by BS Murthy
Gopal: [Exiting behind Rekha.] It's all M r. Nayak's making.
Nayak: Who expected this? [He sinks his head on the conference table.]
[Exit: Ramya, Preeti and Sunil, all sighing and M argaret, crossing herself.]
[Curtains down.]
Scene - 5
[Curtains up: Partially visible body of Nritya facedown (not the head) is seen lying in a pool of blood on the ground. Rekha, Gopal, Ramya, Preeti, Sunil, Margaret are around it with their backs to the audience.]
[Enter: Rakesh hurriedly.]
Rakesh: [Examines Nritya] Oh, she's dead. What went wrong?
Rekha: Sir, she was upset by M r. Nayak's character assassination.
Rakesh: Well, we will deal with that later.
[Rakesh signals to Preeti and as she goes to him, he whispers in her ears (mime)]
[Exit: Preeti.]
[Rakesh takes Rekha aside.]
Rakesh: M rs. Rekha, I understand you know her sister.
Rekha: Yes Sir.
Rakesh: I know how it hurts you, but [He pauses]
Rekha: Our Company's reputation is at stake.
Rakesh: I know you are part of it for thirty-five years now.
Rekha: It's hard on my conscience Sir.
Rakesh: There is no way out for us but to keep quiet.
Rekha: [Keeps mum.]
Rakesh: Why don't you call up her people?
Rekha: I've to shut up to save one and open up to hurt another.
Rakesh: Don't think the irony is lost on me.
[Rekha moves away from Rakesh into a corner and talks to Navya on her mobile (mime).]
Rakesh: Sunil, why not you call up the cops.
Sunil: Yes Sir.
[Exit: Sunil.]
Rakesh: Gopal, let the guards take care till the cops come.
Gopal: Yes, Sir.
[Exit: All of them but Gopal.]
[Curtains down]
Scene - 6
[Curtains up: Split setting of the chambers of the Managing Director, Hares & Hounds Ltd. One third of the stage on the right is M anaging Director's office, in which sits a downcast Nayak. Preeti stands near the M anaging Director's chair with a bunch of papers pertaining to Nritya's complaint and the related matters. Two thirds of the stage to the left is the visitors' room with chairs and a centre table.]
[Enter: Rakesh followed by Rekha, Ramya and Margaret. Rakesh goes into his chamber as others sit in the visitors' room. Preeti hands over the papers she was holding to Rakesh.]
Rakesh: Oh shit, what a mess this is.
Nayak: Sorry Sir, I was out of wits.
Rakesh: Why not own it up and be done with it.
Nayak: Its better I too jump to my death.
Rakesh: Why, to make it worse for us.
Nayak: If I confess, what face I will have to show to my children.
Rakesh: You should have thought about it when you brought it upon yourself.
Nayak: Sir, please Sir.
Rakesh: Preeti, go and shred them right now [He hands over the papers back to her.] No, no, why court trouble for destroying evidence should things go wrong [Takes back the papers and locks them in his drawer.]
[Enter: Sunil and Gopal and join the women in the visitors' room. Preeti too joins them and Nayak is seen pleading with Rakesh (mime)]
Sunil: Inspector Balram is expected any time now.
Preeti: Boss is mad with M r. Nayak.
Ramya: But will he go against him?
Rekha: But we will, won't we?
Margaret: Come out clean and be fair to Nritya's soul.
Sunil: Why wash our dirty linen in public? Won't the stink reach your own homes?
Gopal: What if we get fired for spilling the beans?
Rekha: What self-serving arguments. If only some NGO was involved.
M argaret: Why that would've cooked Nayak's’s goose for good.
[Nayak gets up from the chair and folds his hands in gratitude.]
Nayak: Thank you Sir.
Rakesh: But you've to put them in the silent mode.
[Nayak goes into the visitors' room and Rakesh picks up the phone. While Rakesh makes a number of phone calls (mime), Nayak pleads with his colleagues (mime) and Rekha is seen resisting the most (mime).]
[Enter: Inspector Balram in uniform and all fell silent and Nayak retreats into a corner. As Balram takes a look at all those present, Preeti goes up to him]
Balram: I'm Inspector Balram.
Preeti: Please be seated Sir.
Balram: No need for that, I want to see your M ,D.
Preeti: M r. Rakesh is expecting you Sir. Please wait.
[Preeti goes up to Rakesh and announces Balram's visit (mime) Rakesh goes up to Balram, greets him and leads him into his office (mime). And they take their seats.]
Rakesh: Sorry for the bother M r. Balram
Balram: Why it's my duty.
Rakesh: If only there are a few more like you, India would be on top of the world.
Balram: Any way, who pushed her out of the window?
Rakesh: Sir, how can you say that?
Balram: Well, if its suicide, what was the provocation?
Rakesh: We are at a loss ourselves Sir. I thought she had a great future. We're upset that it should've ended that way that too in the office.
Balram: Has anyone witnessed it?
[Rakesh is seen talking to Balram and his gestures suggest that he knew the higher ups in the department. He rings up someone on phone and hands over the receiver to Balram. Balram talks reverentially and gives back the receiver to Rakesh who disconnects the line after expressing his gratitude (mime).]
Balram: I agree the D.I.G is your buddy but would he take the flak if things go wrong. Why not I register it as a case of suspected murder and then see how things shape up.
[Rakesh is seen desperately pleading with Balram to hush up the case while the latter is seen explaining the difficulties involved. Rakesh offers bribe and Balram raises the stakes. In the end Rakesh shakes Balram's hands.]
Balram: Let me go through the motions.
Rakesh: Why not Sir.
Balram: M ay I talk to her female colleagues.
Rakesh: You are welcome.
Balram: One by one that is.
[Rakesh goes into the office portion and all flock to him. He talks to them (mime). Rekha goes into the M .D's chamber. Balram and Rekha are seen talking to each other (mime) and in the end the latter gets up and goes into the visitors' room. As the others mob Rekha, Ramya goes up to Balram, and the process is repeated with Margaret and Preeti (all in mime). Rakesh goes back into his chamber after Preeti comes out of it.}
Balram: I see you manage your people admirably. But it may not so easy for me with her people.
Rakesh: Why Sir, we've covered the costs.
Balram: But there can always be overruns.
Rakesh: If it comes to that won’t I underwrite them.
Balram: Good, let me go to her people and see how the tide turns over there.
Rakesh: Why trouble yourself, her sister is expected any time now. Meanwhile you can savour our coffee.
[Rakesh calls Preeti on the intercom and asks her to fetch them some coffee (mime). Rakesh and Balram chat (mime).]
[Exit: Preeti.]
Gopal: Looks like its smooth sailing for our Nayak.
Sunil: That is if Nritya's sister won't puncture the rudder. Would she buy the suicide theory? Who knows she may be privy to what went on in Nayak's chamber.
Gopal: Why scare him Sir, he's half dead already.
Sunil: Well, I'm just showing him the danger end and no more.
[Enter: Preeti with two coffee cups in a tray and goes serve Rakesh and Balram. Preeti goes back to her seat. Rakesh and Balram sip coffee from their cups.]
[Enter: Navya in disarray as all watch her she goes up to Rekha.]
Navya: How is Nritya?
Rekha: [She hugs Navya with tears in her eyes.]
Navya: Oh God, where is she take me to her.
Rekha: No dear, you can't bear the sight.
[Navya becomes unconscious and collapses on the floor.]
[Exit: Preeti to fetch some water as Rekha takes Navya into her lap.]
[Enter: Preeti with a water bottle and she sprinkles some water on Navya's face. Navya regains her consciousness.]
Navya: Where is her body?
Rekha: The police moved it to the Gandhi Hospital.
Navya: Take me there.
Rekha: Let your husband also come.
[While others try to console Navya (mime) and Preeti goes into Rakesh's chamber and informs him of the developments (mime). Rakesh comes out of his chamber to see Navya.]
Rakesh: I’m sorry madam.
Navya (Wiping her tears): Oh, how she brought it upon herself.
[Enter: Naveen and a sobbing Navya falls into his hands.]
Navya: Let's go and see her.
Rakesh: M adam, Inspector Balram is here and he would arrange things.
[Rakesh leads Navya and Naveen into his chamber and introduces them to Balram who receives them by getting up from his chair [mime], Rakesh motions Navya and Naveen to sit and as they take their seats, Rakesh and Balram too take their seats.]
Balram: It feels sad really.
Navya: [Sobs silently.]
Naveen: I wonder why she should commit suicide.
Rakesh: It's no good talking ill about the dead but as it involves the life of the living, I've to be frank with you. In hindsight I see she has a troubled psyche. Wonder how she mistook Mr. Nayak's patronizing behaviour as sexual harassment. Why he's on the wrong side of fifties with a thirty-year-old clean slate. When he tried to set the record straight before the complaints committee, she took it as a personal affront and lost her balance. Devastated by her act, now M r. Nayak looks on the wrong side of sixties.
Navya: Well, the day I came to know of her complaint, I wanted her to pack up and go home. But she was not to listen.
Rakesh: Maybe, you can throw some light on her private life. Inspector Balram may like to have a word with you. [Rakesh moves to get up from his seat] I better leave you alone.
Balram: Why, you may as well stay.
Rakesh: As you please [He sits back in his chair.]
Balram: Madam, I've got to look at her death from all angles.
Navya: I understand Sir.
Balram: Is your sister put up with you?
Navya: She stays in a ladies hostel.
Balram: Was there any domestic discord or was she jilted by someone.
Navya: I don't think either was the case.
Balram [Gets up]: I understand your loss and we shall investigate the matter. If you come across any information that incites your suspicion, please let me know. [Balram opens his wallet, pulls out his visiting card and hands it over to Naveen.] Please come along to identify the body and to record your statement.
[Exit: Balram with Navya and Naveen seen off by Rakesh. Rakesh talks to Rekha and others (mime).]
[Exit: all except Rakesh. He goes into his chamber and broods over the matter with his head buried in his hands placed on the table. Curtains down]
Scene - 7
[Curtains up: In the Naveen's drawing room Navya is morose in the sofa. Seven chimes of the clock (not in the scene). At the sound of the door buzzer, Navya gets up and goes to the door.]
Navya: Nice you've come.
[Enter: Rekha and Rachana and they shake hands with Navya.]
Rekha: How are your parents?
Navya: They have a long way to go.
Rekha: Well, time is a great healer
Navya: But I wonder whether I could have averted the mishap
Rekha: It's a case of ifs and buts but you can make a difference to Nrityas in the making.
Rachana: You know madam had resigned on moral grounds.
Rekha: Well, after that immoral silence.
Navya: Looks like it was all pre-destined. What was her barbadi jest but a premonition?
Rachana: What was it about?
Navya: [In tears] When I said she was welcome to being a Hyderabadi, didn't she joke that it sounded like barbadi.
Rekha: But for her ill-fate, why a decent guy like Nayak should have misbehaved as he did? When I confronted him, he confessed his guilt and expressed regret. I asked him why he behaved out of character; he said that as he is nearing sixty, he began to see the beginning of the end of his sex life. Why, having stuck to his wife ail his life; he thought that he missed the thrills on the frill. It was his sense of deprivation that drove him towards Nritya. When I asked him why he pressurized her the day she joined, he said he wanted to overwhelm her without giving her time to think for herself or consult with others.
Navya: Whatever, he got away with it having abetted, didn’t the police dose the case once and for all.
Rekha: Since he was not brought to justice, you can say so. But he resigned on his own to atone for his sin.
Navya: Would that bring her back to life?
Rekha: But it won't take his life forward the way he wanted it to be. Why her tragic death farcically ended his quest for variety before it ever began.
Navya: That's true. But till Rachana put things in the proper perspective, I was upset that you didn't stand up and be counted in Nritya's case.
Rekha: Thank you for your understanding; well I may even say forgiveness. How I pressurized Rakesh not to hush up the case and how Nayak and his wife begged me to relent I only know. Well, I didn't have it in me what it takes to be on the just side of the dilemma. If only an outsider was in the commute, even if she couldn't have saved Nritya's life at least she would have ensured that Nayak got booked for abetting her suicide. If anything, my failure to protect Nritya's fair name underscores the need for us to form a NGO.
Navya: I am with you in any movement against womanizing at workplace.
Rachana: MAW AW for short.
Navya: Why, it sounds nice.
Rekha: Let it sound a death knell to the errant. [Rekha raises her hand and opens her palms; Navya and Rachana make it high-fives.] But for that, both of you need to familiarize yourselves with men at work on women at work. Navya, you would join Brims & Dregs, producers of major IMFL brands and you, Rachana, Skins & Hides, leather carpet makers. I would sound the concerned at both the firms.
Navya: [Contemplates for a while.] After the Nritya fiasco, Naveen won't like my working even fora day.
Rekha: Why not I speak to him.
Navya: It won't help. Well, I never did anything behind his back but for the larger good let us keep it from him.
Rachana: Who would protect us from men as we train ourselves to protect women from them?
Navya: Why it's our zeal for a cause.
Rachana: To catch men with their pants down.
Rekha: But if you go overboard, they will get away, citing that women run faster with their skirts up than men with their pants down. [All laugh. Curtains down.]
Scene - 8
[Curtains up: Split setting. Right portion is the office chamber of the General Manager, M arketing, Brims & Dregs Ltd. Left portion is the ante-room of the Personnel Assistant. Navya is seated in the ante-room. Intercom rings and she talks on the phone (mime). After she completes the clock (not in the scene) strikes twelve.]
[Enter: Sanjay holding a brief case.]
Navya: Sir, M .D. is looking for you.
Sanjay: That is as I was missing you. Well, connect me to him.
[He walks into his chamber and picks up the phone and is at conversation (mime). Navya goes into his portion with a bunch of papers and having placed them on the table is about to turn back. He gestures her to stay and she sits in a chair opposite to him as he continues on the phone (mime). He disconnects the phone.]
Sanjay: What do you think of the baseline of our corporate ads?
Navya: What is it Sir?
Sanjay: Fill it to the brim and drain it to the dregs.
Navya: Isn't it apt for liquors.
Sanjay: It's relevant for the SE
Ws as well.
Navya: What is that Sir?
Sanjay: Don't you know I am no Sir Sanjay
Navya: I just said Sir and no more.
Sanjay: Smart, I like it but...
[He gets up, goes to her and bends behind her.]
Sanjay: [Whispers to her.] Don't you know that Sir to a SEW is M r. Spent-force
Navya: [Feels uncomfortable] I don't get you Sir.
Sanjay: [Breathing over her back.]: Why, are you not a sexually experienced woman?
Navya: What you are talking Sir? [She gets up from the chair.]
Sanjay: [Hugs her from behind.] Know it's your sex-appeal at work.
[Navya wriggles herself out of his hold but Sanjay nudges her back into the chair.]
Navya: Leave me Sir.
Sanjay: Try asking an iron rod to leave a magnetic hole.
[He holds her by her shoulders. She struggles to get up from her chair. He finds a mole on her exposed back.
Sanjay: Navya it's eureka. Oh, a mole on your back.
Navya: What for you?
Sanjay: Oh, how it fascinates me. Won't that stand you in good stead? You know what and in which posture to afford you a varied experience.
[She wriggles herself out of his hold and he lets her go. As she moves away from him, he pinches her bottom. She settles down in her seat and shortly thereafter he calls her on the intercom. She goes back into his chambers, he motions her to sit and she does.]
Sanjay: I'm sorry I've got carried away.
Navya: It's okay Sir.
Sanjay: What is okay, my ardour or my apology?
Navya: Don't you know?
Sanjay: M y ardour is never an apology to an amorous dame.
Navya: Why pester a disinterested woman?
Sanjay: What am I to do when I am interested?
Navya: Why woman should give a damn to every Tom, Dick and Harry who comes to fancy her?
Sanjay: Ask any rapist and he would tell you.
Navya: Isn't it like a thief borrowing from a robber's lexicon.
Sanjay: Why isn't it a higher knowledge? It's the refrain of the rapists that having enjoyed the fare it's unfair of women to accuse them of rape. As with rape so with the so called sexual harassment, it's about woman's inward exhilaration couched by outward indignation. Like rape gets better for woman as it lasts longer, so is the case with the sexual harassment for sure.
Navya: [Gets up] I don't think neither you are paid to harass me nor I am hired to be harassed by you.
