SCENE 38
Ext. Night. Natural Ice Cream shop.
Anzar’s wardrobe has improved considerably. Rani and Anzar are having an ice cream sitting at one of the tables outside the ice cream parlour. A police van with an insistent siren is coming their way.
RANI
How good are you?
ANZAR
You want to do it right here on the road?
RANI
You are the most concupiscent man I’ve met.
ANZAR
(his eyebrows dance)
I don’t know what that word means but I like it.
Anzar licks the ice cream cone in an exaggerated fashion.
RANI
I was talking about hacking.
ANZAR
Pretty good. Why?
Rani’s eyes seem to be still following the police van which has just gone by.
RANI
Wouldn’t it be exciting to know just which baddies ACP Regina Fielding is after?
SCENE 39
Int. Night. Rani’s drawing room.
A tight close-up of a man in a superbly fitted white suit.
MAN
We’re talking six million dollars here. Three for you, three for me. Plus zero risk. You draw up a high-precision plan, every single detail in place and rob my casino. Half for you, half for me.Plus I get the insurance money.
The camera pans to another man now.
OTHER MAN
Thanks, Jack, but no thanks. You know I retired two years ago. I am done with my past life.
RANI
(Off-screen, but the voice is unmistakable.)
Give me a break!
Camera now on Rani and Anzar watching a film.
RANI
(mimicking sarcastically)
I’m retired. I’m done with my past life. Hardly any thief, big-time or small, retires. He can’t. It’s in his blood, an addiction. He has to keep pushing the envelope to get a high.
ANZAR
Wow. What makes you so sure?
RANI
You don’t need to be a pop psychologist or Freud to know that. And yet every Hollywood heist film has the very same scene.
SCENE 40
Int. Late night. Bijlee’s room.
Rajeev is fast asleep. Bijlee and Regina are having Scotch from the bottle that Regina has brought with her.
BIJLEE
Will you do me a favour?
REGINA
Depends on what you ask for.
BIJLEE
Please don’t ever come here. Nor to Rubaiyat Bar.
REGINA
Why?
BIJLEE
Please don’t ask.
REGINA
You want to break our friendship?
BIJLEE
Better that than a broken backbone.
REGINA
Would you like to come to my place?
BIJLEE
(looks horrified)
You are joking, right?
REGINA
No, I’m not.
BIJLEE
A dance girl in your home?
REGINA
It’s a living.
BIJLEE
At least you try to be my friend.
REGINA
I am your friend.
BIJLEE
(smiling ruefully)
You are a cop.
SCENE 41
Int. Night. Anzar’s bedroom.
Anzar is sitting at his computer. He has no clothes on. Rani is pulling her tank top down over her head.
RANI
For God’s sake, get into some clothes.
ANZAR
Is this what you were looking for?
Rani bends down and reads the title in the left-hand corner of the computer screen: From: ACP Regina Fielding. Rani looks wide-eyed and whistles.
RANI
Mother of God. That’s a crime, isn’t it?
ANZAR
Hey, you asked me.
RANI
(still awestruck)
How did you do it?
ANZAR
(in his element now)
Any hacker with a little bit of brains can do it.
SCENE 42
Ext. Day. Outside Rajeev’s school.
Bijlee appears tense as Rajeev eats his meal. Cut to Regina looking around carefully, then getting out of her car. She’s in casuals.
REGINA
Hi, Rajeev. I’ve missed you. I’ve got something for you. You must promise me that you’ll look at it only when you go home.
Rajeev is delighted to see Regina but he’s still shy. The school bell rings.
RAJEEV
Why not now?
REGINA
Now you know why.
RAJEEV
Can’t I take it to class?
REGINA
You want to share it with everybody else?
Regina hugs Rajeev and kisses him on the cheek. Bijlee too kisses him hurriedly.
BIJLEE
Run or you’ll be late.
Rajeev follows his mother’s advice and runs. Bijlee looks distracted and preoccupied.
REGINA
What’s on your mind, Bijlee? Can I help you in any way?
BIJLEE
(looking very troubled)
I don’t know if I’m making a blunder.
REGINA
About what?
BIJLEE
Talking to you.
REGINA
Don’t, if you’re uncomfortable. Or if it’s going to get you into trouble.
BIJLEE
(laughs bitterly)
I’ve been in trouble since I came to know Rajeev’s father.
Regina looks puzzled.
BIJLEE
My first customer—Salehbhai.
Bijlee is about to say something more but changes her mind.
REGINA
Anything, absolutely anything you tell me would be invaluable. It’s also 100 per cent confidential.
BIJLEE
That’s all you are interested in, isn’t it?
REGINA
It’s my job to keep the people of this city safe.
BIJLEE
(looks stricken and then blurts out)
There’s an illegal consignment of gold coming on a luxury liner docking tomorrow night.
REGINA
On a luxury liner?
BIJLEE
That’s what I heard. More consignments are on the way.
REGINA
(whispers)
Why don’t I provide police protection for you and Rajeev? Better still, come and stay with me.
BIJLEE
And what do I do when you are transferred? Besides, nowhere on this planet is safe when they are after you.
REGINA
I know you won’t believe me but I am your friend. Here’s my address and personal phone number. And my colleague Bilquis Khan’s.
Bijlee shrugs.
SCENE 43
Ext. Day. A newspaper shop.
Rani buying an eveninger. The headline reads: ‘ACP Regina Fielding sets record. Foils third shipment of illicit gold.’ Cut to...
Ext./Int. Day. Anzar’s room.
Anzar opens the door, sees Rani outside.
ANZAR
What have you got for me?
RANI
Is that all that you are interested in?
ANZAR
Yes.
Anzar abruptly closes the door. When he opens it again, she’s gone.
ANZAR
Damn. Rani, wait, wait. I love you. I love you more than the moon, the sun, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto and all that zodiac horseshit put together. Come back. Come back.
No sign of Rani. Anzar runs down the stairs barefoot. He’s hardly reached the first landing when Rani comes out from where she’s hiding behind his open door, gets in and slams the door hard. Anzar hears the door, rushes up and rings the bell.
RANI
Who’s there?
ANZAR
The love of your life. Open the door.
RANI
Not unless you’ve got something for me.
ANZAR
I have, I have.
RANI
Swear.
ANZAR
I swear on my Hindu mother and Muslim father.
RANI
(letting him in)
Where’s the present?
ANZAR
Oh, I lied.
RANI
(hitting him all over)
You’ll pay for this.
ANZAR
(making all kinds of noises of pleasure)
Ooh. Aaaahhh. More please. More. I’ll buy a leather thong and leather boots and a whip.
Anzar hands Rani a sealed envelope.
RANI
What’s in it?
Rani tears open the envelope.
ANZAR
Money to buy the leather stuff.
RANI
A cheque for two hundred thousand and ninety rupees? Are you in on the gold shipments?
ANZAR
I had no idea you can’t read.
RANI
What are you talking about? Two hundred and ninety thousand rupees. (Long pause) My God, dollars.
SCENE 44
Int. Day. The Operations Room at the Police HQ.
DCP Khan and DCP Sharma are chatting away when Regina enters to a chorus of greetings. She acknowledges the greetings perfunctorily but it’s evident that something’s wrong.
DCP KHAN
Congratulations.
REGINA
I thought we had an agreement that not a word about informants was to be mentioned to the press.
DCP SHARMA
We’ve done our job. The public has the right to know.
REGINA
I take the decisions here, DCP Sharma. Is that clear? The job has not even begun. The idea was to make sure that the underworld doesn’t feel a loss of face.
DCP PANDE
Why worry about what they feel?
REGINA
Because they might feel the need to teach us a lesson.
DCP SHARMA
(cocky and challenging)
Are you afraid of them?
REGINA
(quiet and cold, looking Karan Sharma in the eye)
Yes. (Pause) I’m always afraid for the lives and property of our citizens as I am for your life and mine. And most of all, I’m afraid for my informant.
SCENE 45
Int. Night. Regina’s apartment.
Regina’s phone rings.
REGINA
Hello. Regina Fielding. Hello?
BIJLEE
(off-screen)
Madam, this is Bijlee.
REGINA
Hello, Bijlee. Are you all right?
BIJLEE
Tomorrow at 3 a.m. at Danda beach.
(Sound of line getting cut off.)
REGINA
Hello? Hello? Bijlee?
SCENE 46
Ext. Late night. Danda beach.
A posse of policemen and officers in mufti are positioned at different points on Danda beach, in fishing boats and amongst the trees. Five others, including Regina, also in mufti, are keeping a watch from behind boats parked on the sands. Regina looks at her watch. It’s 3 a.m., then 4, then 5. Regina’s cellphone registers an SMS. ‘Thank you for keeping a watch, Reginabai, but the stuff was delivered at Versova beach at 3 a.m. sharp.’
REGINA
Oh shoot! We’ve been had. Oh God, no. Are you all right, Bijlee?
Regina dials a number. The auto response voice recording comes on.
‘The number you are trying to reach is either switched off or out of reach.’
SCENE 47
Int. Dawn. Outside Bijlee’s house.
Regina knocks on Bijlee’s door. No sound. Regina knocks again a little louder and longer this time.
REGINA
(softly)
Bijlee, open the door, it’s me, Regina. (Waits for a response.)
REGINA
Please, Bijlee. I’ve got a toy for Rajeev.
Laxmibai, the neighbour who looks after Rajeev, opens the door next to Bijlee’s.
LAXMIBAI
Why are you yelling? (She sees it’s Regina and her tone changes.) Don’t bother, madam. She’s not there.
REGINA
Isn’t she back from work?
LAXMIBAI
No. She went out with some people last evening.
REGINA
Where’s Rajeev?
LAXMIBAI
She took him too.
Excerpted with permission from The Black Tulip, Kiran Nagarkar, HarperCollins India.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
Ext. Night. Natural Ice Cream shop.
Anzar’s wardrobe has improved considerably. Rani and Anzar are having an ice cream sitting at one of the tables outside the ice cream parlour. A police van with an insistent siren is coming their way.
RANI
How good are you?
ANZAR
You want to do it right here on the road?
RANI
You are the most concupiscent man I’ve met.
ANZAR
(his eyebrows dance)
I don’t know what that word means but I like it.
Anzar licks the ice cream cone in an exaggerated fashion.
RANI
I was talking about hacking.
ANZAR
Pretty good. Why?
Rani’s eyes seem to be still following the police van which has just gone by.
RANI
Wouldn’t it be exciting to know just which baddies ACP Regina Fielding is after?
SCENE 39
Int. Night. Rani’s drawing room.
A tight close-up of a man in a superbly fitted white suit.
MAN
We’re talking six million dollars here. Three for you, three for me. Plus zero risk. You draw up a high-precision plan, every single detail in place and rob my casino. Half for you, half for me.Plus I get the insurance money.
The camera pans to another man now.
OTHER MAN
Thanks, Jack, but no thanks. You know I retired two years ago. I am done with my past life.
RANI
(Off-screen, but the voice is unmistakable.)
Give me a break!
Camera now on Rani and Anzar watching a film.
RANI
(mimicking sarcastically)
I’m retired. I’m done with my past life. Hardly any thief, big-time or small, retires. He can’t. It’s in his blood, an addiction. He has to keep pushing the envelope to get a high.
ANZAR
Wow. What makes you so sure?
RANI
You don’t need to be a pop psychologist or Freud to know that. And yet every Hollywood heist film has the very same scene.
SCENE 40
Int. Late night. Bijlee’s room.
Rajeev is fast asleep. Bijlee and Regina are having Scotch from the bottle that Regina has brought with her.
BIJLEE
Will you do me a favour?
REGINA
Depends on what you ask for.
BIJLEE
Please don’t ever come here. Nor to Rubaiyat Bar.
REGINA
Why?
BIJLEE
Please don’t ask.
REGINA
You want to break our friendship?
BIJLEE
Better that than a broken backbone.
REGINA
Would you like to come to my place?
BIJLEE
(looks horrified)
You are joking, right?
REGINA
No, I’m not.
BIJLEE
A dance girl in your home?
REGINA
It’s a living.
BIJLEE
At least you try to be my friend.
REGINA
I am your friend.
BIJLEE
(smiling ruefully)
You are a cop.
SCENE 41
Int. Night. Anzar’s bedroom.
Anzar is sitting at his computer. He has no clothes on. Rani is pulling her tank top down over her head.
RANI
For God’s sake, get into some clothes.
ANZAR
Is this what you were looking for?
Rani bends down and reads the title in the left-hand corner of the computer screen: From: ACP Regina Fielding. Rani looks wide-eyed and whistles.
RANI
Mother of God. That’s a crime, isn’t it?
ANZAR
Hey, you asked me.
RANI
(still awestruck)
How did you do it?
ANZAR
(in his element now)
Any hacker with a little bit of brains can do it.
SCENE 42
Ext. Day. Outside Rajeev’s school.
Bijlee appears tense as Rajeev eats his meal. Cut to Regina looking around carefully, then getting out of her car. She’s in casuals.
REGINA
Hi, Rajeev. I’ve missed you. I’ve got something for you. You must promise me that you’ll look at it only when you go home.
Rajeev is delighted to see Regina but he’s still shy. The school bell rings.
RAJEEV
Why not now?
REGINA
Now you know why.
RAJEEV
Can’t I take it to class?
REGINA
You want to share it with everybody else?
Regina hugs Rajeev and kisses him on the cheek. Bijlee too kisses him hurriedly.
BIJLEE
Run or you’ll be late.
Rajeev follows his mother’s advice and runs. Bijlee looks distracted and preoccupied.
REGINA
What’s on your mind, Bijlee? Can I help you in any way?
BIJLEE
(looking very troubled)
I don’t know if I’m making a blunder.
REGINA
About what?
BIJLEE
Talking to you.
REGINA
Don’t, if you’re uncomfortable. Or if it’s going to get you into trouble.
BIJLEE
(laughs bitterly)
I’ve been in trouble since I came to know Rajeev’s father.
Regina looks puzzled.
BIJLEE
My first customer—Salehbhai.
Bijlee is about to say something more but changes her mind.
REGINA
Anything, absolutely anything you tell me would be invaluable. It’s also 100 per cent confidential.
BIJLEE
That’s all you are interested in, isn’t it?
REGINA
It’s my job to keep the people of this city safe.
BIJLEE
(looks stricken and then blurts out)
There’s an illegal consignment of gold coming on a luxury liner docking tomorrow night.
REGINA
On a luxury liner?
BIJLEE
That’s what I heard. More consignments are on the way.
REGINA
(whispers)
Why don’t I provide police protection for you and Rajeev? Better still, come and stay with me.
BIJLEE
And what do I do when you are transferred? Besides, nowhere on this planet is safe when they are after you.
REGINA
I know you won’t believe me but I am your friend. Here’s my address and personal phone number. And my colleague Bilquis Khan’s.
Bijlee shrugs.
SCENE 43
Ext. Day. A newspaper shop.
Rani buying an eveninger. The headline reads: ‘ACP Regina Fielding sets record. Foils third shipment of illicit gold.’ Cut to...
Ext./Int. Day. Anzar’s room.
Anzar opens the door, sees Rani outside.
ANZAR
What have you got for me?
RANI
Is that all that you are interested in?
ANZAR
Yes.
Anzar abruptly closes the door. When he opens it again, she’s gone.
ANZAR
Damn. Rani, wait, wait. I love you. I love you more than the moon, the sun, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto and all that zodiac horseshit put together. Come back. Come back.
No sign of Rani. Anzar runs down the stairs barefoot. He’s hardly reached the first landing when Rani comes out from where she’s hiding behind his open door, gets in and slams the door hard. Anzar hears the door, rushes up and rings the bell.
RANI
Who’s there?
ANZAR
The love of your life. Open the door.
RANI
Not unless you’ve got something for me.
ANZAR
I have, I have.
RANI
Swear.
ANZAR
I swear on my Hindu mother and Muslim father.
RANI
(letting him in)
Where’s the present?
ANZAR
Oh, I lied.
RANI
(hitting him all over)
You’ll pay for this.
ANZAR
(making all kinds of noises of pleasure)
Ooh. Aaaahhh. More please. More. I’ll buy a leather thong and leather boots and a whip.
Anzar hands Rani a sealed envelope.
RANI
What’s in it?
Rani tears open the envelope.
ANZAR
Money to buy the leather stuff.
RANI
A cheque for two hundred thousand and ninety rupees? Are you in on the gold shipments?
ANZAR
I had no idea you can’t read.
RANI
What are you talking about? Two hundred and ninety thousand rupees. (Long pause) My God, dollars.
SCENE 44
Int. Day. The Operations Room at the Police HQ.
DCP Khan and DCP Sharma are chatting away when Regina enters to a chorus of greetings. She acknowledges the greetings perfunctorily but it’s evident that something’s wrong.
DCP KHAN
Congratulations.
REGINA
I thought we had an agreement that not a word about informants was to be mentioned to the press.
DCP SHARMA
We’ve done our job. The public has the right to know.
REGINA
I take the decisions here, DCP Sharma. Is that clear? The job has not even begun. The idea was to make sure that the underworld doesn’t feel a loss of face.
DCP PANDE
Why worry about what they feel?
REGINA
Because they might feel the need to teach us a lesson.
DCP SHARMA
(cocky and challenging)
Are you afraid of them?
REGINA
(quiet and cold, looking Karan Sharma in the eye)
Yes. (Pause) I’m always afraid for the lives and property of our citizens as I am for your life and mine. And most of all, I’m afraid for my informant.
SCENE 45
Int. Night. Regina’s apartment.
Regina’s phone rings.
REGINA
Hello. Regina Fielding. Hello?
BIJLEE
(off-screen)
Madam, this is Bijlee.
REGINA
Hello, Bijlee. Are you all right?
BIJLEE
Tomorrow at 3 a.m. at Danda beach.
(Sound of line getting cut off.)
REGINA
Hello? Hello? Bijlee?
SCENE 46
Ext. Late night. Danda beach.
A posse of policemen and officers in mufti are positioned at different points on Danda beach, in fishing boats and amongst the trees. Five others, including Regina, also in mufti, are keeping a watch from behind boats parked on the sands. Regina looks at her watch. It’s 3 a.m., then 4, then 5. Regina’s cellphone registers an SMS. ‘Thank you for keeping a watch, Reginabai, but the stuff was delivered at Versova beach at 3 a.m. sharp.’
REGINA
Oh shoot! We’ve been had. Oh God, no. Are you all right, Bijlee?
Regina dials a number. The auto response voice recording comes on.
‘The number you are trying to reach is either switched off or out of reach.’
SCENE 47
Int. Dawn. Outside Bijlee’s house.
Regina knocks on Bijlee’s door. No sound. Regina knocks again a little louder and longer this time.
REGINA
(softly)
Bijlee, open the door, it’s me, Regina. (Waits for a response.)
REGINA
Please, Bijlee. I’ve got a toy for Rajeev.
Laxmibai, the neighbour who looks after Rajeev, opens the door next to Bijlee’s.
LAXMIBAI
Why are you yelling? (She sees it’s Regina and her tone changes.) Don’t bother, madam. She’s not there.
REGINA
Isn’t she back from work?
LAXMIBAI
No. She went out with some people last evening.
REGINA
Where’s Rajeev?
LAXMIBAI
She took him too.
Excerpted with permission from The Black Tulip, Kiran Nagarkar, HarperCollins India.