City of Joy Page #21

Cheers from the pullers. The Judge bangs his gavel.

JUDGE:

I haven't finished these

proceedings. For his part in thisdisturbance, I fine the defendant

50 rupees.

HASARI:

Fifty rupees, Your Honor?

That's -

JUDGE:

Pay at this time or spend sevendays in jail!

Seven days in jail will cost him far more than fifty

rupees. As he reaches into his pocket for his screwof money, a hand suddenly protrudes into the cage throughthe bars.

RAMATULLAH:

Hasari!

And now another hand with several rupees reaches through.

RASSOUL:

Hasari!

Now a dozen voices call his name and a dozen hands reach

through the bars with rupees clutched in their fists andpress the money into Hasari's hands. The Judge, Max andAloka, and certainly Ashoka watch this in amazement. The

Judge bangs his gavel.

Max turns, shoots a little finger gun and winks at Ashoka.

CLOSE ON ASHOKA:

ON his face, we see pure hatred for these two men.

110.

EXT. CITY OF JOY - DAY

Amrita, Manooj, and Shambu. With them, Subash flirtingwith Amrita, incurring the wrath and admiration of herbrothers, causing her to flush.

THUNDER sounds. They all look up. Rain starts to fall.

People run outside of workshops and huts, crying, "Therains, the rains." Suddenly, a THUNDERCLAP shakes theearth and rain begins to bombard them. The rain falls,

the WIND HOWLS, and people in the lane are dancing,

praising the beginning of the monsoon season. Men tear

off their shirts, women rush out fully clothed, singing.

Swarms of naked children run about. The kids run toward

the clinic/school.

EXT. CLINIC COURTYARD - DAY

Hasari is locking his rickshaw into the shed. Staff and

several patients come out of the examining rooms -- Joan,

Aloka, Sunil, Anouar, Poomina. Margareta and herstudents, a new teacher, Bandona, her students come out of

the classrooms... They're all swept up in dancing, Joan'smetal cross jumping about as if it were beating out time.

From his balcony, Max emerges with his trumpet and playsthe first bars of "Singin' In the Rain." Everyone lookshis way; he begins to hum and sing as he jumps over thebalcony to the ground and takes off in a wild, improvished,

but damn good version of Gene Kelly's dance inthe rain, bringing Anouar on his cart in as his dancing

partner. Everyone in the courtyard crowds around them,

laughing and encouraging the dancer/singers on. The

number builds to an extraordinary climax with Max slidingthrough mud to an exquisite finish at Joan's feet.

There's thunderous applause.

INT. CLINIC - NIGHT

Rain. Max, The Pals, Ram, Joan, Anouar, Meeta and the

Baby, Poomina, Saladdin, Mehboub, Ashish, Shanta,

Margareta, Bandona, and the other members of the committee

sharing a meal.

HASARI:

Really -- a boyfriend, Amrita?

AMRITA:

No!

Amrita whacks Manooj.

(CONTINUED)

111.

CONTINUED:

MANOOJ:

Yes, she does. His name is Subash

Ghosh. His father owns the workshop.

HASARI:

Is there someone you care about?

The look in Amrita's eyes tells us indeed there is.

Hasari smiles at Amrita and then at Aloka.

HASARI:

Then I must speak to his fatherand I must complete your dowry.

Amrita squeezes close to her mother. This is serious

and joyous.

HASARI:

You will make people sigh at howbeautiful you are. And I shall

drop tears of joy.

RAM:

At my wedding I became sofrightened, my father gave methings to drink to calm me down.

I went out to piss and fell asleepunder the village tree. When I

woke I thought it was the tree I'dmarried. I still love that tree.

The laugh. But Hasari's attention is on his daughter.

He reaches a loving hand to her.

INT. GREEN ACRES - MAX'S BATHROOM - TUB FAUCET - NIGHT

A rag has been wrapped around the faucet and water runsslowly and silently down into the nearly filled tub. The

scene is illuminated dimly by a flashlight with fingersover the beam.

ON MAX:

He sleeps. Suddenly he's grabbed, his eyes spring openin fear. Hands yanks him out of bed, slam him up againstthe wall, then hurtle him across the room and into:

BATHROOM:

Where the tub has been filled. His head is slammed down

underwater and he's held there struggling.

(CONTINUED)

112.

CONTINUED:

His head is yanked up and through bleary eyes he sees aknife at his throat and the Hewbrew letter chai danglingfrom the knife - wielder's neck, illuminated by aflashlight.

ASHOKA:

Go home, Doctor.

Before he can respond, he's slammed down into the tub ofwater again and held there until it seems his lungs willexplode. Then he's dumped backward, gasping for breath.

EXT. CITY OF JOY - SQUARE - NIGHT

Max on the run through the rain, carrying his belongings.

CLINIC:

He pounds through the puddles, past a sleepy old watchman,

and through the gate.

INT. COURTYARD - NIGHT

He bangs on Joan's door. She opens the door in her Indianpajamas. One look at him...

JOAN:

What's happened?

MAX:

Ashoka ordered me to go home.

Well, I've come home.

A beat. She steps aside, he steps in, and the door closeshim safely inside.

EXT. PARK CIRCUS - DAY

The rickshaw station. The rain pours down. Peopleclambor for rickshaws. The line moves forward as fast

as the pullers can take on passengers. Hasari, Ram,

Ramatullah, Chomotkar look at the stalled buses, the

streetcars, the taxis, the private cars.

CHOMOTKAR:

What a joy it is to survey thisdisaster! We will all make a

fortune!

(CONTINUED)

113.

CONTINUED:

HASARI:

The monsoon is the great Durga'sgift to the human horse!

Hasari glances at Ram, who isn't a part of the joking.

HASARI:

What's the matter?

RAM:

I'm wet and I'm cold. Your

daughter is getting married. Time

is passing. I want to go home tomy wife.

Chomotkar touches Hasari, nods across the street. There,

we see the Goonda and two thugs.

RAMATULLAH:

Hasari!

It's Hasari's turn. He can't stay to talk with Ram now.

He has to go.

MARWARI #4

How much to the market?

HASARI:

Eight rupees.

MARWARI #4

What! I won't pay it!

HASARI:

Who else needs a ride? I am

available at a price!

Several others crowd and shove toward him.

MARWARI #4

No! Take me -- I'll pay, let'sgo!

HASARI:

The price just went up! Ten

rupees! In advance.

The Marwari hesitates only as long as it takes him to digin his soaking wet pants and to slap the bills intoHasari's hand and climb aboard. Hasari sets out with

great difficulty -- and greater determination -- throughthe floodwaters, flicking his eyes at the Goonda as he

goes.

114.

EXT. WEDDING SHOP - DAY

Water pours down. FROM HERE we see Hasari inside, puttingmoney down in front of the shop owner and then hustlingback into the rain and taking up his shafts. We WATCH the

owner look after him with a touch of disdain as he comes

into the window and takes down the beautiful green andgold sari.

EXT. CLINIC - GUTTERS - NIGHT

Water pouring from above; the gutters overflow with refuse.

We PAN UP to the clinic.

INT. CLINIC COURTYARD

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