Shantaram (2022) s01e03 Episode Script

[FIRE CRACKLING]
[VILLAGER SHOUTS IN MARATHI]
Come on! Let's use
all the water we have!
Hurry up! Hurry up! Use
sheets to put out the fire.
[VILLAGERS SHOUTING]
[GRUNTING]
[PRABHU SPEAKING MARATHI]
Tear down these huts. We
need to make a firebreak.
You want to kill me? Come on!
What's burning?
[KARLA] It's Sagar Wada.
It's where Lin was staying.
You said yourself he's gone.
I'm cold.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING]
All right. You have to keep
this clean. You understand?
Understand. Okay.
All right. Good man.
[PRABHU SPEAKING HINDI]
[VILLAGER, PRABHU SPEAK HINDI]
Wa alaikumu assalam.
I'm Qasim Ali, headman here.
Prabhu has told me all about you.
Thank you, Mr. Lin.
Thank you for what you are doing.
Well, I could do more
with better supplies.
If you get me whatever you have
Some of these people
need hospital, drugs, IVs.
Yes, but none of these
things will be coming here.
You already have what we have, huh?
Parvati? [SPEAKS HINDI]
Can someone take a look at Lakshmi?
What happened? What happened, Lakshmi?
- [PANTING]
- Okay, bring her here.
[PRABHU SPEAKS HINDI]
table, to lie her down.
[QASIM, ARUN SPEAKING MARATHI]
- Okay. You're all right. No, you're okay.
- [WHIMPERING]
You're all right.
Easy. You're all right.
Ask her if she's having
trouble breathing.
- [SPEAKS HINDI]
- [GROANS]
Huh?
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SPEAKS MARATHI]
hospital to take out that metal.
- What, you can't do this?
- No. No way.
[LIN] I think it's punctured her lung.
- [IN MARATHI] Mom.
- Ravi!
- [CLAMORING]
- [LAKSHMI] Ravi!
- Mom!
Prabhu! Put your hands
on there, all right?
- Solid pressure.
- [RAVI SHOUTS IN MARATHI]
[CLAMORING CONTINUES]
Move your hands. Move your hands!
- [QASIM SPEAKING HINDI]
- [RAVI SPEAKS MARATHI]
- I need you to hold her. All right?
- Okay.
- Don't let her move.
- Okay. [SPEAKS MARATHI]
- Tell her this is gonna help her breathe.
- [SPEAKS MARATHI]
- [IN MARATHI] Don't touch her! [SHOUTS]
- [BREATHES SHAKILY]
[RAVI SHOUTS IN MARATHI]
Get away from my mother! [SHOUTING]
need to be able to hear.
[IN MARATHI] Ravi, stop!
He's trying to help her.
[GASPING]
- Ravi. [SPEAKS MARATHI]
- Ravi. Ravi.
- [IN MARATHI] Mom!
- Ravi.
- [RAVI SHOUTS]
- What happened?
- She needs a doctor now.
Move! Move!
Prabhu, help me lift her.
On three. One, two, three.
[PRABHU, LIN GRUNT]
- Mom.
- Mr. Lin, where are you taking her?
She needs a doctor, or
she's gonna die quickly.
Then let her die surrounded
by the people she loves.
I want her to live with
the people she loves,
not die with them. Prabhu?
- [IN HINDI] This is wrong.
- [LIN] On three. One, two, three.
- [LAKSHMI] Ravi.
- [QASIM] Lakshmi, it's okay.
- We're taking you to the doctor.
- [LIN] Go, go, go!
[LAKSHMI] Ravi. Ravi! Ravi.
[QASIM] Don't worry, Ravi.
They're helping your mother.
Lin, listen!
She's not dying, Prabhu.
Not because of me.
- Hey! We need help!
- [TIRES SCREECH, HORNS HONK]
Hey! Stop! Hey!
- [WHISPERING] Prabhu, Prabhu.
- [LIN] We got a dying woman here!
Prabhu. Prabhu.
Hey. Hey, stop!
[TIRES SCREECHING]
Lin, stop! Enough!
[HORNS HONK]
[WHISPERS IN MARATHI, INDISTINCT]
It does not matter.
I want to know.
[BREATHES SHAKILY] She asked for Ravi.
[QASIM SPEAKS MARATHI]
[IN MARATHI] They'll be back soon.
Oh.
How many huts have burned?
Thirty. Mine included.
- Mom!
- [VILLAGER SPEAKS MARATHI]
[CRIES]
some food and chai, okay?
I'm not hungry.
Lin.
You were trying to do the best
thing. I know this. So you can
This was my fault.
[BREATHES SHAKILY]
Prabhu, if I hadn't been here,
this fire would've never happened
Lin, please. Please.
Fires, they happen here.
You think I'm not hating
Lakshmi is gone, huh?
This time, we are lucky.
Last year, there was much bigger fire,
much more of the jhopadpatti was burned.
More than 20 died.
I will bring food, okay?
[SIGHS]
- [EMPLOYEE GASPS]
- [CHARLIE] Drop the Fuck. Fuck.
Drop the clipboard
and put your hands up.
Get the fuck on.
[EMPLOYEE GASPS, WHIMPERS]
[CHARLIE] Don't touch any
fucking alarm buttons, all right?
[LIN] Could you ladies
fill these bags up, please?
It's all insured. It's really
not worth worrying about.
- [EMPLOYEE 2] Just do what he says.
- [BREATHING SHAKILY]
- Please Laura.
- [CHARLIE] Okay, okay, okay.
Why don't you get a
job, you lazy bastards?
[CHARLIE] Hey! Excuse me,
this is our job, you fat ass.
Don't get in the way of
us doing it, all right?
[LIN] Come on, love. It's all
good. You just need to fill the bag.
[EMPLOYEE 2] Can't you
see she's terrified?
- [CHARLIE] Just fill the bag!
- [BREATHES SHAKILY]
[ALARM BELL RINGING]
[OFFICER] Out of the way!
Out of the way! Move! Move!
- [GRUNTS, PANTS]
- Watch it.
Sorry, mate. My fault.
- Hey. Get off me.
- [LIN STRAINS]
Drop the bloody gun.
Get off me! [GRUNTS]
Bastard. Drop the gun!
Get the fuck off me.
- Drop the gun! Drop it! Drop it!
- Okay. Okay. Okay!
[GUNSHOT]
What did you do?
[GUN CLATTERS]
Move.
Dale.
- [GASPS]
- Dale, fucking move.
- [SIREN WAILING]
- Now. Come on.
Dale.
[SIREN CONTINUES]
Somebody, call an ambulance.
Okay. Hey, hey. Stay with me. Hey.
You're all right,
mate. You're all right.
Stay with me.
[OFFICER] Get away from him!
[BIRDS SQUAWKING]
Salaam alaikum, Walidbhai.
Alaikumu assalam, Khaderbhai.
Interesting choice of location.
Sad to think how many men once
earned a living here in better days.
Arre, everything
has its use-by date, huh?
And everyone.
Now, you wanted to talk.
This is where we can do it.
Rujul Aadekar is dead.
Had I been in your shoes, I
would have done exactly the same.
All the companies are at peace.
Our men are not killing and
shooting each other in the streets,
and everyone is satisfied.
The companies are at peace because
they're run by tired, old men
who've settled for the status quo.
Except yours?
Except mine.
Rujul, he believed you are weak, huh?
Certainty of what is right
does not make anyone weak,
or you'd still be running the
passport market in Colaba, not me.
Is that what this is, Walid?
You want to start a war
over your hurt pride?
I'm not starting anything.
This is business, yaar.
Sagar Wada is worth a fortune. So,
I simply made Rujul a better offer.
I am not going to lose Sagar Wada.
Is that a threat?
A simple statement of fact.
For you maybe, chachu, huh?
You see, one man can say
his wife is beautiful,
and another only sees a pig.
You see, I think it is a simple fact
that I have more men and money than you.
I think it is a simple fact that
women and drugs are the future,
and yet you choose to stay in the past.
You have to give the people
what they want, Khaderbhai.
Otherwise, you are consigned to history.
Maybe I'll build a big
statue of you at the gates
of my Sagar Wada, huh?
Always a pleasure talking
with you, Walidbhai.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING]
You're awake? Good. Come.
Something you gotta see, boss.
All right. Just give me a minute.
Come, na.
[PRABHU SPEAKS HINDI]
What are they all doing?
They're your patients.
What are you talking about?
They all know about the
doctoring you did last night,
so now they wait to see you.
No. No. I'm not
- Lin, no no problem waiting, Linbaba.
- I can't.
They're here more than one hour
already. I told them you must sleep.
Prabhu.
Even if you were not here,
they would still be waiting,
but waiting for nothing only.
And that kills the heart.
But waiting for something,
that is different, na?
I can't do that. Look,
I'm not even a doctor.
Even bad doctor better than no doctor.
- I'm not saying you are bad
- [STAMMERS]
only that if you were,
it would be okay. Lin, please.
- Prabhu.
- Lakshmi was going to die anyway.
And we will grieve her.
But that is how it is sometimes.
- [IN MARATHI] How are you, Prabhu?
- Okay.
Look, I wanna say
sorry about last night.
You were right. I should have listened.
[VILLAGER, IN HINDI] Qasim,
is he going to help us?
- [VILLAGER, INDISTINCT]
- [PRABHU SMACKS LIPS]
to run more than ever,
take the second chance
Karla's money had given me
and get out of Bombay,
despite what helping me
had done to these people.
[IN MARATHI] It will
be good, you'll see.
God willing.
money to be giving away, Linbaba.
Yeah, well, I'm gonna
need a lot of things.
But why you do this?
I've got my reasons.
Go on, take it. Use it to
rebuild the homes that burned.
Please.
I will make sure every
paisa is well spent.
[IN MARATHI] All right!
Just two more minutes. Okay?
[VILLAGER SIGHS, CHUCKLES]
[PRABHU SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
Put some of this on, all right?
[LIN] It had to be me.
Another man with my training
wouldn't have been forced
by crime into the slum.
Another criminal wouldn't
have had my training.
I didn't get the joke, and
fate didn't make me laugh.
But I knew I couldn't leave.
[CHATTERING]
[PRABHU COUNTING IN HINDI]
Okay? Out. Okay. [SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
[SPEAKS HINDI INDISTINCTLY]
Hi. [SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
[SIGHS]
You need to eat.
Breakfast of champions.
You can be such a child sometimes.
Are you angry with me
for helping you get clean?
You're the one who's angry.
Does it piss you off so much
that you have to look after me?
I want you to look after yourself, Lisa.
But you won't, because
you like being powerless,
because it makes you the
center of whatever universe
you happen to be in.
Some people look after
you because they love you.
That's not a bad thing.
And what happens when they aren't there?
You can't spend your life
refusing to care for anyone
in case they leave.
I can't do this, Lisa. Not now.
I don't wanna fight with
you, not with everything else.
I'm sorry.
You're right. I'm being
a selfish, spoiled bitch.
- What is it?
- [KARLA SNIFFS]
Yesterday, all I could think
about was not being weak.
And now, I close my eyes,
and all I see is Rujul dead.
Khader knew. [CHUCKLES]
He tried to protect me, and the
more he did [INHALES DEEPLY]
the more I was determined to
prove myself I could handle it.
You don't have to prove anything, Karla.
[SNIFFS] If I don't,
the deal will fall apart.
And would that be so bad?
When is the last time you let
yourself go and felt happy?
Truly happy?
Let's be fucked-up together.
I promise to eat some of this and
not be a royal pain in the ass,
if you promise to stay here with me
and play records with me like old times
until we run out of booze and hash.
Hmm?
[SOFTLY] Okay.
[CHATTERING]
You are needing rest? I can
tell them to come back tomorrow.
No, I'm good.
[IN MARATHI] Stop! Dr. Lin
will be taking a break now.
is a thank-you, Dr. Lin.
Oh, well, it was actually Prabhu's idea.
[IN HINDI] It was my idea.
into it and let me use his hut.
[IN HINDI] I talked Qasim Ali into it.
who, um, got all the supplies.
- [IN HINDI] I got the supplies.
- Huh.
Prabhu, this was a
good thing that you did.
[PARVATI CLEARS THROAT]
help with patients?
Oh, no. We're good, thank you.
This is great though.
Very good, huh, Linbaba?
Very slick, very smooth,
until you sent her away. Parvati!
Thank you, huh?
[IN HINDI] If you like, I
will bring back your tray
when we are finished.
At the chai shop.
You'll be there?
I'll be there.
- All right, what are you staring at?
- [VILLAGERS LAUGH]
Haven't you got work to do?
[IN MARATHI] Let's go.
Mmm, yummy, yummy.
The Palace operates on
an appointment-only basis.
The Palace operates because we let it.
Tell Zhou we're here. Go.
[CHUCKLES]
I'm not some helpless girl, Padma,
that will bend to your discipline.
You will need to leave
any weapons you carry here.
No, I won't.
This is an honor, Khaderbhai. Can
I get you something to drink or eat?
Recently, I spent a solemn
moment with Rujul Aadekar.
This morning, I spent
some time with Walid Shah.
And now, I've come to see you.
I do not approve of your business,
but I understand it is a
business that must exist.
So, you've been allowed
to come here and prosper.
But there has been one condition
to your success. Neutrality.
I made a mistake, Khaderbhai.
I can only apologize.
At first, I assumed you knew of it.
When I realized this wasn't
the case, it was too late.
[SIGHS] As you say, my position
here in Bombay is vulnerable
You do not play the victim well, Madame.
I hope you were better at faking
back when you were a
mistress and a whore.
Like I said, I made a mistake.
But if I was going to die for it,
I don't think you would come
here yourself to watch it happen.
Dead, you are of no use to me.
Alive, maybe I could use you.
Understand that when I leave this
place, I will take your life with me
as collateral against
the debt that you now owe.
And when I ask something
of you, you will do it,
or this place will burn
as your funeral pyre.
How did you know?
Was it Karla Saaranen?
Who?
I do not know that name.
Rujul belonged to me.
I knew him better than he knew himself.
So I had him followed, where he
went, what he did, who he saw.
He was stupid to think otherwise.
It was his stupidity
that got him killed.
I hope you're not stupid, Madame.
- [CHATTERING]
- [QASIM SPEAKING HINDI]
[CHATTERING CONTINUES]
we are now going to build
the pyre for Lakshmi's funeral
if you want to come.
Ah, I'm sorry, Johnny. I
got no right to be there.
Prabhu told me you blame yourself.
Prabhu talks too much.
[SOFTLY] Yeah.
Khaderbhai gave you your
life today. Is this wise?
My life isn't any man's to give or take.
I know their business as well as them.
All these bhais Fuck them.
Maybe it's time for the behains, Padma.
We had a deal, you and I.
If you're talking about
Lisa, I kept my part of it.
Lisa is gone.
I don't see how that is my fault.
Then why are you scared, Maurizio?
I am not.
I think you are.
I think maybe it's the only time
when men and women
can truly be the same,
when they're powerless and terrified.
But women are forced to feel
it so much more than men.
By men, usually.
Why am I here?
There is a way for you
to earn my forgiveness.
I'm listening.
I want you to sell brown
sugar for me in Colaba.
Colaba is Khaderbhai's territory.
But he doesn't sell heroin there.
Neither does anyone else.
I owe him no loyalty. Do you?
Me?
I owe loyalty to no one.
[CHUCKLES] Which is honest, at least.
My terms are simple.
My name is never mentioned.
You keep 20% of the profit.
Forty. I'm taking all of the risk.
I'm not negotiating with you.
[SUCKS TEETH]
How much are we talking about?
I have access to as much
Afghan dope as you can sell.
Okay then. You have a deal.
Then you have nothing to fear.
Mr. Lin?
My name's Abdullah Taheri.
I have someone who wants to meet you.
Okay. Who is it?
[CHUCKLES]
Please.
Mr. Lindsay Ford?
Just "Lin" works.
I'm pleased to meet you.
I've heard good things.
It's always nice to hear good things
about foreigners here in Bombay.
You might have heard of me also.
My name is Abdel Khader Khan.
So, you are the doctor
in the hutments now.
Well, I'm, uh I'm a long
way from being a doctor.
Well, maybe that is why
you are doing so well.
Doctors do not go into the
jhopadpatti willingly.
We can compel men not to be bad,
but we cannot compel them
to do good, don't you find?
I, uh, never really thought about it.
I wonder what compels you.
Is there something I can do for you?
I don't know yet.
That is why I am here,
to invite you to spend some time
with me and my friend Abdullah.
All right. I mean no offense,
but I'm just gonna say this.
You have a fairly scary reputation.
So you just turning up like this,
you can see why I might be a bit nervous
about jumping in the back of your
car and letting you drive me away.
[CHUCKLES]
I give you my word. No harm
will come to you this night.
Do I have a choice?
You always have a choice.
In the end, I think that is all we have.
Okay.
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
- [PEOPLE CHATTERING]
- [LIVELY MUSIC PLAYING]
So much for curfew.
The authorities know
that civilized people in large
cities need places to gather and hunt.
So certain establishments
are permitted to pay a bribe,
and order is preserved.
Officially, the law remains.
It's just not enforced.
Who gets to decide which laws
get enforced and which ones don't?
Someone once said the worst thing
about corruption as
a system of governance
is that it works so well.
Ramesh!
[NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
[IN HINDI] How is your father?
He is well, Khaderbhai.
[IN HINDI] But I am having a problem.
Tell me.
Bhai, it's about my landlord.
He is demanding double rent already.
He wants to evict us, not just me,
but all the families in my building.
He has goondas, and his
goondas beat us badly.
Even my own father.
Then he is not well.
No, sir. He is too
proud to ask you for help
and doesn't want to disturb your peace.
But I
You're a good son.
We won't do anything to hurt his pride.
And there will be no need to
speak to your father about this
is solved, inshallah.
- Thank you, thank
- Okay, okay. Yes, yes, yes.
How much did you understand?
Um, not much. Um, something
about his home and his father.
Their landlord wants
them out of their place.
By force, if necessary.
So you threaten the
man who threatens them?
Do you approve?
[CHUCKLES] I don't think
you need my approval.
You're Abdel Khader Khan.
[CHUCKLES]
Just because I can easily do
something doesn't always mean I should.
Humor me. If it were you?
I think if I liked Ramesh and
this landlord was out of line,
then I'd do what I could for him.
Even if it meant acting against the law?
Who gets to choose which laws
get enforced and which ones don't?
In the end, regardless
of laws or who chooses,
each one of us, every atom in
every galaxy in every universe,
is moving towards God.
I don't believe in God.
Then we have much more
to talk about, you and I.
[IN HINDI] Let's go. We
will take him to the club.
[ENGINE STARTS]
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON GRAMOPHONE]
- No. I just didn't say I wouldn't.
Your deal.
I've come too far, Lisa.
I don't have a choice.
Can't disappoint Mr. Khader Khan.
Stay. Please.
For both of us.
I can see what this is doing
to you. You know it too.
You just won't admit it.
Choose me. Stay with me.
Because this matters the most.
I care about you. You know that.
But you're choosing him anyway.
[DOOR OPENS]
- [KHADERBHAI LAUGHS]
- [INHALES SHARPLY]
This club has the best
ghazel singers in Bombay.
What are ghazels?
Love songs. Love songs to God.
No matter what you might think,
there is no believing in God.
We either know him or we do not.
Well, I don't know God, but I
think he's pretty much impossible.
[CHUCKLES] The fact that God is
impossible is proof he exists.
So does that mean that all
possible things don't exist?
I'm delighted you understand.
- [KHADERBHAI, ABDULLAH LAUGH]
- I really don't.
You're in trouble now, my friend.
Nothing exists as we see
it. Our eyes are liars.
Everything that seems real
is part of the illusion.
You, me, this room.
So if everything's an illusion, how
do we know what to do, how to live?
- We lie.
- [ABDULLAH CHUCKLES]
The sane man is simply a
better liar than the insane man.
Your eyes lie.
What you think you know tells
you this is not so, but it's true.
[STAMMERS] We prefer the
lie because it's easier.
That's how we stay sane?
I am not married, and I have no sons.
But if I tell you that I see
it clearly that you are my son,
Abdullah is your
brother, I am your father,
you will think that is impossible.
You will resist it. You do. I see it.
You prefer to believe the
lie that we are all strangers,
and there is no connection between us.
I have a father.
And I don't know you. You don't know me.
I think maybe I do.
What do you lie to
yourself about, Mr. Lin?
I don't. I'm finished with that.
I know what I am, what
I've done, what I owe.
[IN URDU] I have decided to like Lin.
[SANTIR NOTES PLAYING]
[SINGING IN HINDI]
[DRUMBEAT STARTS]
[SINGING CONTINUES]
[SINGING CONTINUES]
[VIOLIN NOTES PLAYING]
[SINGING CONTINUES]
[NO AUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
[SONG ENDS]
Ah, it's incredible. I never
heard anything like it before.
Can I ask you something?
All this, tonight
Why'd you bring me here?
What do you want from me?
[KARLA] What are you doing here?
Listening, drinking tea,
learning that the world as
I know it is an illusion.
I'm pretty stoned.
You were meant to leave Bombay.
Who is your friend, Mr. Lin?
This is Karla Saaranen.
Are we friends?
I don't know.
Let's just say Karla has had
a full and central part of
my life in Bombay so far.
Real or not.
I think she's real.
In fact,
Karla proves that I'm right.
If I invented her, she
would be a lot nicer to me.
Karla, allow me to
introduce Abdullah Taheri,
my brother from another
mother, apparently,
recently reunited by my newest
acquaintance, Mr. Abdel Khader Khan.
- You've probably heard of him.
- Of course.
It's a pleasure to
meet you, Ms. Saaranen.
Likewise. How do you all
come to know each other?
Fate saw fit to throw us together.
Funny how that happens.
Yeah, well, "Misery acquaints
a man with strange bedfellows."
Who's the monster?
What do you mean?
That line is spoken by a man
who lies down with a monster.
Ms. Saaranen knows her Shakespeare.
Someone once told me
that all the questions and
most of the answers in life
can be found in Shakespeare.
Would you like to join us?
I can't. I've got guests of my own.
We have business to conclude.
I should get back to them.
Good luck with your business.
Inshallah.
Enjoy the rest of your
evening, gentlemen.
["SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND"
PLAYING LOUDLY OVERHEAD]
[HORN HONKS]
[MUSIC STOPS]
[LOCK CLICKS]
[KEYS CLATTER]
It has been a pleasure, Lin.
[CHUCKLES]
Was this some kind of test?
Why do you help in Sagar Wada?
They needed it.
An act of nobility then?
Nah, there's nothing noble about
me. You can trust me on that.
There are no good men or bad men.
It is what they do, or refuse to
do, that makes them good or evil.
This place means a great deal to me.
Thank you for tonight, Mr. Khan.
Please, call me Khaderbhai.
Khaderbhai.
[ALL CHUCKLE]
- Close enough.
- [LIN, KHADERBHAI CHUCKLE]
[LIN] Maybe fate brought me together
with these men, father and brother.
But everything that came after
was down to my own choices,
just like Khader had said.
["SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND" RESUMES]
You took her away. You
took my mother away.
She was all I had.
Yeah.
I didn't mean to, but I did.
I'm tired, Ravi, of getting it
so fucking wrong all the time.
Are you gonna use that?
- [INHALES SHARPLY, GRUNTING]
- [QASIM] Ravi!
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[IN MARATHI] What are you doing, Ravi?
- [SIGHS]
- [IN HINDI] Ravi, my son
[IN MARATHI] Your mother is gone.
Do this, and you'll lose
yourself forever also.
Understand?
to carry your murder on
his conscience, Mr. Lin.
And you are a selfish fool
for not knowing better.
[SPEAKS MARATHI]
Go to my hut. You will
stay with my family now.
No. Uncle Qasim, please.
I won't hurt him, but
Ravi. Do as I say.
Go.
That he will stay with my family now.
Lakshmi's hut will
now be yours, Mr. Lin.
When people here need your help,
this is where they will find you.
This is not a gift I'm giving you.
Yeah.
[INHALES SHARPLY]