Indian Summers (2015) s02e01 Episode Script

1 CROWD YELLS AND CHEERS One word to anyone at all and we will hang.
Aafrin? Hm? Look at me.
However harsh this may seem, you have to remember, in the end, our own happiness, our family's happiness It is nothing.
I know.
It has no value.
There can be no ties you are not willing to cut.
I know.
Not your sister? Not some sweetheart? There's no-one.
Sure? No-one at all? I am here for you.
Yeah! HE BLOWS WHISTLE Run! How are we, sir? Would you leave us? Heart attack.
Christ.
Why throw an empty grenade at the Viceroy of India? Do you have it? It's an old Mills Grenade, they used them in the Great War.
Nothing in it.
Childish prank? No, no.
Look at the timing.
Today in London, the mother of parliaments is going to pass into law a government act bringing historic reform to India.
New powers, new responsibilities.
Whoever perpetrated this attack wants to make a splash.
They want to say to the world, "India rejects this bill.
"India wants freedom on her own terms or not at all.
" Who else knows about the grenade? A very few of us.
Well, let's keep it that way.
What about the boy who threw it? Obligingly gave us the slip.
Oh, Christ.
Whoever did this, I swear to God, we'll find him.
I said, don't touch! SHE LAUGHS Go on.
Put it on.
Go on.
Satisfied? Shall we ring for tea? Sooni, stop it! SHE RINGS BELL Don't take it off! You need any assistance, sahib? No, thank you, Manish.
Tell me, uncle.
Who else occupies this office? No-one but the sahib.
No-one but the sahib! Sooni, go! I have to work I missed you! Well, if that's how you show it, I pity your husband, whoever he will be.
Oh, pardon me, your reverence! I thought after two years in Bengal you might be What? Less of a stick in the mud.
You should have seen it, Sooni.
The way people are out there, in the rice fields.
They're all thin as sticks.
Little children, hungry, with no hope except for more of the same.
And when the rains come down, whole villages washed away, I thought Where is King and Empire for these lost souls? Nowhere! Not to be seen.
So why work for them? Can you keep a secret? Depends what it is.
In everything I do I am your brother .
.
and always will be.
What does that mean? It means I missed you too.
SHE LAUGHS I should think so.
Look at you, hm? Pretty little sister! Don't, Aafrin! One day Mummy's going to be planning your nice big Parsi wedding! And who are you getting married to, huh? It was a small heart attack.
Oh.
Poor chap.
How does one have a "small" heart attack? Start with a small heart, I suppose Oh, I'm having a new hat made for the opening.
Do you want to see it? Cynthia! Will you listen to me? Ralph, do you know, When I heard he'd been taken ill, my first reaction was .
.
if the Viceroy were to, you know, shuffle off into the next life NOW, would it be so dreadful? I am rather fond of him Oh, no, of course you are! But then I thought, well, he may still be breathing, but he can't very well carry on, can he? Heart giving out every time a small child plays an amusing practical joke.
That's not quite how I would put it.
Take my advice.
When old Willingdon finally comes to There's no-one he trusts like you, no-one.
So you look him straight in the eye, and you tell him, "So glad you're well, Sir, but listen to me.
"Hot summer ahead of us, "Empire in the balance, it is the right thing, "it is the proper thing, to go home.
" "Go home now.
" Enjoy his retirement, lucky chap! Cynthia, I'm not, I'm not He will do as you tell him.
And meanwhile, London scratches its sorry skull, "Hmm, who've we got on the ground?" Ralph Whelan! Fit as a flea, India's in his bones! who better for a smooth transition? You make it sound like a coup.
Oh, come on.
Don't say it didn't occur to you? It has, hasn't it? This is your chance, my darling.
Viceroy of India, one year early.
Take it, take it, take it.
I'll think about it.
You do that.
Oh, there's someone I have to meet, but I need to be, er discreet.
Oh? And who might this someone be? I can't say.
Dirty dog.
I've seen the pair of you.
Go on, give her a wave.
I shan't look.
SHE CHUCKLES Will that do? Don't worry, I won't say a word.
Still, that poor wife of yours Come on.
Now.
I want you to guard this with your life.
What's this? I keep a little room.
Very discreet BIRD CALLS HE SIGHS CICADAS SING Hello, Brute.
I thought you were drawing a cat? Oh, don't tell me, He ran off, the little rascal! Which way did he go? Right there! Oh, really? Well, keep those peepers peeled and let's see if we can't hunt him down.
Excuse me.
My name is Dalal, sir.
Mr Whelan asked for me to come at once.
Did he indeed? He IS still living here, sir.
Look, if this is about money Wait.
I'll be back in a minute.
Ah! Here she is.
Sorry, I wasn't tired.
Miss Whelan.
Oh, er, not any more.
Her name is Mrs Havistock.
What brings you out to India, sir? I landed a job with Imperial Bank, prospects fair to middling.
I thought, why not? Alice and I met the day I arrived in Bombay, can you believe? That is fortuitous.
HE CHUCKLES Yes.
A quick wedding, no fuss.
As long as you're both happy.
We are.
Yes, very.
I suppose you're new to Simla? No, I was here three years ago.
Ah! Married? Not at present.
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH There he is! Dalal! Sir.
Let's try that again, shall we? Dalal.
Whelan.
That's more like it.
And Mrs Whelan.
Congratulations to you both.
My congratulations on your latest promotion.
Where are we now? Home Department.
I am Under-Secretary.
I see you've met Charlie, my brother-in-law? Oh, he certainly has.
Sahib? What's this? Oh, it came about an hour ago.
From your little reporter friend.
Mr Khan? Hmm.
How odd.
Ralph? Somebody is trying to hurt us, Aafrin.
My God.
No, the pamphlet's all true.
May I, sir? Yes.
Don't be afraid, it's empty, thank Christ.
Not that the Viceroy knew it.
He must have had a wretched fright.
Worse than that, he had a heart attack.
What's the latest from the doctor? No change.
Complete bed rest.
The fact is, until now, we've managed to keep this whole business from seeing the light of day.
Naturally that's the last thing the terrorists want.
Hm.
We need to find the author of this scandal-sheet.
Sir, I will do everything in my power.
Thank you.
Good.
They'll want to get this pamphlet down to the plain, So we'll need to stop the trucks.
I'll set up a check-point.
Would you issue an emergency notice banning any distribution? Right away.
On the usual grounds, incitement to violence.
I'll head to the printers myself.
I can just as easily do that No, no, there's no need.
Good man.
What do we have here? It's our new houseboy, from the mission school.
Adam, the one you mentioned.
I had no idea he was starting so soon.
I hope you'll be very happy.
Thank you, sahib.
Aafrin No.
There's no need to explain.
Now I can forget you.
It was nice to see you.
Your brother asked me to come.
Goodbye, Mrser What is it? Havistock.
Yes.
Goodbye.
Come on! We're all waiting! GRAMOPHONE PLAYS Enter the doomed Englishman! What do we have here? HE SINGS WITH MUSIC # I am the very model of a modern Major General # I've information vegetable, animal and mineral I know the kings of England No, no, no.
This won't do.
.
.
from Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical How about, "The Viceroy and Vicereine are happy "and rested in their beloved hills.
" You write that today.
Rebuff this nonsense.
And what about the grenade attack? You'd trust some grubby scandal sheet over the word of an Englishman? Ah! Googly.
Ha! Very nice.
Help me find our pamphleteer, will you? Come on.
I got you your job, I gave you that tie.
What more do you want? My life is simple.
My needs are few.
That's right.
The village hermit in his Savile Row suit(!) The Viceroy has had a heart attack.
A heart attack? HE LAUGHS Where is the boy? Inside.
My God, what I would have given to see that! An old man's close to death and he's celebrating? Aafrin, don't let him see your face! If the lat-Sahib were dead, THEN I would celebrate.
Naresh And that little boy - he's a hero! He throws a stone and brings down the giant! We send a child to do our dirty work, you think history will trumpet our name? You think Krishna or Buddha will be lining up to shake us all by the hand? AAFRIN SPEAKS TO THE BOY IN OWN LANGUAGE No, no, Aafrin! No, what are you? Aafrin! I hope your friend doesn't get us all killed! What did you do that for? We were going to send that boy in a day or two.
Kaira What? .
.
something happened.
What did you do? This.
They're going to interview the fellows at the printing press.
Yes, but you spoke to the old ink-wallah, as agreed? Yes, but, as I was leaving there I don't know how it happened.
There was another man, the owner of the place Please tell me he didn't see your face Aafrin! Help me.
Parsi, come with me.
Jaldi! You can help me dig! He says he didn't deal with the man himself.
So who did? Anyone? Eh? Silence.
Very good, very good.
You tell him.
He knows the laws regarding seditious material as well as I do.
HE BEGINS TO INTERPRE Now, these printing wheels will stand idle until you give me an answer.
Who gave you this document? Somebody must have seen him.
Somebody took his money! Please! I may have seen as the gentleman was leaving, sahib.
Young or old? Young man, sahib.
Indian fellow.
What else? A British suit.
Same like yours.
A young Indian man in a British suit.
Mr Khan here? KHAN CHUCKLES No, he was not Muslim, sahib.
Hindu, naturally? Not Hindu either? You think? Or you know? I am thinking not Hindu, sahib.
How can you tell? It is simply a feeling.
Here, open it.
What do you think, Parsi? I think you're out of your mind.
Ha! Out of my mind? Very nice.
You know why I have this box? Don't tell me My father.
He was a sepoy.
Blown to bits in the trenches of Ypres You know One and a half million Indian soldiers, fighting a British war.
For nothing.
Where did you get it? No! No, no, no! The real question is, what are we going to do WITH it? What? Look.
You see? The Ogre's Castle! It justsits there! It has a quality of magic, no?! Naresh-da, you know that I am your friend and your ally? Yes? And God knows I want the same freedom you do.
But this? This is not the way! No, it's the only way.
You think I am going to just sit by and watch while you blow this thing up? No, no.
You are not going to sit by! You! You are the trusted babu! You are the key to this whole action.
No.
No.
This time, you work alone.
Don't say that, Parsi.
You want me to finish off your precious Baapi? The war hero? You come anywhere near my father and I'll You'll what? What?! I'll kill you! HE LAUGHS See? You do have it in you, Parsi! Plenty of courage! Plenty of pluck! This is our great war, little brother.
We are going to kill that damn Viceroy.
We are going to blow them all up until it is raining hands and feet.
Hands and bloody feet! And your family, they will be safe.
As long as you play your part.
Now help me bury this bomb.
Does he seem different, would you say? I should say so.
I mean, two years of hard work in the heat and humidity of Bengal Course he's different.
He's smoking now.
CHUCKLING: Really? LAUGHING: I smelt it on his collar.
He has gone.
And we are still the same.
Dalal! Progress? The pamphlets have been impounded, sir.
Only one batch made it past the checkpoint.
I fear it's on its way down to the plains.
We'll be ready for it in Delhi.
Sir, did you speak to the printer? Yes.
And? A young Indian man in a British suit.
Well, Simla has its fair share of those.
I dare say.
Myself included.
Dalal, your shoes.
Er Yes.
My sister was showing me our new rose bed.
I am no gardener, as you can imagine.
Parsi.
Sir? Neither Hindu or Muslim.
Do you think people can tell what a man isat a glance? Hindu, Mohammedan and so on? I suppose, if there is some outward sign.
Why do you ask? My brother-in-law took you for a thief.
I don't care for him myself But perhaps he's right.
Perhaps you are a thief.
Or worse.
Hmm? Am I being accused of some crime, Whelan? You tell me.
Hmm? Are you heading over to the office? Yes.
Good.
"My arithmetic was satis" Satis! It's Latin.
It means my son is very clever.
He did jolly well, yes.
Go on.
"I scored another try" Bravo! ".
.
for third XV" XV? Yes, Chota Matthew? 15! Progress! Something's gone in at last! Third 15 at rugger.
"But we lost the match.
" Oh, never mind.
Yes, what? Why is it third 15? Well, there's a second and a first and so on - they're very much of a muchness.
But third is generally regarded as top.
Here "Muggers says I'm going to have a topping scar after the last game.
" (Oh, dear.
I hope not.
) "Thank you for the woolly vest.
" Yes.
"It is very good.
Your son, Matthew.
" Auntie, we had that letter before? Yes, and you're still as rusty as ever, misery guts.
Now, fetch the ball.
Right here.
How long have you been there? Roopah, you'll be Muggers.
Hup! Go on, off you go! Come! Not many of them left now.
We said bye to Adam this morning.
Oh! Eight down, six to go.
They're not numbers, Sarah.
No.
And I'm sure you'll find good homes for them all.
I came back for you, remember? Not every wife would have done the same, with that woman.
And now we've got this.
And I can't have it here.
I'm not going through all that again - it's not safe.
So you said.
This is my school.
It's not easy, letting go.
Yes, I know.
But we'll go home, we'll start again.
I'll help.
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH DOOR OPENS I spoke to Her Royal Highness today.
Cynthia? Mm.
And? She says, "Send him home.
" The Viceroy.
She seems to think I could be in with a shot now.
A year ahead of time.
And what do you think? Am I ready? Of course you're ready.
No, but are they ready for me? My kind.
Your WHAT? I'm ordinary.
I'm an ordinary man from a perfectly ordinary family stuck out in the East.
How could I ever hope to reach the top? The whole thing is risible.
It's a joke.
There is such a thing as merit.
Oh, that stuff will only get you so far in this world.
Look It's not going to be straightforward.
So much the better.
Keep Willingdon in place to take the heat if you screw up.
Stay close enough to reap the reward if you succeed.
Anyway, you decide.
It's all a game, right? You're turning into Cynthia.
Really? See, she can't do that.
I wouldn't put it past her.
KNOCK AT DOOR From Mr Ronnie Keane, sahib.
Ah.
Thank you.
I have to go.
See you at the club.
DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES HEAVY RAIN POURS Are you with us? AAFRIN GASPS Sir? Listen, I just wanted tothank you for your help today.
Well I did what I could.
Yes, you did.
Yes.
Not every man I can trust.
You'd be surprised.
The disappointment .
.
when someone you believed in and turned to Someone you thought you knew Aafrin, can I share something with you in confidence? Of course.
I've got him.
Really? Oh, I'm I'm this close.
That is good news.
Have you made an arrest? Not yet.
Tonight.
You sure you're all right? Perfectly.
The sooner you catch him, the better.
See you up at the club.
We'll be expecting you.
So, what do you think? Colourful and jingoistic.
What's the latest on the Viceroy? Still living, memsahib.
Half-baked terrorists.
I tell you, if you're going to do a job You see, I would leave nothing to chance - garrotte him in his bath.
Boil up a bit of arsenic.
Yeah, that's it.
I'd make a nice little jelly out of it for him.
Plenty of sugar, dash of cinnamon D'you think this is a bit, I dunno, top-heavy? Not if you remain very still.
Oh.
A lot to celebrate tonight.
As long as my Ralphie does as he's jolly well told.
Silly boy.
CLOCK BELLS CHIME Who knows I am here? Not a soul, I swear to God.
Now, look - I know this can't be easy for you, but we want to help with your situation.
Yes, you always do.
He's well? Your son, Tahil? He's alive.
How old is he now? What do you want? One question A man walked into the printer's - this man as good as murdered the Viceroy.
A young Indian man in a British suit.
And? I want his name.
No.
Fair enough, fair enough.
To be honest, we think we may have the man responsible, I just need you to confirm it.
I can't tell you.
It's all right.
You don't need to say a word.
I'm going to give you a name and if it's our man, you just leave.
Leave now.
Is that clear? Name? Aafrin Dalal.
APPLAUSE Now, everyone! Regrettably, His Excellency the Viceroy has been delayed ALL: Oh.
.
.
on account of hay fever! That's all! The Vicereine's! Not his! "A-choo!" THEY LAUGH So, without further ado, I declare the new members' library open.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Kaiser, scissors! No, no.
Wait, wait, everybody, please.
Wait! APPLAUSE THEY LAUGH AND CHEER Kaira.
I was seen! Who saw you? The printer! He came to my work, do you understand? He came with bloody Ronnie Keane from Intelligence! What did you tell them? I said nothing.
It's fine! It's fine then.
Are you joking? Kaira, this is it, this is the end of it, I have to get out of here! Aafrin, you have to carry on as if nothing has happened.
You can't give up, you are one of them now.
It's too late.
Aafrin.
Where is it? What? Where is it? Aafrin, no! I know you have it here somewhere, give it to me.
What is it? Aafrin, what? Where is it?! Give it to me.
What?! Aafrin! That damned cyanide pill! Where is it? If I'm to be arrested, I have to have something.
I have to be sure I can get out of this, do you understand? What are you going to do? I have to go to the Club.
Why? I'm expected.
Aafrin, Aafrin - please promise you're not going to take this.
Please.
This one is from the widow of a Colonel Cardew.
Marriage proposal? No.
Not quite.
But she has knitted you a lovely pair of socks.
Brava, Mrs Cardew.
You know, my boy, I feel at a loss.
Sitting in that car, I wondered, is it time for me to go? Sir, I'm glad you are well again .
.
but now this bill has finally passed into law, we've got a hot summer ahead of us.
A defining season, if you like.
Yes.
I believe it would be the right thing - the responsible thing - for you to .
.
stay firm.
This is your moment, sir.
This is your chance to make a dent in history.
It won't be easy, I grant you.
But it's within our grasp, sir.
Yes.
Show India that her future is safer in British hands.
And who better to accomplish that than you? What a climax to your career! And I dare say Whitehall will look very gladly on your own contribution.
Well, I'm hardly the issue here.
Oh, rot.
The sky's the limit, Whelan.
With your brain, your compassion.
You're sounding fit! Oh, I'm rather worn out.
Do you think you can stand? I shouldn't think so.
Why? Are we off? If you can manage it.
Nothing like a show of strength to put those doubters to the sword.
Steady as she goes.
# .
.
till there wasn't any room for me to ride! # Oh! My old man said follow the van # And don't dilly-dally on the way # Off went the cart with me 'ome packed in it # I walked behind with me old cock linnet # But I dillied and dallied, I dallied and I dillied Lost the van and don't know where to roam.
Oh That's right, sir.
Nearly there.
# .
.
like the old-time copper # When you can't find your way, can't find your way Can't find your way home.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Well done, Ronnie! Thank you! Oh! Here he is! NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS ON PIANO APPLAUSE Your Excellency! Such an honour! You're well, I hope? Ready for battle, Mrs Coffin! Mr Khan, of the Simla Times.
Your Excellency.
A photograph, if you will.
Thank you.
A toast, if I may, to the evolving story of our two great nations for many years to come.
Hear! Hear! RAGTIME JAZZ PLAYS Excuse me.
Well.
As long as you know what you're doing.
You and the wife.
Don't be jealous.
You just don't get it.
What if this was your moment? What if this was your chance? You know, I actually don't want this.
Oh, not to worry.
Would you have it? What? Be a sport, go on.
I hate brandy.
Oh, go on.
Drink up, or they'll think I'm terribly rude.
I don't want it.
Just drink.
Christ sake, Alice.
Go on.
Drink, drink, drink.
There we go.
There we go, down the hatch.
That's it.
That's it.
Mummy! Happy? Percy! Here we go, atta boy! Do you know what? I think Muddle's drunk again.
Aren't you, Muddle? Let's pretend that we don't know her, in case she's sick on our nice new shoes.
Aafrin.
Your mother's looking for you, come.
Baapi, wait.
If anything should happen tonight, I What is it, my boy? Nothing.
Good.
Head held high - like so.
What are you two doing here? Come on inside.
JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS HUM OF VOICES AND MUSIC You met him in Bombay? No.
He's Percy's father.
My same old, dear old husband I married when I was 17 and stupid.
Everyone up here thought I was a widow so we put it about we only just met when he first got out here.
It's all rubbish, but he loves to rake it up, just to remind me what a fool I am.
Now I know why you stopped writing to me.
I tried.
I tried writing.
I didn't know where to begin.
In your last letter you said You promised you would wait for me.
I had no choice.
It was either go home or give up my son to the courts.
Anyway, you were off in Bengal, weren't you? Doing such marvellous things, like men all do.
You have no idea what my life was.
Besides, I didn't wait for you either.
I have another life now.
So much the better.
Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mrs Havistock.
I dreaded seeing you I mean, I wanted to, but I dreaded it.
I dreaded it.
That horribly disappointed look.
Yeah.
There it is.
Just like clockwork.
Shut up Oh, God.
What a waste, what a mess, what a muddle Stop it Muddle! Now just go to hell.
Ah, just the man.
Aafrin.
Our mysterious 'Indian in a British suit.
' The pamphleteer.
There was a fellow at the printing press, I won't bore you with the details, but for one awful moment, he seemed to think that you were our man.
Really? Yes.
Though he also identified about a dozen other members of the administration! I say we have a whip-round! Buy the old bugger a pair of spectacles! Right, tear the place apart! Come on, hurry up! Hurry up! YELLING Thank God I received new intelligence.
Reliable intelligence.
LAUGHING: You didn't half have us on our toes, old munshi! You found the culprit? Oh, yes.
We hope to smoke him out tonight.
That's him! WHISTLES BLOW YELLING Memsahib HE WHISPERS INAUDIBLY HOSTILE YELLING GUNSHO My old friend.
How could I ever have doubted you? It's quite all right, Sir.
No.
But we can put all this behind us, can we? I hope so.
Well.
Butter wouldn't melt.