Original subtitles

[Title Montage]

[Astha] Everybody danced a lot and the food was also over.

- Rasgulla? - Only the cake is left.

It's good. Or else we would have had to stuff it in the fridge.

- Yes, mom. - Rasgulla.

Thank you.

[Kalpana] It is the specialties of the Bengalis.

Even if they are dead tired,

they won�t miss eating the Rasgulla.

[Hemant] I will get it.

[Kalpana] Let it be. Go to sleep.

Are you okay?

[Peeplika] Whenever I find my favourite thing,

I immediately keep it safely for myself.

What are you talking?

Since you are from America, you don�t know the correct word.

Say this. When I find my favourite thing, I flick it.

[Babbo] I can�t understand how you are not believing me.

They were kissing.

I think you are drunk, Babbo.

You are drinking and I am drunk?

You are watching a lot of Hollywood movies.

These things don�t happen here.

I wasn�t watching a Hollywood movie.

I watched their live show.

Please go to your room and sleep.

I think you are still jet lagged.

You are such a fool, Hemant.

[Peeplika] Or we try this.

Like pixie cut.

Very short. Keep it all open.

Or make a fringe.

[Kalpana] Let it be. She is fine the way she is.

We don�t want her to chop her hair.

Just look how she looks after a haircut.

They were in a mess. I had to manage my hair.

[Kalpana] Is it your husband that you would have to manage?

It was just hair.

My disease is for a lifetime.

I have to manage him all my life.

Now that you are opening the gifts, this is from me.

[Peeplika] The gift is personal. So, didn�t give in front of everyone.

Peeplika.

You are full of surprises.

- Anniversary gift. - It is a painting.

- But in this... - Hemant isn�t there.

I know.

At times, the scale proportions are measured wrongly.

So, I imagined him behind your shoulder.

But it didn�t work out.

No worries.

So what if I didn�t fit in the canvas? I am in the picture.

My wife, Astha is in it. Isn�t it, wifey?

Hemant, you are the light of the lamp kept behind her.

The light of Astha�s life.

At least I am the light.

One can switch on and off when required.

[Laughing]

On-off.

[Laughing]

Sounds like married life.

- Let me keep this upstairs. - Give it back.

Are you not going to drop Peeplika?

[Peeplika] I will go on my own. Sweet of you to worry.

Hey, no problem.

Take a night dress along.

Stay back there.

Yes.

Hemant, I...

There is a lot of work at home. Mum is here too.

How can I leave?

Really. It is okay, Hemant.

Astha. I will leave.

- Good night. - Good night.

- Ridhima, right. - [Ridhima] Yes.

Nice to meet you.

Bye.

[Astha mouthing]

Peeplika.

Are you sure?

I mean, after all, this is Delhi. My car is waiting.

No problem at all.

Astha.

Are you sure?

You don�t want to go?

No, Hemant.

[Chuckles]

Did you hear that?

[Hemant] Astha is like this.

She never crosses her boundaries irrespective of anything.

After all, it isn�t a big deal...

...to spend a night at a friend�s place.

But without her husband,

- she can�t. - Really?

You are very lucky.

Thank you.

I am very lucky.

- Nice jacket, Hemant. - Oh.

Handsome.

[Footsteps]

Mom.

[Voiceover on TV]

Where is everyone?

Babbo served me tea and has gone out with her friends.

[Jagdish] Your mom has gone out with her friends for prayers.

And Astha?

It is 9 am. She has left for college.

[Hemant's father] It is fashionable to have friends.

[Peeplika humming]

Have you woken up in Paris?

We can see the sunrise in Paris daily.

If you wish.

You can go back to Paris.

I have to give lectures to my students here.

My application at �cole des art in Paris got accepted.

Seriously? Paris?

Wow.

And mademoiselle has shown keen interest...

...in hiring in ad hoc English literature teacher.

They said your CV is outstanding.

After reading your r�sum�.

You sent my r�sum�?

Just a matter of three months.

Imagine. You and me in a small house.

We would look at Sacr�-C�ur from our window.

- You are mad. - A lot of sun.

I mean the cobbled streets.

The museums, the art, the music.

The sexy weather. No riots.

No us or them.

Only us.

On the panel of the door, it is written.

- Astha and Peeplika. - The handcrafted one.

Oh wow. So you are in.

You are dreaming. So, I am dreaming along.

Professor, this isn�t a dream.

I can�t come to your place from mine. How will I go to Paris?

Seriously, it is your decision but.

All I am saying is...

...even if not today but you will have to decide someday.

Hey, go back and dream about Paris.

I will meet you tomorrow.

Today, I have to go to meet some of Hemant's old friends.

I hope you wake up in Delhi tomorrow instead of Paris.

I love you.

[Hemant] I thought everything would be settled by winters.

But the riots are still going on.

We have to shut the business twice a week.

[Man 1] I shut my showroom for two months after telling dad.

- What? - Yes.

[Man 1] I thought of going on a cruise.

We will get to travel Europe and America.

And even if anything happens,

no hearings are taking place in court.

- No. The courts are working. - Really?

I read about section 377 in the morning.

Which one? Regarding homosexuality?

Gay sex.

[Hemant] Two girls were caught at Sainik Farm. They were lesbians.

- Mushroom. - [Man 1] What are you saying?

Jail in a single hearing.

No bail. No parole.

Directly in lock-up. Maximum ten years.

Along with it, there's a fine. One of them has two kids.

So the family is ruined.

But what must two girls be doing?

I mean seriously.

- When you don�t have it... - [Sushing]

Talk softly. People can hear you.

- How do I know how they do it? - Your soup, please.

[Hemant] I can understand. People can go astray.

But even the thought repulses me.

[Woman 1] It is disgusting, you know.

50 years ago, such women were hanged in England.

- Really? - Yes.

But seriously, how would they be doing it?

- I mean. - Leave it.

Whatever it may be.

To leave home for her.

[Hemant] Leave the family. Go to jail.

When you don�t even have the thing to have pleasure with.

[Giggling]

Sorry. My sense of humour is embarrassing you.

Let us order the main course.

Have to pick up Aru from dance class.

- What? - Sorry!

- Sorry, I have to go. - Wait till the food comes.

Mothers.

[Hemant] Back to the kids duty.

- What are you doing? - No, please.

I will see to it.

- [Man 1] She is getting late. - [Hemant] Thank you.

[Hemant] The next lunch is my treat.

- [Man 1] Bye. - [Hemant] Bye.

Does Hemant know?

Or was the whole conversation a coincidence?

I spent 11 years of my life swaying along with the gust from here to there.

For the first time, I have the courage to withstand it.

A feel a sense of clarity.

I feel like shouting and screaming and telling everyone...

...who find these kinds of women repulsive, dirty and cheap.

I want to tell them that I am that girl.

But the fact is they are wrong.

I am not dirty. I am not cheap.

The world is not ready to accept this version of love.

[Hemant] Astha.

The car is here.

He knows.

Let�s go.

You have to take the decision, Astha.

Whether you want to stay or not.

If people come to know about Peeplika,

your reputation will be stained.

It happens at times. Between women.

This kind of craziness. I am not saying anything.

But you do know...

...how people will judge you?

Forget the law. Forget 377.

I will tell the kids about you.

If it was a boy, I would have chucked you out.

[Hemant] But since it is a girl, I will ignore...

...as nothing has happened.

The modern girls are like that.

She lured you.

I will pick up Aru myself.

- I have to go, Hemant. - I am telling you again.

If it was a boy, then you would be out of the house.

And a lawyer would be snatching the kids away from you.

Because it is a girl, I am giving you another chance.

[Phone ringing]

- Hello. - [Astha] No names.

There will only be initials on the door.

P and A.

Do you know what you are saying?

I will not be able to meet Aru and Aki.

Never.

But I don�t want them to feel that their mother...

...was scared of society when they grow up.

If I ever get an opportunity in life,

I will make them understand.

Your kids will always be with you.

They are yours.

You are a great mom.

[Peeplika] We will find you a way to keep your children with you.

Please. He can�t take them away from you.

Just trust me on that. Okay?

I will arrange everything.

I need your passport. Okay?

I will handle everything.

Fine.

I love you.

[Car halting]

[Car door opens]

Thank you.

[Car door closes]

Yes.

Peeplika Khan.

[Constable 1] Hey, Partho.

There is something for you.

Your daughter has sent this.

Thank you.

[Sniffs]

Where is it?

Long hair.

- [Jagdish] Come, dear. - [Kalpana] Run carefully.

There are stones here.

[Jagdish] Hot corn cobs.

- [Kalpana] I want to tell you something. - Yes.

It has been two days but Babbo hasn�t come out of her room.

I had warned you. She drinks something else instead of cola.

[Aru] Then what does she drink?

- Keep your hand away. It's hot. - You don�t bother about her drinks.

- [Kalpana] You eat the corn cob. - [Jagdish] Eat the corn cob.

[Light turns on]

[Liquor pouring]

Tell me one thing before apologizing.

How would two women do it?

Please give me the details.

I have absolutely no idea.

[Hemant] How do you do it? Does it happen?

Really. I have no idea.

Because the organ to do it with is missing.

[Cupboard door closes]

What�s this?

I want to know the colorful details.

And you are showing me the black and white papers.

Blood test report.

[Sighs]

Are you pregnant? Is it Peeplika�s?

You went to Tokyo in '86 for the first time.

That was the first time I found a condom in your bag.

[Astha] I have been ignoring since then.

But I have learnt to get my blood test done.

Tokyo, Singapore, Korea.

Whenever you travel overseas, I get my blood checked.

When you return, I keep your bags in the cupboard.

And your condoms in the first drawer of the side table.

Every time!

So why are you saying it now?

[Hemant] You want me to feel guilty?

You want to make an issue. Fine. Do that.

Make it an issue.

If after so many years, you want to...

...make a mountain out of mole hill, then do so.

Is it a small thing?

It is not unimportant.

Hemant, I have ignored everything of yours.

[Astha] When I was pregnant with Akshat,

I wanted to live with my mother. You didn�t let me go. Why?

Why did you not let me go? You should have let me go.

You didn�t let me go because you didn't want to take a call...

...about what will be cooked in the house.

You just want to make an issue out of it.

Because you got caught cheating.

So, just divert it by creating another issue.

Right?

This is what you do, Astha.

Instead of accepting your mistake, point fingers at others.

Your husband doesn�t beat you. He isn�t an alcoholic.

Earns money and runs the house.

Pays your beauty parlour bills.

So, how else can you give me a guilt trip?

Let it be. I am bored.

Let�s go to sleep.

[Astha] We have been married for 11 years.

You gave me fake sarees. What have you done for me?

You don�t even know that I get rashes because of these sarees.

What do you even know about me?

[Astha] Good or bad, right or wrong.

What are my views? What do I see?

So then do one thing. Give all these sarees to Peeplika.

For relief fund for the widows.

[Astha] Hemant.

When we have guests at home or if anyone comes,

have you ever spoken about me?

- Of course. I speak about you. - [Astha] What do you say?

Have you ever told them what I do?

What your wife does?

Do you even know what I do?

Have you ever told anyone which subject I teach in college?

Among a group of friends, it is always fritters...

...which I cook very well. Fritters!

Have you ever told anyone...

...I have written a dissertation on William Wordsworth?

Huh?

Are you seriously surprised that I have crossed the line?

[Astha] For 11 years, you have pushed me to cross the boundary.

11 years. Everyday.

One reason or the other. You keep pushing me.

Away from you. Away from everyone.

And today, you are blaming me of crossing the line.

Yet you will still stay here.

You father passed away in a rented flat.

So, your mother sold off everything...

...and got you married to me.

- Because I had my own house. - Don�t talk about my father.

[Hemant] So that you could live comfortably.

Don�t talk about my parents.

Shouldn�t I talk about your parents?

Your mom spent her entire life on the petty pension of your dad.

Please don't talk about my parents.

I have helped them.

- So that you can live comfortably. - Hemant.

- So that you can live well. - Hemant, please be quiet.

- Quiet, Hemant. - So, stay comfortably.

Free of cost.

It is not only a businessman who lives under this roof.

Okay, forget it, Astha. Let�s go to sleep.

Come on.

- Don�t touch me. - Let me remind you.

- Don�t touch me. - Let me remind you...

- ...what the real thing feels like. - Don�t touch me, Hemant.

Don�t touch me.

I don�t even want to see you.

[Hemant] She is a woman, Astha.

There is no future for both of you.

Come back. Come and sleep.

By tomorrow morning, your anger will evaporate.

[Light turns off]

Fifth December. 1992.

Today, I have decided that I am going to Paris.

[Theme music playing]