A Vault

A Vault

Excerpt: Do not fall for him, you noble sort of a woman. In the daytime he might be an angel to look at, but at night he must look like a hound. (Pause) Oh, don’t think that I oppose their love in particular. I have a negative idea of people in love altogether. They lay around and they become possessive about things. They are quick to hate, and quick to anger. They are always so deeply selfish too. Love is nothing but a fiction and a lie.

A detective and her affair meet in a garden while her assistant agitates. There is greenery all around, some sunshine passing through some leaves on the trees. Wooden benches are vacant. It is eleven a.m. in the morning. Detective Jasmine’s assistant Subramanian is pacing left, right and center observing her and her lover.  

Mystery man: Jasmine! Why do you have to go? (Pause) You are taking away all the brightness in this world with you. Stay with me, we will grow old together.

Jasmine: If my business wasn’t so sincere I would stay with you. But I have to go I’m afraid. I spent all night with you and we stared at the moon and the night sky, it has made me believe in the world once again. If only for a little while… Farewell. (She starts walking away)

Mystery man: Do not be so quick, there is still so much we haven’t seen, or talked about.

Subramanian: (From a distance) Do not fall for him, you noble sort of a woman. In the daytime he might be an angel to look at, but at night he must look like a hound. (Pause) Oh, don’t think that I oppose their love in particular. I have a negative idea of people in love altogether. They lay around and they become possessive about things. They are quick to hate, and quick to anger. They are always so deeply selfish too. Love is nothing but a fiction and a lie.

Mystery man: If I talked to your assistant perhaps, asked him to let you be a while, maybe you will spend another day with me? We could go to a café, drink the finest coffee, eat the tastiest éclair. I have been working hard to meet the expenses of loving a woman as beautiful as you.

Jasmine: Spare me these chivalrous gestures, lover. It is in my hand to go or to stay. Him over there? He’s just an assistant. He hasn’t any wit about him really.

Mystery man: When will we meet again?

Subramanian: Never, I hope. People in love live a lie like it is the only truth in this world. If only life had any meaning of its own they could leave love alone.

Jasmine: Very soon.

Mystery man: How soon?

Jasmine: Wait till tonight? Huh?

Subramanian: Has she even told him that she is a detective? Maybe she has, who knows? What sort of a man would want to be in love with a detective?

Jasmine: Subramanian! Come here, please.

Subramanian: Oh dear, I hope she hasn’t heard me say all those things. Coming madam!

Jasmine: You know, this weak looking paranoid man is a bit of a stranger, but he is exquisite at heart. You will see.

Subramanian: (Still agitating) Yes… Yes madam?

Jasmine: Subramanian I was thinking if it will be a problem if I went out on a date tonight. Look at the sky, it’s so calm and so peaceful.

Subramanian: (Confused) Tonight?

Jasmine: (In secret) Yes. Tonight… Why? What is the matter? Do we have something planned ?

Subramanian: Yes. (Pause) We are investigating the bank robberies with the other detectives… Have you forgotten? We might have a crucial meeting tonight. Our bank could be next.

Jasmine: Lover, it turns out that I’ll be a little busy tonight. We won’t be able to meet I’m afraid.

Subramanian: (To himself) The thing about love is that, it is a union of two separate bodies. But it is a force that can bring unhappiness to the rest of the world. Those in love won’t even find out if their love is hurtful to others. Oh, what a jealous world indeed.

Mystery man: (Continues) I will wait for you, till tomorrow morning, till the end of time itself if it may come to that. Help me, I’ve fallen in love.  

Subramanian: Does he not have a life of his own or what?

Jasmine: Oh, how sweet of you. Come, let’s give each other a warm hug.

Subramanian: How disgusting! Dear god, I am thoroughly disgusted. Have mercy.

Subramanian grabs hold of Detective Jasmine’s hands and pulls her to a corner.

Subramanian: I think this man is a little cuckoo. This love business will bring the world a whole lot of harm.

Jasmine: What can be wrong with him, look how handsome he is.

Subramanian: I don’t like how broad and scruffy his jaw is. It’s the classic characteristic of a criminal you know.

Jasmine: (Dreamily) But, what about those eyes? How can you not fall in love with them?

Subramanian: I can’t see his eyes, he’s wearing sunglasses.

Jasmine: He has a fine pair of eyes. Oh how I’ve stared into them all night.

Subramanian: I think he’s a criminal.

Jasmine: Why just because he’s wearing a pair of sunglasses? If it will bring you peace I’ll ask him right away. (To the mystery man) Dear, why have you got these sunglasses on?

Mystery man: The light! It flashes my eyes.

Subramanian: He’s definitely mental, says the light flashes his eyes! What a fool.

Jasmine: It is possible! I barely know him. How many weeks has it been, how many days? Oh, how could I? I’ll have to let him go now.

She goes to talk to the mystery man.

Subramanian: She is such a spinster. Why? Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I have anything against her. It’s my disgust towards people in love, really.

Jasmine: Look, the time we spent together was beautiful. It was almost destined to last forever. But I cannot see you anymore I am afraid. It’s over.

Mystery man: It’s over?

Jasmine: Yes, yes… It’s over.

Mystery man: That’s impossible. I thought we were going on a date. We were going to hug. I think it is something this lunatic assistant of yours is telling you. (Slowly) Get out of my way let me break his neck.

Jasmine: Oh my… Such a hot temper!

Subramanian: Save me, dear god. He’s coming for my neck.

Jasmine: Wait a moment, please.

The mystery man stops.

Jasmine: Don’t hurt him. I will… I will go on a date with you. Just don’t hurt the poor fellow.  

Mystery man: Oh how wonderful then… How absolutely wonderful!

The stage is dark.

 

Two journalist, Raj and Pankaj who often work together as investigative journalists in collaboration are having a boring conversation. Their engagement even in a boring conversation is driving them deeper into their mindsets. There is only dismay.

Raj: … And then I said to him, come with me you filthy swine! I’ll report you to the police. How dare you blow a whistle at my girlfriend! There is something wrong with society, you know?

Pankaj: You shouldn’t have held back. A man who does not know how to respect a woman is no match for a society of my taste.

Raj: (Stutters and laughs) He wasn’t a man. He was a boy.

Pankaj: A boy whistled at your girlfriend? How old was he?

Raj: I don’t know… Ten, maybe.

Pankaj: He must have had some deeply rooted intentions then?

Raj: I don’t know. This whole place is damned. It’s true. There is no scope of life in the world.

Pankaj: Get a peace of mind will you? Anyways, I think there must have been something to motivate that boy. What did you do?

Raj: I smacked him in the face. Yeah. I smacked him in the face and probably left his brain rattling. There are too many of these ill-mannered freaks out there these days.

Pankaj: Yikes. What did your girlfriend think of that?

Raj: Well, she rarely reveals anything meaningful… But I could tell she wasn’t a huge fan of that though. She said she didn’t want to look at me again.

Pankaj: Why didn’t you tell me already?

Raj: It’s boring talk. You wouldn’t want to know about my personal life.

Pankaj: (Talking to himself) But… He just told me everything! And now he’s saying that it’s boring and that I wouldn’t be interested in his personal life.

Raj: What are you talking to yourself for?

Pankaj: What?

Raj: You, you were talking to yourself.  I saw you.

Pankaj: (Getting defensive) No. No. I was listening to you.

Raj: No you were not. You were dreaming, you were lost in La-La land.

Pankaj: Okay, yes. I’m sorry. But so is the state of affairs, I’m afraid. It’s not just me. I’ve seen so many people day dreaming. It’s like they have lost interest in life.

Raj: Yeah, what happened? Life used to be so active. Now it’s just digging up on the murders and the robberies and coming to the same damn conclusion each and every time. Humanity is plagued, destined to extinction.

Pankaj: Everything is made up these days. They say its a work of inspiration but we’ve got to be running out of myths I suppose. Everything is so shallow, you can see the ground work on which life stands.

Raj: We are floating on shallow waters, like coins in a fountain before they settle at the bottom.

Pankaj: People make wishes before they throw coins at fountains. Too bad, wish fulfillment is a dream.

Raj: Who throws coins at fountains?

Pankaj: The people, who have wishes to make.

Raj: (Pause) I’m going on home.

Pankaj: People just dream and they dream and they just….

Raj: Pankaj!

Pankaj: WHAT!

Raj: I’m going on home.

Pankaj: Oh don’t feel too bad. Your girlfriend won’t leave you for a child. She’s not like that is she?

Raj: I don’t know.

Pankaj: The whole world is sick. Some have even said that human consciousness is just a sickness. That solves everything I suppose.

Raj: Yes, maybe for you. I’ve got to take this whistling episode as a sign. We are living in troubled times.

Pankaj: Huh?

Raj: Nevermind.

Pankaj: You were going back home?

Raj: Yes.

Pankaj: So go on then. Why are you still here? Go! I’ll work on the robberies on my own. Have you seen this detective? Detective Jasmine! She’s a bomb! Do you think she will give us an interview? Should I arrange something with her assistant?

Raj: (Looking out of the window) Has somebody put kerosene in the sun or what? It’ll burn my goddamn skin. Look, how it’s flaring up out there. Just look at it. It’s like we’re sitting beside a lake of fire.  

Pankaj: Your heart has been broken by a woman, Pankaj. Prepare yourself! You are in for a whole lot of trouble in hell.

Raj: Tell me more about hell.

Pankaj: What about the sorry state of the press? That has to be hell…

Raj: Yeah, there is that. There is always that. So many people have approached me to write for their campaigns this week.

Pankaj: You must be joking.

Raj: Why what did I say? People are always approaching me to get them a column in our papers.

Pankaj: I saw one of your articles got published.

Raj: What? They published me work?

Pankaj: Yes, the article you had written about the bank robberies… It got published. I saw it this morning with my own eyes. Collect your pay before you go.

Raj: I suppose, it would be better if I did.

Pankaj: How did they ever get the courage to publish something like that? Our newspaper…

Raj: You don’t think I am on the wrong side here, do you?

Pankaj: What do you mean the wrong side?

Raj: I mean, I investigated something that no one dared even talk about until now, covered some deep loopholes in the system. It still went through. It wasn’t sold out news, you think? They wouldn’t publish it if it was against the trend. I know it.

Pankaj: On the other hand even after digging up through slums and trash cans I have managed to find what the brainwashed minds already know. I would hang myself if my article brought any real change in the world. People only want what’s been given to them already. I don’t give them what they want.

Raj: Yes, I understand. I’d hang myself with you. There would finally be some recognition for our work.

Pankaj: Forget it.

Raj: Do you think someone will forge a fiction on our lives? Do you think anyone even understands the life we live?

Pankaj: I doubt it.

Raj: It’s a necessary and complicated thing, doubt.

Pankaj: Well, forget it. Why don’t you go to collect your pay for the article? I told you it came out this morning. They have made a cheque in your name.

Raj: I’m going.

Raj: Who do you think has been robbing all the banks?

Pankaj: I don’t know. I’ll be damned if I found out.

Raj: Will you come with me to cash the cheque?

Pankaj: You know what’s the problem with journalists? They are always getting in the way of the action… always obstructing the real truth, always pointing their cameras at the action, showing their backs to the people.

Raj: But people need to see what we see when we see it. I agree the medium is a bit strange. (Pause) A friend of mine wants me to forward a piece. She says it will sell well.

Pankaj: Where do you want to sell it?

Raj: I wish I knew, wouldn’t want to approach the wrong side for it.

Pankaj: It might get you into some real trouble one day, don’t you think? (Pause) What about the newspaper your girlfriend works for? They publish fake news each day don’t they?

Raj: I can’t ask her to do anything. She won’t even look at my face.

Pankaj: Your life is back to being the mess it always was.

Raj: Yeah, you are absolutely correct.

Stage is dark.

 

In a bank.

There is an ordinary bank customer, Bhuvan. Bank staff Archna and the bank manager Saurabh sit beyond the line of employees only. The security man, Lokesh is guarding the entrance with a royal double barrel rifle over his shoulder. A well known celebrity Surabhi enters.

Lokesh: Good afternoon madam.

Surabhi walks past the security guard. She wishes to make her way straight to the bank manager. The bank staff stops her in the middle.

Archna: Excuse me, how have you wandered in so far into the restricted area? (Calls for help) Security! Madam this area is reserved for bank staff only. (Calls again) Security!

Surabhi: Darling, I think you haven’t recognized me. But I don’t blame you. I haven’t put on any real make-up today. Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m the famous television actress Surabhi. Now if you will please step out of my way, my love, I have to see the manager.

Archna: Madam, our bank doesn’t provide any privileges to anyone. This area is restricted to bank staff only. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to go and sit in the waiting area. Matters at hand are already unsafe. Haven’t you heard there is a bank robber in town?

Surabhi: But, haven’t you seen me on the television? I’m the one who does the singing and the dancing to all the hit jingles for children. Your manager knows me quite well in fact. He told me once he is a fan!

Lokesh: Madam, allow me to show you to the waiting area.

Surabhi: You are making a mistake. I’m a well known celebrity for god’s sake. I didn’t make a career in television so that anyone could push me around like this. I want to see the manager.

Archna: Show her the way to the waiting area please.

Lokesh: I’ll show her the way alright.

Surabhi: (She finally raises her voice) I want to see the manager. He knows me. (Screaming) Manager! Manager!

Saurabh is woken up from his day dream and he walks out of his cabin to the three people who have created quite a mess. Bhuvan occasionally looks at the crowd, but he is mostly an unobservant sort of a fellow.

Saurabh: Oh! Miss Surabhi! Good afternoon! How lovely to see you here. How are you?

Surabhi: I’m very offended by your bank staff, Mister Saurabh…

Saurabh: What happened?

Surabhi: (She interrupts) They have said mean things to me and tried to put me in shame.

Saurabh: (With his eyes flared up) How dare you?

Archna: (Backs off) Today the celebrity has been allowed into the restricted area. Tomorrow, the celebrity will go straight to the control room and design the entire bank for us. God save the day.

Saurabh: Come back here, I want to talk to you. Come back, it is an order!

Lokesh: Nothing can save the day. The day is done.

Archna gets back to her usual business. Lokesh goes to the gate and slowly falls asleep. Saurabh and Surabhi continue their conversation.

Saurabh: (Smiling) I am extremely sorry madam, they haven’t got any manners. I’ll correct them at once. Let’s sit in my cabin.

Surabhi: You have an extremely rude staff here. What is wrong with that lady? Look at her as we speak… Look at her bite her nails. How extremely sickening…

Saurabh: This has often come to me as an observation. But I could never find the motivation to do anything. I always thought it would be highly individualistic of me if I corrected my staff on their usual selves. But, now… Will you take some tea? Coffee?

They sit in the bank manager’s cabin. A dreamy music can be heard.

Surabhi: I’m not asking you to correct anything, really. You could just train them differently. This is your organization afterall. You need to look after this bank. It is one of the better banks, you know?

Saurabh: It is more difficult than it appears, keeping a bank, you know. I’m spending most of my time preventing it from getting robbed, and that sort of a thing. My staff thinks I’m a cynic. (Aside) Nobody cares about me. For them I am a slave of this bank who hasn’t any of his own thoughts.

Surabhi: My god Indeed! What has happened with all the robberies? I feel so unsafe coming here. A woman always feels unsafe in this country. It’s a crisis. It’s always a crisis.

Saurabh: Was there anything you wanted us to do for you? What business brings you here?

Surabhi: I wanted to see if my money is in safe hands. I wish to see my vault.

Saurabh: (Aside) Companies who had taken loan after loan have declared insolvency and customers want to see if their money is in safe hands! (Aloud)  Of course you money is in safe hands. This bank has the money of all people in this country and I can proudly say that it is safe.

Surabhi: May I see it then?

Saurabh: Uhm… you want to see your money?

Surabhi: Yes.

Saurabh: Yes. Yes. You can see your money. It is your own money. Why not? Your money is in the vault. I’ll have it opened right away. (Nervous) Archna! (Pause) Help madam to fill the form for entering the vault, please.

Archna comes towards them with a sheet of colored paper.

Saurabh: Fill this form, I will go and see if the vault is ready to be opened. Once you have filled the form you can enter the vault and see your money with your own eyes.

Saurabh exits. Detective Jasmine and her assistant Subramanian enter.

Surabhi: (To Archna) Life must be doing wonders for you! Interest rates are fluctuating like crazy! You look like the kind of woman who will fleece the customer and won’t feel a bit of shame.

Subramanian: There was something fishy about the way he was staring at me. He wanted to break my neck. You heard him say it didn’t you? Its terrible. Everything is terrible these days. Have you told him that you are a detective?

Jasmine: No he doesn’t know (Pause) Though I heard everything you said about me. If you weren’t the assistant assigned to me by the office I’d personally plea the court to hang a man like you. You are that sort of a man. Don’t deny it, you know you are.  

Subramanian: Yes, there is something wrong with me. It’s true.

Jasmine: If you may, we need to focus.

Subramanian: Focus, yes. We must.

Jasmine: Be more focused!

Subramanian: More focused! Yes.

Jasmine: More alert.

Subramanian: MORE ALERT! (Pause) Did you see the guard? He’s got a gun. I wish I had a gun. But then I remember even you don’t have a gun and that makes me really glad.

Jasmine: (Smacks him on his forehead) Focus! (A second smack) Alert!

Subramanian: More focused! More alert! Yes. A society with guns is an unsafe society, so I guess it doesn’t matter all that much.

Jasmine: The guard is sleeping. It is true. But you need to behave. You need to start acting like a detective. We’re going to catch the robber and the whole world is going to applaud us for it. I need you to become a human being first, not a paranoid droid. This robber has been making a fool out of us, but no more. There will be no next robbery.

Subramanian: Oh god! All freedom is doomed! I can’t even be who I am. But… Who am I? Sometimes I don’t know who I’m supposed to be. What am I here for? What will I ever do? But it is alright I guess. We’re in the golden age of shut off minds. My own mind is pretty damn shut off, you know? If you think I am talking irrationally or beside the point please ask me to stop.

Jasmine: I don’t doubt it. But don’t forget! We are here to investigate. Any bank could be the bank to be robbed. The bank robber has not been caught yet and we ARE going to catch him. This could be our case. This could be our gateway to success.

Subramanian: How are we going to stop a bank robbery, we don’t even have a gun.

Jasmine: Cases aren’t solved by guns, cases are solved with brainwork. Guns lead to violence and violence only leads to violence. We need to alert the manager about the robberies and provide each bank with enough guidelines so that they can resist. It is a time of resistance. That much is our duty.

Subramanian: (Walks over to the security guard) Hello! Are you asleep? Is there anything I can do to wake you up? We have an emergency. Somebody is going to rob this bank. Hello?

Jasmine: Stop putting needless words in his ears. Let him be. We are here now. Nothing will get past us. We are the fortress of justice. We are the canons that will drown those thousand ships of evil.

They begin scanning the place in a detective like manner. They reach ordinary bank customer Bhuvan in the waiting area.

Subramanian: You sir?

Bhuvan: Yes sir?

Subramanian: Have you seen anything suspicious lately?

Bhuvan: No, I suppose. Nothing at all, in fact.

Jasmine: (Whispers) Subramanian, this man is reminding me of somebody.

Subramanian: … Someone from real life? Or from a book, or a movie?

Jasmine: Yes, yes from real life. Hang on a moment.

Bhuvan moves on. He exchanges papers with Archna and then goes back to the waiting area.

Jasmine: Why do I feel like I’ve seen this man somewhere? 

Subramanian: Allow me to approach him and investigate.

Jasmine tries to stop him, but fails. They go near him once again.

Subramanian: (As they walk past Bhuvan) Good afternoon.

Bhuvan: (Looking confused) Yes, good afternoon. (Pause) Do I know you?

Subramanian: Sir, You resemble a lot with my cousin. He lives far-far away from here. You share a unique resemblance with him.

Bhuvan: I don’t know what you are talking about. (He gets back to banking)

Subramanian: (Begins laughing in Bhuvan’s face) You have the same nose, the same eyes, the same lips. (Winks at Jasmine)

Bhuvan: Sir, if you could give me some space I would really appreciate it. I’m in the middle of something crucial.

Jasmine: Alright, alright. Don’t take up all of this man’s time now. Let’s get to banking.

She grabs him by the hand and pulls him into a corner.

Jasmine: Stop. You’ll scare him away. Let me think. Yes!

Subramanian: YES. Think.

Jasmine: YES. I am sure I have seen his face somewhere.

Subramanian: Is it possible you have seen his face on the wanted list?

Jasmine: YES! YES!

Subramanian: He must be here to rob this bank then! Oh my god! Its a crisis!

Jasmine: Subramanian, we must brace ourselves! 

They both go near him one more time.

Subramanian: (Slowly) Pardon me gentleman, I cannot help but marvel at simply how much your appearance resembles with my cousin who lives far-far away. Will you give me an autograph?

Bhuvan: I’m at a lack of concentration sir, please, will you excuse me? (He looks worried)

Jasmine: Sir, my friend is a bit of a lunatic. He won’t leave you in peace till you give him a token of remembrance. (Offers him a piece of paper) Your autograph please?

Bhuvan puts his hand in his trouser pocket and finds his pen. When takes it out a black monkey cap falls on the floor. Jasmine and Bhuvan are busy with the autograph. Subramanian notices the black cap and picks it up. He confirms that it is a monkey cap by wearing it around his face. Bhuvan and jasmine continue their conversation. He hands her his autograph.

Bhuvan: So… Your friend’s cousin, would you say he is beautiful?

Jasmine: Beautiful? No. Not at all. His cousin looks like an ass.

Bhuvan: Are you trying to say that I look like an ass?

Jasmine: Oh no. I didn’t mean it like that. No, not at all. His cousin has some features.

Bhuvan: You approached me, disturbed me from what I was doing. Told me I look like somebody you knew, and then you say that I look like an ass.

Subramanian: (From behind them, unnoticed) Oh let it go now, we really didn’t mean it like that… You are getting the wrong idea.

Bhuvan: I’m not going to let it go so easily. I think I have the right idea.

Subramanian tries to get Jasmine’s attention. When she looks at him she is taken aback and is scared to death. He takes the monkey cap off and signals to her that the cap belongs to Bhuvan. She hands him the autograph and Subramanian takes it as evidence along with the black cap.

Jasmine: (Carefully) Sir, I didn’t mean to mock you in any way. I apologize. We will now leave you in peace.

Bhuvan walks away.

Jasmine: This man is surely the robber. We must arrest him immediately.

These two begin to follow him everywhere he goes inside the bank. After sometime Bhuvan notices them and is enraged by them.

Bhuvan: (Starts screaming) Why won’t you leave me alone!

Lokesh wakes up from his sleep.

Saurabh: (Comes to attend them) Quiet down, quiet down. Silence! This is a bank, not a fish market.

Lokesh walks over to them as well. Archna is distracted. Everyone is looking at Bhuvan and the two detectives.

Bhuvan: These two have been following me everywhere I go. They won’t let me have any peace.

Saurabh: Shall we call the police? I want none of this in my bank, is that understood? I’m a very intolerant sort of a man, I must warn you. Some might say I’m a dangerous man. This bank is the finest bank in the whole world! I will not have it here.

Subramanian: That won’t be required.

Jasmine: (She shows her badge) I’m detective Jasmine, this is my assistant Subramanian. We suspect this man is here to rob this bank. Subramanian, show them the evidence.

He shows them the evidence and everyone is taken aback.

Saurabh: So! You were merely trying to trick this man into confession? Is that so?

Bhuvan: I’m not a criminal, madam… I am here to get some essential banking done. You have the wrong idea. You said I shared a resemblance with someone you knew, now you are accusing me of being a bank robber.

Jasmine: I’ve seen your face on the wanted list and hence the whole resemblance façade.

Surabhi launches herself into the action from the other corner of the bank.

Surabhi: (In her own fashion) It is a funny thing, resemblance. You know? A lot of the times people approach me saying that they have seen me on the television. It is mere resemblance that motivates them to do so. Resemblance is like love. If it’s not there it calls for mayhem, if it is there it isn’t of any use really. How strange it is to love, to really love.

Jasmine: (To Bhuvan) Sir, we are in no way implying that you are a criminal. But we need to take you into custody till our investigation is over. Subramanian, handcuff this man.

Subramanian puts the man in a handcuff.

Jasmine: (To Surabhi) What were you saying about love, madam? I myself am in love. I’ve got a date in the evening.

 

Suddenly a robber enters. He has a pistol. The detectives are scared to death and they begin screaming in a squeaky voice. This puts the rest of them in a state of utter panic and confusion.

Robber: Nobody move! Or I’ll shoot every one of you. Aha! Who is the bank manager?

Surabhi: (Pointing him out) He is!

Robber: (With a break in the continuous action) Jasmine! What are YOU doing here?

 In the still moment caused the security guard heroically points his rifle in the robber’s direction. The robber points his pistol back at him. They shout and grunt to intimidate their opponent and then circle around for some time. The robber knocks the rifle off Lokesh’s hands to the floor. Then they get into a physical tussle. They have an intense fight. They fall on the ground fighting. Lokesh tries to reach his rifle, but the robber shoots his opponent in the forehead first.

Robber: Nobody move!

Bhuvan and Archna try to run. They robber shoots them dead. He takes his mask off.

Jasmine: I don’t understand! How can it be you? Dear lover, what have you done?

Robber: I’ve done it for you, and for many others like you. I need the money!

Subramanian: I told you he looked like a criminal to me. (To the robber) Well, if you haven’t deduced it already, we are state detectives.

Robber: (With surprise) So you are a detective, huh? I thought you were a tax inspector or something. This joker assistant of yours is a detective too? (Laughs) That’s incomprehensible!

The robber gets a hold of Saurabh and takes him hostage.

Robber: (pointing the gun at Jasmine, Subramanian and Surabhi) You three! Drag their bodies to that corner. Do it now!

 Pause.

The three dead bodies are dragged out of the stage. The robber keeps a stern look on Jasmine, Subramanian and Surabhi. There is no exit for them anyways.

Robber: Which way is the vault?

Saurabh: You’ll have to kill me before you rob this bank.

Robber: Don’t be silly!

Jasmine, Subramanian and Surabhi come back on stage.

Jasmine: Yes, don’t be silly.

Subramanian: Tell him where the vault is.

Surabhi: Oh dear, my money.

Robber: (Threatening to blow Saurabh’s brains out with gritted teeth) Take me to the vault NOW!

Surabhi: Oh dear!

The robber goes with Saurabh to the vault on the left to fill his bag with money. The robber and Saurabh exit. Surabhi runs out of the bank for her life. Exit Surabhi.

Jasmine: We need to do something!

Subramanian: You are absolutely right! We cannot let this happen in front of our eyes!

Jasmine: How many times did I plead to the office to give me a gun, but they never listened.

Subramanian: I’ve always said love will ruin this world. Oh dear god! Help us.

Jasmine: Quit being scared Subramanian. Prayers won’t help us. Think! This love has brought me pain too, but there must be something we can do.

Subramanian: My brain has stopped working. I cannot think of anything.

Jasmine: Why did they ever give me a trainee for an assistant?

Subramanian: But what should we do, now that we are here, and still alive?

Jasmine: Subramanian, we are at the heart of the action. We are in the right place at the right time. This means we must possess what it takes to stop this robbery. We can catch this man. Hurry! Find something sharp with which we can assault him.

Subramanian: But I thought you loved him, now you want to kill him? What kind of a love is this?

Jasmine: I cannot love him anymore. You were right, love can bring unhappiness to the world. It shouldn’t be this way, but it just is.

Subramanian: (Dreamily) But he’s got a pistol with possibly three bullets!

Jasmine: Just find something sharp and heavy. We will bash his skull open!

The two journalists, Pankaj and Raj enter the bank. It appears that they came running.

Pankaj: Is everything okay? We heard a gun being fired.

Raj: Has the robber gone with all the money?

Jasmine: Who the hell are you two?

Raj: We are journalists, we are investigating the robberies.

But the two journalists are suddenly distracted by a trail of blood.

Pankaj: Look at all this blood! Oh, there is so much of it.

Raj: I wonder where it leads.

Raj and Pankaj find the three dead bodies. They take photographs of the scene. Then they turn to the two detectives. Jasmine and Subramanian pose for their picture as well.

Raj: So where is the robber?

Subramanian: He is in the vault as we speak.

Pankaj: Extraordinary! We’ll be able to take more pictures for the article.

Raj: This is exciting business…

The journalists walk over to the bank manager’s cabin. They prepare themselves to take pictures of the robber.

Subramanian: Where are you going… Don’t go.

Jasmine: Is there nothing better to do in these moments than to hide behind cover and cover the incident? Isn’t there any way we can stop him from taking all the money? Come out of there and help us.

Time is running out and the journalists refuse to come out of their hiding place.

Subramanian: There must be a way. But what should we do?

The robber comes out of the vault with a bag full of money and jewels. The journalist’s camera clicks and flashes the robber’s eyes. This puts the robber in a violent fit. He falls on the ground clutching his eyes.

Jasmine: (Runs to arrest the robber) Don’t move, you are under arrest! Bravo journalists! Take a picture of yourselves you can claim your glory.

Robber: It flashes my eyes! It flashes my eyes!

Saurabh comes from the vault.

Saurabh: (Scared) Has he killed more people? Is he gone with the money? Has my bank been robbed?

Jasmine: These journalists have solved the case! Hurrah!

Pankaj: (To Raj) Now we won’t have to depend on any fake news for our bread and butter. We have caught the big fish! But we cannot let the public know it was us who stopped this robbery.

Raj: (To Pankaj) How exciting to be at the heart of the action… to help reduce crime. But we cannot reveal our identities. Our lives are already in danger.

The journalists step out of their hiding place. The robber fidgets in pain on the floor.

Saurabh: (Angrily to the robber) Look what you have done! You’ve spilled so much blood, taken so many lives just to rob this bank! You are inhuman.  Why do people like him exist?

Subramanian: You are a murderer! Don’t look away, I’m talking to you.

The robber fidgets again.

Jasmine: Don’t say anything to him, we’ll take him to jail and speak with him there. He wasn’t always like that. Somebody made him this way.

Saurabh: But is there no value to human lives?

Subramanian: (To the robber) Your conscience will haunt you. Do you hear? These lives had value, perhaps more than what you could have stolen from the vault. You are a criminal! Damn you to hell!

Robber: (Pronounces) You are all stealing something from someone. Don’t forget that, hypocrites!

Subramanian angrily goes to hit him. Jasmine stops him.

Jasmine: Violence will only lead to more violence. This man is a criminal but there is a law for people like him. Let the law do its work. Subramanian, help me pick this man up and take him to jail.

Raj: Detective Jasmine!

Pankaj: Detective Jasmine, photographs please. 

The stage is dark.