Gandhi Page #57

DELHI AIRPORT - EXTERIOR - DAY

Extreme close shot. A piece of cloth, shimmering in a stiff

breeze... For a moment we hold it in silence and then we

hear the sound of an aircraft growing louder and louder. And

slowly the camera pulls back and we see that the cloth is

part of a pennant of the nose of an aircraft.

We cut from the pennant to see the aircraft stopping before

a reception area, a carpet rolled out toward its door.

An Indian regimental band strikes up martial music. A

detachment of Indian Royal Air Force comes to attention at

the shouted command of their NCO.

Featuring the aircraft doors. An elaborately dressed military

aide opens the door and Lord Louis Mountbatten, resplendent

in naval uniform, steps out onto the platform. He pauses and

renders a salute.

ON A BANNERED PLATFORM

Nehru, Lady Mountbatten and dignitaries. English and Indians

watch as Mountbatten approaches a group of microphones

identified as NBC, CBS, BBC, etc.

MOUNTBATTEN:

We have come to crown victory with

friendship -- to assist at the birth

of an independent India and to welcome

her as an equal member in the British

Commonwealth of Nations.

(A little smile.)

I am here to see that I am the last

British Viceroy ever to have the

honor of such a reception.

He grins in his youthful, beguiling manner and makes the

pranam to the cheering crowd.

It is cut off by the sound of a door being opened, close.

THE GREAT PORTICO - VICE-REGAL PALACE - EXTERIOR - DAY

Jinnah stands by one of the great pillars of the immense

portico. It is a break in their Independence Conference, and

as he lights a cigarette, a weary Gandhi approaches him with

Azad. Jinnah's anger is clearly too deep to be left at the

conference table. He slaps his lighter shut and addresses

Gandhi in hushed but fiercely felt words.

JINNAH:

I don't give a damn for the

independence of India! I am concerned

about the slavery of Muslims!

Nehru and Patel are approaching from the conference room,

both of them looking worn and angry too. Jinnah raises his

voice deliberately so Nehru will hear.

JINNAH:

I will not sit by to see the mastery

of the British replaced by the mastery

of the Hindus!

GANDHI:

(patiently, not yet

believing it can't

be settled)

Muslim and Hindu are the right and

left eye of India. No one will be

slave, no one master.

Jinnah sneers at the idea, though he cools a little.

JINNAH:

The world is not made of Mahatma

Gandhis.

(He looks at Nehru

and Patel.)

I am talking about the real world.

NEHRU:

The "real India" has Muslims and

Hindus in every village and every

city! How do you propose to separate

them?

JINNAH:

Where there is a Muslim majority --

that will be Pakistan. The rest is

your India.

PATEL:

(a forced patience)

Mohammed -- the Muslims are in a

majority on two different sides of

the country.

JINNAH:

(acidly)

Let us worry about Pakistan -- you

worry about India.

Gandhi is staring at Jinnah trying to fathom the source of

his anger and fear. He turns to see that Mountbatten has

been standing in the open door to the conference room, as

torn as Gandhi by the conflict, feeling it best controlled

in formal discussion.

MOUNTBATTEN:

Gentlemen, perhaps we should

recommence.

Gandhi nods, and reluctantly the adversaries move back to

the conference room. Gandhi is last through the door. He

pauses by Mountbatten, a little sigh -- "How difficult, how

difficult" -- then he puts a friendly hand on Mountbatten's

shoulder and the two of them enter together.

GANDHI'S ASHRAM - EXTERIOR - DAY

Featuring Godse waving a black flag and shouting.

GODSE:

(with others)

Death to Jinnah! Death to Jinnah!

We have pulled back and we see a whole gathering of Hindu

youths near the entrance to the ashram. Many wave black flags.

A couple of trucks that have brought them, and a car, are

along the path. Kallenbach is stepping out of an old 1942

open Austin that he has put in a waiting position near the

entrance to the path. The chanting shout "Death to Jinnah!"

suddenly dies. The youths -- and Kallenbach -- look back

toward the ashram.

Featuring Gandhi's bungalow. Nehru has stepped out onto the

porch and he glares at the youths. It is his presence that

has silenced them.

Kallenbach smiles.

GANDHI'S BUNGALOW - INTERIOR - DAY

Gandhi is rising from the floor, where his spinning wheel

sits. He stops, halfway up, listening, then, a weary sigh.

GANDHI:

Thank God, they've stopped.

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