Dhootha (2023) s01e03 Episode Script

1
"Samachar Newspaper
Chief Editor Sagar Varma Avuduri"
Shit!
"A lorry driver named Koti
was found dead at
his farmhouse."
Holy shit!
Hello, Mom.
Did you take your medicine?
Not yet, Kranthi.
Come on, Mom! It's late.
-Take it quickly.
-Okay.
-Excuse me, ma'am.
-I'll call you back.
Come.
-Yes, Ranga?
-Ma'am, his name is Aarif.
His name kept popping up in the inquiry
into country-made gun dealers in Vizag.
He's been in the business
for over 15 years now.
Oh, no, ma'am.
I was in the business
for only two to three years.
I served a two-year sentence.
So, I completely quit gun dealing,
moved to Marripadu,
and opened a hardware store there.
How would you get hold of these guns?
From Orissa, ma'am.
Sometimes they'd be
sourced from UP and Bihar.
How?
Would you go pick them up personally?
No, ma'am. That's extremely difficult.
Then?
We hire lorry drivers to deliver them.
Lorry drivers?
They keep traveling
from city to city with a heavy load.
On top of that,
they are poor people in need of money.
I'd pay them a token amount
and source the guns.
I need a list of the lorry drivers'
details and phone numbers.
Brother, here.
-Are you Delhi Babu?
-Yes, sir.
Is Koti here?
-Are you Hari Prasad?
-Yes, sir.
-Is Suribabu here?
-That's me, sir.
DCP ma'am is waiting in the car.
Let's go.
Move it!
Let's go!
Ma'am, Koti was taken
to the Mankapuram PS.
This is his wife.
Tell ma'am why your husband was arrested.
He crashed into a car
on his way home from a delivery.
He was held
at the police station all night.
In fact, he called me
after leaving the station.
He said that the lawyer bailed him out
and that he was headed home.
But he hasn't come home till now.
Did you inquire at the police station?
No, ma'am.
Why not?
Sometimes, he goes away
with his friends for a couple of nights.
I thought it was the same case.
Where does he store the guns
he collects from UP and Bihar?
I don't get what you're saying.
We need to search your house.
At what time did he call you
the day before yesterday?
Around eleven or twelve o'clock, I guess.
I checked everything, ma'am.
Didn't find anything.
Let's go.
-Sir! When will my husband come home?
-Soon.
If he shows up, inform the DCP's office.
-Ranga
-Ma'am.
I had my suspicions when
I saw the jewelry on her.
Did you notice the things in there?
iPhone, iPad, AC.
English medium books for their kids.
With a lorry driver's income,
-all of this is not possible, right?
-Yes, ma'am.
This confirms that he is
still into gun dealing.
She mentioned an accident, didn't she?
Yes, ma'am.
Inquire into it.
Sure, ma'am.
Sagar!
Yeah, Priya.
I can't find the tracks
and tee you wore last night.
I'm asking you!
Where are the clothes?
I can't find the tracks
and T-shirt you wore last night.
-Sagar!
-Yeah, Priya! Coming!
Yeah, Priya.
How did this shirt end up here?
I left this at the farmhouse for you.
Did you visit the farmhouse last night?
I'm talking to you!
Say something!
This shirt
Priya!
Priya!
-Priya, what happened?
-Come here.
-Come.
-What happened?
What's wrong, Priya?
Feel it.
Did you?
The baby is kicking so hard.
It's definitely a baby boy this time.
Do you mean to say
a baby girl can't kick so hard?
Hello! Those days are long gone.
Baby girls kick harder
than baby boys nowadays.
Alright. Like you said
if it's a baby girl, I'll name her.
If it's a baby boy,
you do the honors. Okay?
Deal.
Hello?
Sir, the Minister is on the way.
Okay, I'm coming.
Okay, sir.
-Priya, the Minister is on the way.
-Yeah.
I have to leave.
See you. I so wish you could be there.
Me too.
Next time.
-Take care. Bye.
-Have a great day.
Ten days earlier, we received
a letter from a viewer named Yogesh.
This time, it's not a place
that's possessed by a ghost.
It's a vehicle.
An ambulance, to be precise.
This ambulance was serving
VR Hospitals until three months ago.
Its history is
-Kamakshi
-Yes, ma'am?
Haven't I told you not to watch this show?
Anjali got addicted to it because of you.
-Turn that off right now.
-Please, ma'am.
Just five more minutes.
What's so great about it anyway?
Pure nonsense in the name
of ghosts and spirits!
This is not at all nonsense, ma'am.
If there's a presence of a ghost,
she visits the place alone,
confirms paranormal activity,
and only then does an episode on it.
That is why it's highly popular.
Even the Kakinada Caves
back home are haunted.
-She went there all alone
-Stop it!
Go and wash the clothes.
Anju, go do your homework.
-Mom, please!
-Go!
Hi, Ashwin. How are you?
Priya, there was a fire accident
at the hospital.
What?!
Shit! It's my fault, Priya.
I planned a fire
to get the insurance money.
What is wrong with you?!
-But, Priya
-Any casualties so far?
Four kids died in the children's ward.
I didn't even expect them to be there.
I don't know what to do now.
Ashwin, what is this?
Why the hell would you
do such a thing for insurance money?
What were you thinking?
The loan amount is due.
I had no other option, Priya.
Shit, I made a mistake!
My life will be ruined
if the truth comes out.
Priya, please do something.
Okay, listen.
Let me see if I can do anything.
Okay, don't panic.
I got this.
The media hasn't covered the news yet.
And I know these news channel MDs.
We can try and talk to them,
keep it under wraps.
-Don't worry. We'll see.
-Okay, Priya. Thank you.
No, listen.
Just be ready to spend a lot of money.
You just need to spend a bomb on it.
You know how it works, right?
You can't get anything
done without money.
I'll sort that out.
I'll talk to my manager right away.
By the way, thanks, Priya.
-Yeah, I'll look into it and call you.
-Okay.
I inquired about the crash
Koti was involved in.
Coincidence or not,
he crashed into Sagar's car.
-What?!
-Yes, ma'am.
It happened by the Dum Dum Dhaba
on the beach road.
Nobody was injured.
But a dog had died apparently.
Which station did Koti's wife mention?
Mankapuram PS, ma'am.
Who is the SI there?
SI Ajay Ghosh, ma'am.
Do you know him?
Not really, ma'am.
He's a pain in the ass.
I've seen him at the club
a couple of times.
He'd get really drunk and gloat about
his grandfather being a commissioner.
I need to meet him.
Okay, ma'am.
And, Ranga
-I want you to do another inquiry.
-Sure, ma'am.
Suri!
Hey, Suri!
Sir
Hey!
Call the driver.
Okay, sir.
Good morning, ma'am.
Where's Mr. Ajay Ghosh?
In his cabin.
Ajay Ghosh.
Ma'am!
Good morning, ma'am.
I have a really bad cold.
It's the change in weather.
What brings you here?
This man shot himself
with a country-made gun.
The gun dealer gave us
a few leads of lorry drivers.
We inquired about all of them.
Except for one.
Koti, the driver.
In regards to the journalist
Sagar's car accident,
we happened to know that you arrested him.
Where is he?
We let him go, ma'am.
You let him go?
Yes, ma'am.
I mean, his lawyer got him bailed out.
He was clean.
He was not under the influence
while driving.
He crashed because a newspaper
blocked his windshield view.
Here's the FIR.
Complaint copy.
Bail order.
But his wife says
that he hasn't gone home yet.
What became of him?
How would I know, ma'am
if he went to his wife or mistress?
Sir, you asked for me?
Yeah,
get the diesel refilled. Go.
But I got a full tank yesterday.
Is it spent already?
Do I owe you an explanation?
Ma'am is here.
-Go.
-Okay, sir.
Sorry, ma'am.
Did you meet Sagar yesterday?
No, ma'am.
I met him the other night.
I was at the station
the whole day yesterday.
And then I went home early
as the cold got worse.
I had a bad headache as well.
Why did Sagar send you one lakh rupees?
Ma'am?
Why did he send you money?
What one lakh rupees, ma'am?
What are you saying?
Do you know who you're talking to?
Tell me the truth.
Why are you focusing on me, ma'am?
You know that the salaries
in the police force are low.
I have a lot of problems at home.
My wife's been nagging me for a week.
Her mother needs some money.
That's when I met Mr. Sagar.
I went right ahead and asked him.
I'll repay him soon.
Borrowing money isn't a crime, is it?
Where's the truck from the accident?
This is the one, ma'am.
Because a newspaper
fell on the windshield,
his view got compromised, and he crashed.
What the hell is it
with these newspapers, Ranga?
-Go inside and check.
-Okay, ma'am.
I personally inspect every vehicle
that comes to the impound.
I got my constable
to do a double-check yesterday.
There are no guns of any sort.
Found anything?
I looked everywhere, ma'am. No luck.
I told you there's nothing here, ma'am.
Ma'am?
Why aren't these letters centered?
I don't follow, ma'am.
Diesel.
The letters are usually
positioned in the center.
For these painters and artists
it's kind of a habit.
Yeah, they're like that.
Look at this.
The alignment is off.
Look, the gap here is less.
But on this side
it's wider.
The original tank ends here.
But someone has welded this part on.
Like a false extension
for a secret compartment.
Check it.
Open up.
Open up.
Oh, no! Police!
Open it.
All country-made guns.
These guns are now case evidence.
Okay, ma'am.
-We're seizing them.
-Sure, ma'am.
-I'll call you if there's anything else.
-Okay.
-And, Ranga
-Ma'am.
-We have to find Koti.
-Okay, ma'am.
Just as we suspected,
Koti is into gun smuggling, Ranga.
He crashed into Sagar's car
with the truck.
And suddenly
Koti goes missing.
We can't take Ghosh's word for it either.
Hold on. Pull over.
Roll the window down.
Which zone does this
traffic signal fall under?
Mankapuram West Zone, ma'am.
One of the CC cameras
is pointed towards the station.
I need to check
that camera footage, Ranga.
Okay, ma'am.
Okay, let's go.
Shyam
Where's Amrutha?
She's not here yet.
She's not picking up her phone either.
-Is it?
-Yes, sir.
-Who are these kids?
-Our employees' children, sir.
Take them to the office upstairs.
The Minister will be here soon.
-Go.
-Okay, sir.
Ravi, gather all the kids
in the office upstairs.
The number you have dialed
is currently busy.
Please stay online or try again
-Sir, the Minister is here.
-The number you have dialed
-Okay.
-is currently busy.
Please try again
Shit!
Come on, hurry up.
You guys need to stay here, okay?
-Don't make any noise.
-Okay.
Your parents will come
to get you after the event.
-Okay?
-Okay.
I'll send some ice cream
and chocolates for you.
Okay.
INAUGURATION OF SAMACHAR PRINTING PRESS
All the best, Sagar!
Thank you, sir. Welcome.
This is nice.
So, this is where our fates are designed.
-Let's attend the puja.
-Listen
you're turning out
to be worse than politicians.
What do you mean, sir?
We take at least five years
to jump parties.
But you're jumping newspapers
every two years.
Come on, sir.
No matter where I go,
you know I'll always support you.
I know.
That is why
I want you to write lovely articles
on me and help me win like last time.
That'll keep us both happy.
I heard that Rajiv is contesting
the Satyapatnam by-elections.
Damn!
How did you catch a sniff of that?
I don't think even Rajiv knows.
It was decided this morning.
You journalists are not ordinary folks.
Sagar, what I'm trying to say is
You know how important
that constituency is to me.
Because
ever since my grandfather
started the party,
we haven't lost there even once.
This time, however, something feels off.
Prof. Vijay Kumar is contesting
from the opposition, is it?
I know!
These professors
lawyers and doctors
Why do they bother entering politics?
Listen
keep a weather eye on that professor.
I don't care if you fabricate stories
or say that he has extramarital affairs.
Do something.
This time
we must win!
I'm on it, sir. Don't worry.
Thank God!
That's good to hear.
Without the press,
politicians don't stand a chance.
Press and politics
are like husband and wife.
Whether we fight or make up,
we must stick together.
What's wrong, sir?
What is it, sir?
-Darshan, go grab a bag quickly.
-Sir?
-Go.
-Okay, sir.
-Sagar?
-Yes, sir.
-Is everything alright?
-Yeah, sir. Absolutely.
-Take these to my room upstairs. Okay?
-Okay, sir.
SAMACHAR DAILY
What do we do?
-Shyam
-Sir?
A few columns
in the sample layout are empty.
This one on the first page.
This main column on the third page.
And these columns on pages six and seven.
Why?
Sagar sir instructed
us to leave them empty.
I don't know why.
May I come in, sir?
Yes, Mr. Chandra Murthy. Please come.
In this layout,
there is content missing in seven places.
They said it was your instruction.
May I know why?
Yeah.
The Praja Vakku party
has bought those slots.
Bought them?
Listen
you've been in the field for 30 years.
Don't you understand even this much?
Sorry, sir. I really don't.
Like how they divide the land
into plots and sell them,
we're selling articles now?
Yes, sir.
We're selling them.
A newspaper is like real estate, okay?
Every inch is valued at some price.
Every article is like a plot.
The front page is valued at a different
price than the last page. Clear?
This isn't real estate, sir.
This is called paid media.
In crass terms, it's called prostitution.
They sell their bodies for money.
And we're selling
our values and principles.
Both are the same.
Listen, mind your tongue, okay?
This is a damn business enterprise,
not an NGO!
We should think about profits
from day one.
If we worry about values and principles,
none of the 400 employees,
nor you or I, will get salaries.
Got it?
I believed that the youth
would transform this country.
I joined you with that belief.
But now
the way you're running this newspaper
I'm the Chief Editor here, okay?
I'll run the show however I like.
Just follow my instructions.
I can't do that, sir.
Then get out.
I don't need you here.
You're fired. Thank you.
This isn't new to me, sir.
I've changed nine newspapers till now.
Please get the hell out of my office.
Monish, what did you make?
Camera.
And you, Sanvi?
Fish.
Four cups.
-What did you make?
-Plane.
"Horoscope.
Gemini.
You shall endure
a whole lot of pain today.
Your baby
while still in the mother's womb
will die."
Priya!
Priya!
Priya!
Priya!
-Sir, it's me Kamakshi.
-Priya!
Kamakshi, what happened?
Where's Priya?
Rainwater leaked into the house, sir.
While climbing down the stairs,
ma'am slipped
and fell on the glass table on the side!
-What?! Shit!
-There's blood everywhere.
She's in terrible pain, sir!
-I'm terrified, sir!
-Kamakshi, don't panic.
Listen to me.
-Excuse me, nurse. Room no. 315?
-Straight and left, sir.
Left?
-Amrutha?
-Sagar
Yeah, doctor.
How's Priya?
All that blood worried me at first.
But nothing to worry.
She slipped and fell on a glass table.
She got a small cut on her leg.
The baby is safe.
We did all the tests.
We'll discharge her soon. Don't worry.
Thanks.
-Can I see her once?
-She's under observation.
-Please wait for some time.
-Okay.
Amrutha
Amrutha
Amrutha?
Amrutha?
Sagar?
-Sagar
-Careful!
Amrutha, lie down.
Don't get up.
Amrutha, what's with the injuries?
What happened?
-Sagar
-Amrutha!
What happened?
Sagar
Sorry, Sagar.
I couldn't save her.
What?!
What are you talking about?
What are you saying?
Our baby.
What baby, Amrutha?
Our baby.
Our baby, Sagar.
I was pregnant.
What?!
Our baby