Gandhi Page #63

He leans back, exhausted. Mirabehn is looking at him; she

starts to sing softly.

MIRABEHN:

"Lead Kindly Light, amidst the

circling gloom..."

Gandhi, his eyes closed, takes it up in his weak, croaking

voice.

GANDHI/MIRABEHN

"The night is dark, and I am far

from home, Lead thou me on..."

TAHIB'S HOUSE - EXTERIOR - DAY

Two police motorcycles lead a black limousine to a stop before

Tahib's house. The crowd now gathered is very large. More

mixed than before but still predominantly of youths, many

still with black flags.

Nehru gets out of the limousine with a Muslim leader, a tough-

looking man who carries himself with the authority and power

of a mobster (Suhrawardy). And they start to go up the outside

stairs.

Suddenly we hear the shout "Death to Gandhi!," "Death to

Gandhi!" And Nehru turns, pushing past Suhrawardy fiercely

and going back onto the street. He runs at the crowd, where

the shout comes once more from the back. His face is wild

with anger and shock.

NEHRU:

(hysterically)

Who dares say such things! Who?!

(And he is running at

them and they spread

in fear.)

Come! Kill me first! Come! Where are

you?! Kill me first!

The crowd has spread from him all along the street; they

stand against the walls of the houses staring at him,

terrified to move. We see, just in passing, the frightened,

apprehensive faces of Godse, and near him, Apte and Karkare.

Nehru stands, staring at them all, his face seething with

anger.

TAHIB'S ROOF - EXTERIOR - DAY

We are featuring a copy of Life Magazine. On the cover is a

picture of rioting men fighting and diagonally a cut-out of

Gandhi lying on his cot. The caption reads: "An Old Man's

Battle." As the magazine starts to be opened, it is suddenly

put to one side.

Another angle. Mirabehn is rising, leaving the magazine at

her feet. She moves to Nehru and Suhrawardy as Azad ushers

them into the canopied area. Abdul Ghaffar Khan sits quietly

in the background. Mirabehn speaks softly.

MIRABEHN:

His pulse is very irregular -- the

kidneys aren't functioning.

Nehru looks across at Gandhi. The doctor, who is testing

Gandhi's pulse yet again, glances at him -- no encouragement --

and moves away. Nehru moves to the side of the cot and Gandhi

smiles weakly and holds out a hand, but he is in pain.

NEHRU:

Bapu, I have brought Mr. Suhrawardy.

It was he who called on the Muslims

to rise; he is telling them now to

go back to their homes, to lay down

their arms.

Gandhi looks up at Suhrawardy, who nods. Gandhi looks back

at Nehru. There is no hint of him changing his mind.

NEHRU:

(personally)

Think what you can do by living --

that you cannot do by dying.

Gandhi smiles whimsically, he touches him again but there is

no change in his attitude.

NEHRU:

(pleadingly)

What do you want?

GANDHI:

(a moment)

That the fighting will stop -- that

you make me believe it will never

start again.

Nehru looks at him hopelessly.

SQUARE IN CALCUTTA - EXTERIOR - DAY

A huge crowd, some smoke in distant buildings, some damage

near to help us know this is still Calcutta, and all is not

yet at peace. The camera sweeps over the crowd, past the

loudspeakers on their poles. We see surly knots of belligerent

rowdies, mostly young, but not all, hanging on the fringes

as we move over the heads of the mass of listening people to

a platform where Nehru speaks. Azad, Suhrawardy, and others

sit on the floor behind him. We have heard his voice over

all this.

NEHRU:

...Sometimes it is when you are quite

without hope and in utter darkness

that God comes to the rescue. Gandhiji

is dying because of our madness. Put

away your "revenge." What will be

gained by more killing? Have the

courage to do what you know is right.

For God's sake, let us embrace like

brothers...

TAHIB'S ROOF - EXTERIOR - NIGHT

Featuring the Muslim leader Suhrawardy, leaning against a

wall, watching an action out of shot with evident tension.

We hear a little clank of metal.

Another angle. There are five men facing Gandhi. They wear

black trousers and black knit vests. There are thongs around

their arms that make their bulging muscles seem even more

powerful. They are Hindu thugs (Goondas). Their clothes are

dirty -- and they are too -- but they are laying knives and

guns at Gandhi's feet.

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