you don't mind?

Tell me.

I'll talk to him for 10 minutes and come back.

Can you please wait for me?

There's no bus to my village till the evening.

I've to wait here whole day. - Okay, okay. Go talk to him.

I'll be right back. - I'll wait here.

Hello, Guruji.

Hello, dear.

I can understand your desire to learn.

But I would like to speak to your husband too.

It is not possible for him to come here, Guruji.

You've to come here from a long way.

If something happens to you on the way..

..your husband and relatives may create problems for me.

So, it's good to talk to him.

She wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble..

..if she had an understanding husband, Guruji.

Who are you?

Forgive me, Guruji. My name is Saleem.

I go around all the villages to sell hides.

How do you know about her?

I don't know about her. I just told you..

..what I understood about her situation.

Alright, dear. You can come from tomorrow.

But you don't have an 8 o' clock bus from your village.

Yes. I was wondering how to come so early in the morning.

If you don't mind..

Will you come?

Yes.

What about your work?

I've my work every day. I'll do it after I drop you.

You look different today.

All these days, I felt like I've lost something.

But now I feel I can gain it.

If you choose a wrong path without my knowledge..

..be prepared to endure the consequences.

I know how to treat people by giving them medicines.

Nobody taught me how to be with my wife.

But I'm not trying to learn it from someone.

Earlier you tried to ask me something.

Did you want to know what my husband does?

I was just curious. Forget it.

My spouse is a RMP doctor. He treats patients.

His name is Shridhar Rao.

Okay. Your husband is very lucky.

Why?

Because he found such a beautiful wife.

We are not two different persons."

"My heart says that we are one."

"This is a new dawn for my racing heart."

"My hopes and desires are soaring in the sky."

"I'm in a new world with a new light in my eyes."

"The ground is pushing me to you.."

"..turning my feet into waves."

"My thoughts are constantly turning to you.."

"..bringing us ever closer to each other."

"I want you to hold my hand in all my lives."

"Let me continue dreaming about you."

Are you married?

Huh?

How can you ask that?

Did I say something wrong?

Marriage is a punishment from this society..

..to fulfill our needs.

They say marriage is a bond that unites two people.

But our society uses the 3 knots of the wedding chain..

..to turn the husband into a master..

..and the wife into a slave.

"My heart calls out to you."

"Give me a friendship that lasts forever."

"Every heart is strange in its own way."

"It doesn't want to leave you, I think it's time for love."

"Let your warms eyes be the light to my path."

"Let the songs of your love be my companions."

Who are you going around with?

And how long has this been going on?

Are you having an affair with someone..

..in the name of Kuchipudi?

Are you really my husband?

What did you say?

Are you really my husband?

How dare you talk to me like that..

..after behaving like a loose woman?

Give that to me.

What are these? Is this why you are so arrogant?

After that he started treating me like a slave.

It is manageable to live with a man who is impotent..

..but impossible to live with a man who is suspicious.

He doubted me and ruined my self-respect.

After that day I hated being with him, walking with him..

..or living in the same house with him.

Will you come with me?

Where will you take me?

Somewhere. Anywhere.

Your mixed Telugu is nice.

What? Don't you like it?

I used to hate it before.

And now?

Since there is love in my heart, so it sounds sweet.

So, you'll come with me?

Hmm.

When?

I need some time.

I can't wait so long.

Saleem!

This is nice. Why can't we stay like this?

You might like it, but I can't.

I can't think like you. I can't stay away from you.

I wanted to leave Saleem the moment he asked me.

But my circumstances forced me to stop and think.

I thought long and hard about the consequences..

..of my actions and about my family members.

But, my thoughts convinced me that..

..Saleem will give me a good life.

Do you think your husband, your uncle..

..and everyone in the village will never know?

I didn't understand.

What if they find out?

If they find out.

What will they do if they find out after I leave?

They will ask around. When they find out that..

..I was tired of living a lonely life and left with someone..

..they will be sad for a while and then forget it.

This is my old house. Come.

That's my small stove in that corner.

It will be fun to cook on wood fire stove, you know?

I can cook tasty fish curry. I'll cook for you sometimes.

Hmm. - Okay? Come.

That corner is for taking bath.

Since I live alone..

Understood. I should keep the cot standing..

..and wrap a sari around it, right? - Yes.