TURTLES

1 A.ROAD SIDE PARK.EXT.

It's a small, well maintained park that belongs to the

city’s corporation.There are residential apartments
behind the park.

Little gal vidhu runs to Yashoda, who is in her early

60’s, seated in the park’s bench holding video’s sipper
bottle and looking at the little girl in admiration as
she comes running to her. Vidhu takes a long sip from her
supper.

She rapid breathes and tells words that doesn’t exactly

fall in place but we get the idea that she is keen on
making her granny go down the slide. She pleads to her
saying…

                                     
VIDHU PAPA
Pati, please Paati...Neeyum slide
Pannu.
Yaaruk illana pandrenu sonna la?

YASHODHA
yaarachum irupaanga da.
Vidhu papa naan sonna
purinjukumaam. Adam pidika
koodathu!

VIDHU PAPA
Pls...pls...Paati, oru vaati
pannu. super-ah irukum.
vayirellam koosum.

she catches hold of Yashodha's thumb  and uses all her

strength from her tiny body frame to get Yasodha out of
the seat and drags her to the play area.

1B.NAVANEETH’S HOUSE.DAY/INT-EXT.

Pranil aged 7 has his binoculars aimed at the birds,

sitting comfortably on a tall carton box that is lying in
the balcony.  

He has a pack of lays chips next to him.On munching a

handful of it, he calls for his Grand pa,             

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2

PRANIL 
Thatha, inga vaayen...
eppadi thaatha ithu?
sharp aave theriya maatenguthu.
moi, moi-nu mangalla theriyuthu.
 

Navaneethan who is working on Sudoku in the paper,

replies to his grandson without even looking at him.
           

NAVANEETHAN                          
nee chips saaptutey lens-la
fingerprints podara!
athaan unakku edhum theriya
maatenguthu.

On not hearing a response back from Pranil,Navaneethan

looks up… Pranil puts on a ‘sad face’ on purpose.

NAVANEETHAN              
central dial-la vechu focus
pannaya?

PRANIL                   
pannaney...
adjust panni kudu thaatha!

Pranil asks in a sweet manner that his Grandpa wouldn’t

resist.

Navaneeth gets the glasses from him, and does a quick

adjustment by bending the binoculars up and down
simultaneously. Then, he manoeuvres him about using it
carefully.,  

NAVANEETHAN
sari, naan pandratha paaru.
oru vishayatha mothalla
left eye-la focus pannu, athey
vishayatha right eye-la
paarthu diopter-la adjust pannu.
ithaan diopter…
ithulaiyum clear-ah therinjathum,
rendu kanlaiyum paru.
ippa, ellamey sharp-ah theriyum.

Apparently the object he had taken for focussing is the

‘slide’ in the park. While all the adjustments are made,
what he could see clearly is the graceful ‘Yashoda’.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3

on having slid down to the bottom, she covers her face

with her hands and it does its little part in hiding her
amusement. Her blush is what the binocular is showing
effectively to Navaneethan.

Since, he has gone speechless for a moment, Pranil thinks

his Gramps has not yet worked on correcting the glasses.

 PRANIL
therila la?!  sari...
sari panni kodu. 
naan Octonauts paarkaren.

Pranil gives up waiting and walks to the hall.

 PRANIL         
engineer thaathaku sari pannavey
theriyala ma.

hearing Pranil say this to his mom in the background,

Navaneethan smiles, yet has his undivided attention in
getting the last glimpse of Yasodha as she walks to the
road.

He couldn't follow her with the glasses anymore with the

tree branches covering the view. The laughter from the
woman he saw in the glasses seem to have been contagious.
He smiles again for the instant enhancement of his mood.

noticing his father fiddling with binoculars against the

sunset, Navaneethan's son asks,

NAVANEETHAN'S SON
last glimpse-ah pidikiriya pa?

This jolts Navaneeth a little,

NAVANEETHAN
enna pa?

NAVANEETHAN'S SON
sun-oda last glimpse-ah
paarkariyaanu kaetten.

NAVANEETH
ah!

He re adjusts the glasses and keeps it on the carton box

with an apologetic smile.
 4

3. YASHODHA’S HOUSE. DAY/INT-EXT.

It’s a ‘duplex’ kind of house. Aiswarya, the mother of

the little girl Vidhu from the park, walks up the stairs
to the upper portion of the house.She is a tenant
occupying the lower portion.

The hall is empty. Nat Geo channel is on  TV.We could

hear classroom’s ambient sound from a nearby nursery
school. Aiswarya doesn’t find ‘Yashodha’ in the living
room.

So, she keeps a cheque leaf in the teapoy and says...

AISHWARYA                            
Amma...cheque-ah sofa-la  vechu
iruken ma.

she tells this facing the kitchen's direction and

prepares to leave...

YASHODHA
aishu iru...
unakaaga onnu cook pannitu
iruken.Itho aayiduchu!

Yashoda speaking from the kitchen keeps a porcelain bowl

ready and is in a hurry to do the final garnishing to the
dish to give it away to her visitor.

Aiswarya comes to the kitchen and on inspecting what she

had been cooking.,

AISHWARYA
paal kozhukattai!
edhuku ma? enna send off-panni
vaikiringala?

YASHODHA
nee un puthu veetuku ponathuku
apparam un naaku rusiyaavathu
enna niyabaga paduthuttumaennu...

she tells as she taps the spatula on the rim of the pan.

Yashoda not being in eye contact makes it easier for

Aiswarya to speak her mind…

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5

AISHWARYA
Illana marandhuduven paarunga?!
yen ma?
veeta ethirthu kalyaanam
pannathula, orey vishayam mattum
thaan uruthittey irunthuchu.
Vidhuku thaatha paatiyoda
arvanaippey illaama poyidumonu
romba bayanthen.

neenga ava paati ilaanu eppa

sonnaalum, eppadi sonnalum, ava
namba maata!

Yashoda turns off the stove.

Turns 3/4th  to face her.,

YASHODHA
yen solra? vera veetuku poranaala
sollanuma? enna kattayam?!

she empties the dish into the bowl.,

YASHODHA
... Nee vera idam poyitta
avalukku naan paati illa,
athaane?

she tries to hide the tinge of sadness in her tone with a

smile.

AISHWARYA
amma…

Aiswarya calls her a little authoritatively. Yashoda

quickly close shuts the water tap that had been running
in the sink and starts to converse with her and focusses
just on what she has to say and stops the rest of the
work that she had been doing.,

YASHODHA
nee vantha intha konja
varshathula... enakkum thaan,
un veetu cooker sattham, Vidhu-
oda rhymes cd sound,ava azhugai,
sinungal,vilaaiyaatu...
nee kaalaila podara un signature
coffee smell-nu ellame avlo
pazhagiduchu.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6

ithula edhu ilanaalum kashtamaa

thaan irukum.
unakkum appadi thaan irukumnu
enaku theriyum.Athukaaga nee
sonthama vaangina veetuku pogaama
ingaiyae irunthida mudiyuma?
enna, ennai thaniya vittutu
poromnu kavalaiya?
inga varavangala enaku
sonthamaakika theriyaatha? hmm?

AISHWARYA
illa, neenga sonthamaakika
koodathu.

On understanding her ‘Pomeranian Puppy’ like

possessiveness, Yashoda assures.,

YASHODHA
sari...aakikala.
aishu...unakku enna paarkanumna
eppa venaalum varalaamey?
keezh veetuku thaana vaadagai.
mela, en kooda thanga, neeyum
vidhu kuttiyum eppa venaalum...

As Yashoda tells this, her gesticulating hands in the air

makes her words almost unnecessary. Aishwarya holds those
hands and.,

AISHWARYA
varen ma... virunthaaliya
koopdara maari koopdathinga.
naaney varen.

Aiswarya takes the bowl herself and gives her a warm hug.

4A.HOSPITAL- WAITING HALL/INJECTION CABIN.DAY/INT.

It’s a sophisticated speciality hospital for the senior

citizens, aiding to their multiple health issues.

Navaneethan is in the waiting hall, waiting to give away

his blood sample for tests. As he is reading the morning
paper, and tilts down a bit to turn a page, he sees
Yashoda in a small gap that had occurred between the
unclosed slits of curtain in the ‘Injection section’s
cubicle.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7

earlier it was her blush through the binocular vision,

now its the expression to succumb the pain that she does
it with a smile that ‘enthrals’ him, it is further
dramatised by the movement of the curtain revealing just
a little of her elegance. Before he could see her walking
out of the cabin, he is been called for his turn

NURSE                   
   Mr.Navaneethan….

He walks to the adjacent cabin.

Nurse on rubbing and sticking a circular band aid to the

poked spot,

NURSE
saaptu 1 1/2 mani neram kazhichu
vaanga, thirumba blood koduka.

on checking his sheet.,

NURSE  
neenga innum urine sample
kodukala. urine koduthittu neenga
saapada ponga, sir!
(to other nurse...)
Prasitha, label otti intha
patient-ku container kodu.

4B.HOSPITAL- RESTROOM/WAITING HALL. DAY/INT.

He is in the restroom facing the mirror, washes his hand

with a hand cleanser, comes out with a little plastic
container that has his urine sample. He is in a short
queue. There are three more people waiting in front of
him to hand over their containers to the counter.

Yashoda writes something on a register in a distant

counter and walks past him. On knowing that she would
walk past him, he quickly puts the little container in
his pant pocket and slightly jerks his shoulder
preserving his dignity.

He is at once astonished by his very own boyish

behaviour, He doesn’t even remember when was the last
time he would have done such stunts.

4C.HOSPITAL- CAFETERIA. DAY/INT.

He washes his hands again,picks up his plate of poha and

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8

sits in a corner table to eat. It is quite crowded for a

hospital cafeteria. Just when he is about to take his
first spoon to his mouth, he hears…

YASHODHA    
Excuse me, Is this seat taken?
inga yaaravadhu varaangala?

He is at once 'taken aback' to see her,again.

NAVANEETH
illa... yaarum illa!

YASHODHA
Thanks! Do you mind if I sit
here?

NAVANEETH
No, No! absolutely not!ukkaarunga
please!

he gulps down a glass of water to calm his nerves. In the

midway of their meal, she comes in eye contact with him
and smiles…

when she notices that he seems to be uninterested with

his food,

YASHODHA 
Saapaadu erangalaiya? athukkunnu
ivanga suthamma uppey podala
illa?                           
Patients aama!!

she sighs.

NAVANEETH                          
Illa, food is okay! enakku
pazhakiduchu.

He clears throat and tries to appear normal. Yashoda

notices Navaneethan sitting uncomfortably. She thinks it
is solely because of the overtly small sized chairs.

YASHODHA 
Ithukku mela chinnatha
chairs kedaikala pola.
kindergarden kozhanthainga ukkara
maari iruku, very uncomfortable!

He tries to suppress his laughter. But he laughs it

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9

out,the nervousness he had all the while has been washed

away and he quickly picks a lighter vein.On seeing his
prolonged reaction, she asks him

YASHODHA
enna aachu?

NAVANEETHAN
Illa chinnapilla maari slide-la
laam sarukinavanga intha seat-la
utkaarathuku sangada
padaraangalaanu yosichen.
sorry,
annaiku 9th sector park-la
neenga...

he does a sliding action on air with his forefinger

NAVANEETHAN              
slide panninga thaana!
paarthathum yosichen engaiyo
paartha maari irukunnu.

It takes a while for her to process whatever he just

said. She is beyond feeling shy. She takes time to
respond.,

YASHODHA 
Oh...
...yaarum paarthiruka maatanganu
nenachen!
ippa iruka pillainga romba
adam-nga. sonna ketka maatra...
aah, enna soldrathu?
world shouldn't be this small!

her blush makes her to put her chin down.

NAVANEETHAN              
 sweet!

YASHODHA 
 ennatha sweet-oh!!athu...

When she looks at Navaneethan, she get the idea that it

wasn’t a compliment that he blurted out. He said ‘sweet’
because he needed it, his body needed it.

NAVANEETHAN
I need sugar, sweet...oru
nimisham.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10

He walks up to the counter, takes two sugar cubes from a

bowl,near the coffee dispensing machine, swallows it.
Meanwhile Yashoda cringes in her seat,

YASHODHA
(v.o)
aah... this is how I embarrass
myself.

she murmurs to herself and looks for a way out…There are

slices of carrot, radish,olive and celery in the plate.
She makes a face out of the veggies.

Navaneethan gets back to his place and.,

NAVANEETHAN
Thideernu blood sugar level drop
aayiduchu. Sorry, I had to.

She nods and there is a momentary silence between them,

only the clink of spoons could be heard…She eats the
veggies now in a very poised manner.

Navaneethan tries to break the silence by making a

‘breath’ sound.

Meanwhile a staff comes and calls out.,

STAFF
Mrs.Yashodha...

Yashoda is so lost that she doesn't respond. The staff

walks close to her and asks,

STAFF
Mrs.Yashodha?

YASHODHA
oh... enna thaan kooptingala?
sorry.
Mrs-nu sollumbothu yaaraiyo
koopta maathiri irunthuchu.  
I'm 'miss Yashodha'.

she corrects him gently, The staff gives her, her file.

STAFF
sorry, madam! file
keezhaiyae vachuteenga pola.
saaptathuku apparam,

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11

STAFF (cont'd)
eye check up, physio exercise
session attend pannunga.
maadila iruku.

YASHODHA 
okay!

Yashoda walks to wash her hands. Navaneethan looks at her

name in the file. looking at the 'Ms' title before her
name, brings a rush of emotions within him. He starts to
feel an unknown affinity towards her.

on coming back, she takes her file, looks at him and

says,

YASHODHA 
I'll see you around!

she smiles at Navaneethan and walks out, the staff

informs everybody out there to do the same.

4D.HOSPITAL- OPHTHALMIC DEPARTMENT. DAY/INT.

Navaeenthan is in the ophthalmology department. He looks

for Yashodha, she isn't there. While he is still looking
for her,a nurse interrupts and squeezes 'drops' into his
eyes. He closes his eyes and sits quietly.

He hears Yashoda coughing. Instantly, he opens his eyes.

NURSE
kanna moodunga sir,
thirakaathinga!

the nurse tells it just like a primary school teachers

'Finger on your lips' command. Navaneethan obeys to avoid
further embarrassment. He hears Yashodha speaking to
someone near the doorway, he listens to it. Having his
eyes shut, makes his hearing sense work in a better way.

YASHODHA
Hello...
Madras Olive Ridley conservatory-
la naan active member.
‘Turtle walk’-ku I’m looking for
volunteers. Details ithula iruku.
itha padichittu, unganaala vara
mudincha, avasiyam vaanga.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12

Navaneethan is nervous that he might not able to see her

again.

4E.HOSPITAL-FITNESS HALL. DAY/INT.

A young trainer is in the middle of the hall teaching the

basic stretches and leisure exercises to all the
wonderfully aged people standing in about six rows.

Yasodha is in the front row and is not visible to

Navaneethan who had just joined the session and is in the
back row.

He had to do the stretches a little longer so that he can

crane his neck and look out if Yashodha is still here.
After some sincere efforts, he gets to see her.He feels
relieved.

An older looking man who looks totally frail and fragile

says with a 'whistle' like voice,

  FRAIL MAN
Ivlo varsham uyiroda irupomnu
therinju iruntha,naan konjama
whisky kuduchu irunthu irupen.
kaalai-la  walking ellaam poyi
brisk-ah irunthu irupen…
theriyaama pochey…

Navaneethan laughs heartily. The session gets over…

PHYSIO TRAINER              

Okay...naan sonnathellam veetla
practice pannunga .
Take it little by little!adutha
master check up varumbothu
paarkalaam. Thank You!!

The crowd disperses. Navaneeth is putting on his sandals.

We see Yashodha in shallow focus giving  ‘flyer’ to

couple of people she has befriended there. She tells the
same phrase about the turtles she had told in ophthalmic
dept.

As she walks towards him, he saves her energy by making

her not repeat the ‘stock phrase’ again...

NAVANEETHAN
Illa, neenga thirumbavum solla
vendaam. avanga kitta

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13

NAVANEETHAN (cont'd)
sollumbothey naan kaetten.

  (on taking the flyer from

her hand)
itha pathi enaku theriyala,
but padichu paarthu kandippa
varen.

YASHODHA 
Thanks...unga wife, veetla iruka
nandu, sindu ellaraiyum kuda
kootitu vaanga.
It will be fun!

He choses to just smile for an answer for which she

accepts and signs off from the place.

5.THIRUVANMIYUR BEACH. DUSK-NIGHT/EXT.

Late evening in Thiruvanmiyur beach...

Navaneeth sees Yashodha in a distance, sending off a

group of youngsters wearing ‘flour’ green tee shirts.
They take baskets, water bottles and torch lights from
her. Navaneethan parks his bullet and walk towards her…

There is an enclosure fencing in the sand area, that acts

as a temporary hatchery where baskets of turtle eggs are
kept until they are hatched. And there is a local
fisherman to look after it. On assuming that there would
not be any more people joining her further., She says

YASHODHA
Nagaraj...Ini yaarum
varamaatanganu nenaikaren..naan
kelambaren.

NAGARAJ
sari ma!

She hears Navaneethan from behind…

NAVANEETHAN
romba late-ah vanthutteno?

she is surprised to see Navaneethan..

YASHODHA
oh...vaanga! romba sharp-ah
vanthu irukeenga!
inthaanga...

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14

YASHODHA (cont'd)
unga basket, and here’s your
torch light!and... let’s turtle
walk! lets go!

on getting the things from her, he follows her quietly

for a few steps on the shoreline,

The skies begin to get darker...

Navaneethan feels the breeze before asking.,

NAVANEETHAN
sollunga, enna thaedanum?
intha torch velichathula? enna
pannanum?

  YASHODHA           
Olive ridley turtles…
intha season-la nadu raathiri
muttaiyidum.
athoda muttaiyellam
vidiyarathukkulla kaaka kothittu
poyidum, naai merichidum, illa
edhavadhu vagaila saetham
aayidum.
athanaala antha muttaigala
porukki,pathirapaduthi athu kunju
porichathum, athungala thirumba
kadal-laye vitruvom.
muttaigala edukarathukaaga night
nadakkarathu thaan 'turtle walk'.
neraiya school, college pasanga
 ithula
volunteers-ah irukaanga.

oru batch ulla poyi irukaanga.

kadasiya varravanga ellaraiyum
kootitu polaamnu naan irunthen.
sadly, intha weather-naala
neriaya per varala.
I’m happy you turned up!

Their walk doesn't disturb the flow of their

conversation. They don't stop to stress any point.

NAVANEETHAN
oh...sad, happy ellaame orey
sentence-laya? Pranil solluvaan,
en paeran...orey mixed feelings-
ah irukku thaatha-nu!

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15

NAVANEETHAN (cont'd)
antha maari iruku neenga
solradhu!

YASHODHA
kootitu vanthirukalaame?

NAVANEETHAN
vacation time!ellaam ooruku poi
irukaanga! enna nimmathiya
vittutu poyitaanga !

YASHODHA
Wife-um ma?

NAVANEETHAN
ava vittutu poyi, 8 varsham
aachu! ava irunthirunthaana
engaiyum nagarnthu iruka kooda
maata, enna vittu!

he starts telling it in a very ‘non emotional’ manner,

NAVANEETHAN
22 vayasaula kalpana-va kalyaanam
pannen.eppadi vegamaa kaalam
oaduchunae theriyala...
engaloda 30th wedding anniversary
nerungittu irunthuchu.
naanga santhoshama irunthathu
podhumnu nenachutaar pola
kadavul...
saatharana mootu valikku
hospital ponathu thaan,
anaesthesia over dosage aagi, it
was all unexpected...
ava unir pirinju 2 mani neram
kazhichu thaan naan avala
paarthen.
(He started off sounding
strong but now his words
break...)
innum ennala namba mudiyala...
yet to come to terms with
it...sorry!
intha kadal kaathu vera kooda
sernthukittu manasula ethaiyum
thanga vida maatenguthu!

He tries to gather himself...

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16

YASHODHA
please… ithukellam sorry sonna,
appuram namma vayasuku oru
arthamey illa.
Vent it out…I would like to
listen!

NAVANEETHAN
Illa,usual-ah naan yaar kittaiyum
yaara pathiyum kaetkave maataen.
namma edhavathu kaettu thevai
illama intha maari
sentimentalities-ah kelari
vitruvomo-ngara bayam.
paartha, innaiku naane
control illama emotional aagi,
ungala embarrass panren...

YASHODHA
embarrass pandringala?come on!
ivlo reserved -ah neenga?
athaan enna pathi ethuvumey
kaetkalaiyaa?
en kooda attender yaarachum
vanthaangalaanu kuda annaiku
neenga kaetkavey illa!
naan edhachum solli, apparam
neenga sorry sollanumenu
kaelviyavey avoid pandringa,
illaiyaa?

NAVANEETHAN
illa...athu!

YASHODHA
sari... enna pathi kelunga!
Neenga nichayama sorry-ya feel
panna maateenga!
kelunga!

NAVANEETHAN
naan…
(clears throat)
naan sorry-ya feel panren. In
fact, very very sorry!
edhukunna…
ungala pathi naan google- la
already paarthuten.
Intha turtle pathi paarka thaan
search pannen, paartha unga

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 17

(cont'd)
interview irunthuchu. ungala
pathi oar alavukku atha paarthu
 therunju kitten.

Only the unsettling waves from the sea fill their

‘beautiful’ silence. It takes a while for Navaneethan to
ask.,

NAVANEETHAN
kovamaa?

YASHODHA
Husshhh…

She hushes him and throws light on an ‘egg’ and carefully

picks it up and places in her basket.

she then sits down on the sand to take a quick break. She
is gazing at the  faraway ‘cargo’ ship. Navaneeth is
sitting besides her., two torch lights that is placed
next to them illuminates a little of their legs, sand and
waters.

YASHODHA
30 varsham thaambathyam eppadi
saathyam?
neriaya per kaettu irupaanga
illa?

NAVANEETHAN
Athu...athu ennanna,
namma generation-la ethaiyum
lesula thooki poda maatom,
epdiyaachum sari panni
vachukuvom. mukkiyama
up-gradation kedaiyaathu.
onnu nalla irukumbothey,
adutha car,adutha phone-nu
maathika engaluku appa vaaipu
kidaiyaathunnu kaetkaravanga
kitta solluven.

YASHODHA 
manaiviyoda maranam...   
neruka maanavangaloda maranathula
irunthu meelrathey vaazhkaiya
aayiduthu illa?                  

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18

NAVANEETHAN
hmmm...
kalyaanam aagi konja
varshathulaiyae pesarathu
ellaathaiyum pesi kotti
theerthutom.
athukapparam pesi kittathu ellam
jaadai-la thaan, kaadhal mozhinu
sollalaama?
hmm...
ethu ethukku ava nethi eppadi
eppadi surungum, edhu edhukellam
ava kanna eppadi eppadi
simittuvaanu enaku nalla
theriyum. ellamey unarvu thaan.
innaiku varaikum avala
unarnthittu thaan iruken.
I can feel her presence.
kadhavu nilaila thala idikaama
nadakkanum, kathavu idukula viral
vachida koodathu... ellamey ava
soldrathu thaan.

He realises that he got too deep like the seas, He

surfaces himself by asking.,

NAVANEETHAN
eppadi ungalukku kalyaanam panni
vaikaama intha society vittathu?

YASHODHA
panni vaika enaku yaarum illa.
appa accident-la iranthu konja
naal-la yae ammavum...
B.A padichittu irunthen.
part time -ah typing institute,
spinning mill-nu vela paarthu
degree mudichen. appo oru kaadhal
arangettram.
enakkaga avaru, avaru veetla
pesavey illa. Yemaatram!
avarukku vera kalyaanam
aanathukkaparam kuda en kaadhala
prove pannanumnu, kalyaanam
pannaama irunthen.
apparam blue cross,
Bharathanatyam-nu life-la vera
vera interests vanthathu.
Athaiyellam ennanu paarthu
'intha' ngarathu kullaiyum enaku
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19

YASHODHA (cont'd)
vayasu aayiduchu.
thalaimudi naraika aarambichatula
irundhu, kannadi paarkkara
 vazhakkamum poyiduchu.

NAVANEETHAN
oh...kannadi paarkara vazhakkam
illaiya ippo?
neenga innum vetkapadara
ragasiyam ippa thaan enaku
puriyuthu.

The stones from her nose pin glitter.,

NAVANEETHAN 
mookuthi jolikuthu, appana
ippaiyum neenga vetkapadaringanu
artham...  

YASHODHA
podhum Navaneethan!

she gets up to walk…

Navaneeth dusts himself as he gets up and suddenly it

strikes to him that he hasn’t yet told her his name.,

NAVANEETHAN
en per unga kitta sonnatha enaku
niyaabagam illa?!

YASHODHA
hospital file -la paarthen!
Annaiku namma saapta table-la
irunthuchu, appo!

NAVANEETHAN                         
appada I’m not alone.Naan
google-la paarthen. Neenga
table-la paarthu irukeenga!
actually naan table-layum
paarthen...

she cuts the topic abruptly.,

YASHODHA
seriously,oru egg -kuda neenga
edukavey illa. Atho, anga
theriyara egg unga basket-ku!

she points the egg with her torch , Navaneethan picks it

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20

up and places it in his basket,

NAVANEETHAN
aamai-ya pathi ellam
life-la yosichathu kuda illa.
birthday vanthuchunna, friends
venaa wish pannuvaanga!
‘live like a turtle’-nu!aama
maari vaazhanumaam.

YASHODHA
yen? neraiyaa naal vaazhanumnaa?

NAVANEETHAN
pinna? athunga ellaam
50 vayasu kadanthathuku apparam
thaan they start ‘mating’.

Yashoda blushes...And this time it is visible with the

passing streak of light falling from the ‘Light house’.

6.BEACH-SHORE LINE. DAWN-DAY/EXT.

As they walk back, the dawn breaks- Navaneethan sees the

sun rise and feel the true bliss of it.They reach the
turtle hatchery where they had started from.

the fisherman- caretaker of the hatchery, gives freshly

hatched baby turtles to Navaneethan for him to leave it
to the sea, for him to gain the whole experience of it.
He has his body crouched facing the sea, holding the baby
turtle in his palms but he is reluctant to leave it in
the waters…

YASHODHA
Just leave it. Kai-ya
eduthudunga…

YASHODHA
let it go!In built-ah
athungalukku swimming theriyum.

As he leaves the turtle, It begins to swim instantly…

How would a ‘baby’ of any sort can swim just like that.,
he ponders over that thought...

NAVANEETHAN
This is the most beautiful thing
I’ve ever done in my life.
neenga sollum bothellam kuda avlo

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 21

NAVANEETHAN (cont'd)
theriyala.

itha panni paarkum bothu,

it’s something else… eppadi
poguthu illa?!wonderful!
beautiful morning! everything...
everything about this place is so
beautiful...pozhuthu mella
vidiyara maari, athey pace-la
antha muttai mella udanju
athukulla irunthu kutty
turtle varuthu…how amazing illa?

Yashoda feels happy to have made him experience this.

Just as they both relax and look afar, they see a young
couple kissing against the sun, lost in their own selves.

Navaneeth’s blissful state suddenly becomes jittered on

seeing them, he says politely.,

NAVANEETHAN
avanga nammala paarkalaiyo?

YASHODHA
vayasaanavagala enga porutaa
nenaikaraanga?
namma ellam invalid and invisible
thaana avangalukku?!
nichayam avanga kannuku nammalaam
theriyavae maatom!

NAVANEETHAN
Are you sure?

YASHODHA
yeah!

NAVANEETHAN
ippa ungalukku, naan oru mutham
koduthaa kuda, namma theriya
maatoma?!

Yashoda is silent for a moment, Her face turns beet red

out of anger.

YASHODHA
 ...Have some dignity!

She walks away from him.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 22

NAVANEETHAN
  Yasho…

Navaneethan immediately regrets saying that and gets

angry at the young couple for being the catalyst for his
demeanour.

He follows her in a slight ‘delay’.

She catches an auto and is going away from his sight.

7. ROAD- TEA STALL-AUTO. DAY/EXT-INT.

He kick starts his bullet to follow her. The auto covered

hardly any yards, It comes to a stop abruptly!

Driver gets down to open the back door of the auto to

check.

There is a tea stall nearby, Navaneethan stops

there,brings a cup of tea and offers her,

NAVANEETHAN
Inji tea with added dignity!
I’m so sorry!

She does take the tea cup(paper cup) from him., takes a
sip without saying anything. He stands next to the auto
without making any further conversation.

The auto driver gets back to his seat on rectifying the

problem…

AUTO DRIVER
polaama ma?

YASHODHA                          
evening antha park vareengala!9th
sector park, pesanum!

He smiles and nods ‘yes’ ! As the auto is riding, fresh

air strikes her face and the wind passes through her hair
strands, she doesn’t bother to tie the hair behind...She
has a distant look.

8.YASHODA’S HOUSE. DAY/INT.

Yashoda looks at her reflection falling on a vessel from

the kitchen,on having dressed up. She touches and feels
the wrinkles on her face.

smiles... The laugh line occurs! She smiles

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 23

further...Then prepares to leave from there after

 drinking a glass of water.

She bends to check if the ‘gas’ switch is turned down. On

assuring ,she tends to walk away from kitchen.

She takes another step forward only to ‘fall’ down. The

floor would have been slippery and kitchen is a step
above the living room.It had made the ‘fall’ steeper and
she had fallen flat on her back, hurting her head and
hips badly. she is not able to move.

The sound from the nearby nursery school comes in the

air. Little Girls singing ‘Asha...Busha, All fall down!’
Yashoda’s world is crumbling down as every thing around
her breaks into white grains and hollow noises.

She tries with all her effort to reach the landline phone
above her by stretching her arms, as she is unable to
lift herself up.

She reaches the landline and dials frantically, We can

hear the phone ringing downstairs, Where Aiswarya's
family had bee living. But she has moved now. The call
goes unanswered, as there is no one to pick up.

- CUT To-

                                Another story

-CUT BACK-

9.YASHODA’S HOUSE. DAY/INT.

There is a ‘walker’ in the foreground, and Yashodha who

is bed ridden now has hired a 'house nurse' to look after
her.

HOUSE NURSE 
(pointing at the
walker...   )
madam...mella entharichu, itha
pidichu, nadakka try pannunga!

Visual of herself as a child learning to walk in a

toddler’s walker appears.

She is disturbed as she gets more and more of her early

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 24

childhood memories when she couldn't do things on her

own.

HOUSE NURSE 
 madam...please entharinga!

10.SPECIALITY HOSPITAL.DAY/INT.

Naveneeth has enquired about Yasodha to the hospital’s

Front office staffs...Mid way opening of the
conversation.,

FRONT DESK STAFF

sir...for the nth time, we do not
provide the details of our
patients...I’m so sorry, neenga
ethana vaati kettalum
we can’t help you with this and
honestly, engalukku theriyaadhu
sir!

FRONT DESK STAFF

avanga registration number, entha
doctor- ah paarthaanga apdeengara
details-aavathu venum, avanga
address paarka!
and we have a lot more things to
do sir!

He walks away feeling totally dejected.

Montages

He looks through  binoculars at the empty park. His

grandson though doesn’t understand his sadness, he could
empathise with him.

He scrolls through the internet for any contact

details ...

Shot of him walking away from the turtle conservatory

with sheer disappointment.  

Navaneeth is in the eye hospital checking on his recently

formed cataract.

11.PARK. DAY/INT.

Yashoda is in a wheel chair, looking for him in the park.

To her surprise, she finds him. She sees Navaneethan
sitting in the park's bench. She asks her nurse to stop

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 25

moving her and waits for him to look up.

He would have just been back from the eye hospital.

Yashoda is right in front of him, anticipating him to
come to and talk to her. But in his vision, there are
only bright flashes of colours and grain, particles. He
gets up and walk past her.

Yashoda signals her nurse to take her back to home. She

cries badly thinking he has avoided her on purpose.

12.YASHODHA’S HOUSE. DAY/INT.

Yashoda is seen lying on her bed.

The lower portion of her house is still empty. The weaver

birds’ s nest near her door frame is also empty. A
‘couple’ has come to ‘see’ the lower portion.

we see the the house broker talking to the couple in the

empty nest's suggestion,

HOUSE BROKER
Lease rate -laam athigama
irukunnu paarkaathinga.
intha owner kezhaviku sonthamnu
yaarum illa.
ippa vera mudiyaama kedaku.
athu puttukichuna, neenga
life-kum intha property-ya enjoy
pannalaam. enna virka mudiyaathu!
aana, kaalathukkum irunthukalaam,
yaarum kelvi kaetka maataanga!

Yashoda could hear every word of it, Her eyes gets teary
and severe shivers spreads through her body.

The broker comes up…she turns facing the wall to avoid

seeing him

HOUSE BROKER
Madam...saavi inga vachutten
madam.
thingatkizhama avangatta kaettu
naan soldren...varen madam.

she manages to say an unsettling ‘hmm’ containing all her

tears and the shiver.

The house nurse would have gone out to buy some fruits.
While she comes back, and  walks up the stairs ,

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 26

HOUSE BROKER
 varen sister...

Nurse sets everything for the night and she prepares to

leave telling her.,

HOUSE NURSE
madam, thanni inga vachu iruken.
nethu maari thatti vitraathinga.
neenga thaan apparam
night-laam kashta padanum.
Paarthukonga.poyittu varen.

13.YASHODHA’S HOUSE. NIGHT/INT.

Heavy thunderstorm roars the night. Rain's hitting angle

is such that it manages to come through her window. She
is feeling cold and bitter. Yashoda catches the railing
of her cot in a tight grip. She weeps silently in the
very loud night.

14.MALL- BASEMENT PARKING-ROAD. DAY/INT-EXT.

Navaneethan is seen staring blankly at a gold fish in a

small fish tank at the mall.

At the basement, he keeps searching for his bike. He

inspects the parking area, looking for it. The tube
lights at the basement parking flickers…

He is totally lost in his thoughts and does his routine

robotically.

He is seen riding on the road. As he adjusts his side

mirror, and sees the auto behind him,Something sharp hits
his senses, he begins to follow the auto that has
overtook him. He honks for it to stop and as he comes
parallel to it, he sees the driver.

The same guy, from the other day.

NAVANEETHAN
yeppa...

The auto guy stops to pay attention.

NAVANEETH
enna unakku niyabagam
irukaathu...
annaiku thiruvanmiyur-la irunthu

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 27

NAVANEETH (cont'd)
oruthavangala
drop panna la?

AUTO DRIVER
Theriyum sir, athellam niyaabagam
iruku.avangaluku neenga kuda
tea vaangi kodutheengalae?

NAVANEETHAN
avanga veedu niyabagam iruka pa?

The auto driver smiles at him on having understood some

deep emotion behind his face, even under the hot sun.

Navaneethan follows the driver in his bike.

15.YASHODHA’S HOUSE. DAY/INT-EXT.

The driver halts before the house, Navaneeth gets down

from his bullet with a cue to take money from his
pocket.The driver quickly gives a thumbs up and leaves.

On seeing the lower portion closed, he panics. The nurse

is seen washing the kidney shaped basin nearby. On seeing
him, she says…

HOUSE NURSE
Yashoda Madam-ah? mela irukaanga!

He walks upstairs, stands by the door frame, and sees

Yashoda lying on the bed, facing the other side.

NAVANEETHAN
Yasho…

she turns back to see the silhouette image of Navaneeth.

She is too stunned to see him and slowly tries to get up
to sit on her own by thrusting her wrists on the bed.

On seeing her struggle, he winds the handle of the

cot( like in the hospitals) to tilt it up for her to
recline.

She switches on the lamp that is next to her cot. She is

also not comfortable with the light falling on her
directly revealing her pale face.

NAVANEETHAN
enna aachu yasho?

He sits by her foot side corner of the bed., They are

facing each other, with intense eye contact.,

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 28

NAVANEETHAN
naan unaku avlova
parichayam illatha aal
thaan.aana,thuli koodava en mela
nambikkai illa?

YASHODHA
...............
romba anxiety...
6 maasam, 1 varsham mela aagumnu
sonnaanga, ellam sari aagaa!
enakku enna pandrathuney
theriyala.

NAVANEETHAN
Yasho...
unna paarkarathuku enaku oru
vaaipu kodu!
avlo thaan naan kaetkaren.

YASHODHA
naan yaarukum baarama iruka
virumbala.
house nurse-kellam
naan pay pandranaala enaku ethum
thappa theriyala. we are just
exchanging favours but neenga…

NAVANEETHAN
chumma-lam onnum naanum
pannala...
nee enakum favor pannu.
                           
 (he comes a little closer
and touches her scar in the
face)
intha thalumbu...
ithuku pinnadi iruka kathai-ya
sollu! intha maru,
machcham...eppa vanthathu?
(on touching her hair
strands)
ithunga ellaam eppa naraikka
aarambichichunnu solriya?

NAVANEETHAN                         
Parking lot-la enga vandiya
vidarennu theriya maatenguthu.
atha niyabaga paduthi sollu, en

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 29

NAVANEETHAN (cont'd)
atm pin-ah niyaabagam vachuko.
Ithellam nee panriya?
bathiluku...naan unaku...
intha walker-ah ellaam thooki
pottu ella pakkamum thookitey
poren. namba maatiya?

YASHODHA
annaiku wheel chair-la enna park-
la paarthathu kuda niyabagam
ilaaiya?

NAVANEETHAN 
unna wheel chair-la paarthenaa?
ennama solra?

YASHODHA
oh...neenga paarkala pola.
aana, paartha maari irunthuchu.
enna avoid pandreengalonu thappa
nenachutten.

NAVANEETHAN 
avoid pandrennu nenachiya?
unakku enna aachunu puriyaama
pithukuli maari vaazhnthuttu
irunthen ma.
ellarum enakku 'alziemer'-onu
nenachaanga. Eppadi puriya
vaikarathunu theriyaama irunthen.

YASHODHA
nijamaalumey irunthaa thaan ippa
ennavaam? hmm?

NAVANEETHAN 
antha auto driver thaan vazhi
kaamichaan.
graamathula laam oor ellaila oru
kaaval deivam thaan irukum.
intha oora porutha varaikum, auto
oatravanga ellame kaaval deivanga
thaan.avaru mattum sollati, naan
unna eppadi paarthu irupen?
Avasarathula thanks kuda sollala.

she smiles with the same elegance that she had before her
'fall'.

he sees her shadow on the wall, cast by the lamp. he

leans forward and kisses her shadow in the wall.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 30

she smiles not moving much so as to not disturb her

shadow image.

NAVANEETHAN
paarthiyaa? ithuku mela
yaaravadhu dignity-oda kiss panna
mudiyuma?

she  holds his tee's collar for support and kisses his
cheeks,

YASHODHA
enna ingirundhu kootitu poyidu,
ippaiyae!

NAVANEETHAN
hmm...ippadiyae!

He carries her and walks down the stairs…The nurse

standing downstairs, throws a priceless smile.

16.NAVANEETHAN’S HOUSE. DAY/INT.

Yashoda watches the park from Navaneethan's balcony with

the binoculars. Navaneeth is standing next to her,

his son and the family are in the background along with
Pranil gazing at the new couple.

She looks at the 'slide' through the binocular glasses

and smiles,

In the glasses POV we see the words,

                                     
     'THE BEGINNING'.