Life Of Pi Page #3

ADULT PI:

Yeah, Mamaji. He does that.

WRITER:

When I told him about my abandoned

book, he said:

(Imitating Mamaji:)

"So... a Canadian who's come to

French India in search of a story.

Well, my friend, I know an Indian

in French Canada who has the most

incredible story to tell. It must

be fate that the two of you should

meet."

ADULT PI:

I haven't spoken about Richard

Parker in so many years... What has

Mamaji already told you?

WRITER:

He said you had a story that would

make me believe in God.

ADULT PI:

(Pi laughs.)

He would say that about a nice

meal. As for God, I can only tell

you my story; you will decide for

yourself what you believe.

WRITER:

Fair enough.

ADULT PI:

Let's see, then - where to begin?

CUT TO:
MONTAGE

OF PONDICHERRY,

1954:

10.

19 EXT. PONDICHERRY, SHORELINE 1954 - DAY 19

- The SHORELINE - Bicycles and pedestrians; policemen in

round, flat-top French hats.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

Pondicherry is the "French Riviera

of India." In the streets closest

to the ocean, you might think you

were in the South of France.

20 EXT. ASHRAM STREET, 1954 - DAY 20

- Grey ASHRAM buildings, which give way to images of...

21 EXT. PONDICHERRY CANAL, 1954 - DAY 21

- The CANAL, and just beyond it, INDIAN PONDI.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

A few blocks inland, there's a

canal; just beyond that is Indian

Pondicherry...

SC. 22 EXT. PONDICHERRY MUSLIM QUARTER, 1954 - DAY 22

- The MUSLIM QUARTER, women in head scarves pass men baking

flatbread over coals, the mosque in the background.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

And the Muslim Quarter is just to

the West.

18 INT. PI'S HOME - CONTINUED 18

ADULT PI:

When the French handed Pondicherry

back to us in 1954, the town

decided that some sort of

commemoration was in order.

25 EXT. ZOO ENTRANCE, 1955 - DAY 25

The sign on the gate reads: "JARDIN BOTANIQUE DE

PONDICHERRY."

ADULT PI (V.O.)

My father, who was a clever

businessman, came up with one.

(MORE)

11.

ADULT PI (V.O.) (CONT'D)

He ran a hotel, and he got the idea

to open a zoo in the local

Botanical Gardens instead.

Father oversees a SIGN PAINTER as the painter who adds the

words 'AND ZOO' to the sign.

26 EXT. THE NURSERY - CONTINUOUS 26

WOMEN WORKERS plant and dig in the Botanical Gardens nursery.

As MOTHER (refined - 20's) passes by, she admonishes a worker

who pulls up a sapling with too much force.

ADULT PI (V.O.)

As it also happened, my mother was

a botanist in the Gardens. They

met, married, and a year later my

brother Ravi was born. I came two

years after that.

27 INT. PI'S HOME, OUTER ROOM, MONTREAL - DAY 27

WRITER:

It sounds magical, growing up in-

The Writer stops, realizing that Pi's eyes are closed in

prayer. The Writer watches in awkward silence, his head

halfbowed.

ADULT PI:

Amen. Let's eat.

WRITER:

I didn't know Hindus said 'amen.'

ADULT PI:

(As he serves food:)

Catholic Hindus do.

WRITER:

Catholic Hindus?

ADULT PI:

We get to feel guilty before

hundreds of gods instead of just

one.

WRITER:

But you're a Hindu first?

12.

PI:

None of us knows God until someone

introduces us. I was first

introduced to God as a Hindu. There

are 330 million gods in the Hindu

religion - how can I not come to

know a few of them?

28 EXT. OUTSIDE THE PATEL HOME, 1966 - NIGHT 28

YOUNG PI (5) and Ravi listen to Mother quietly singing a

gentle tune as she kneels before their home, using rice

powder to draw a Kolam pattern - a geometric design meant to

bring the home prosperity.

PI (V.O.)

I met Krishna first...

MOTHER (V.O., IN Hindi)

Yashoda once accused baby Krishna

of eating dirt:
"Tut, tut, you

naughty boy - you shouldn't do

that..."

29 INT. PI'S BEDROOM, 1966 - NIGHT 29

It is raining outside. Pan from the window; Mother lies in

bed with Pi as they continue sharing this story for the

thousandth time. Mother's voice plays over (Note: they speak

in Tamil throughout the following dialogue):

PI:

...But he didn't!

MOTHER:

That's what he told her. "I didn't

eat dirt!" "No? Well, then open

your mouth." So Krishna opened his

mouth.

Pi opens his mouth in imitation.

MOTHER (Hindi) (CONT'D)

And what do you think Yashoda saw?

PI (Hindi)

What?

MOTHER (Hindi)

She saw in Krishna's mouth the

whole entire universe.

13.

30 PI AND RAVI'S BEDROOM, 1966 - NIGHT 30

Pi has made a tent of his blanket, a flashlight glowing

beneath the covers. In his tent, Pi flips through the pages

of a Hindu comic book, enthralled by the story of Krishna...

The panels of the comic book show Krishna's mouth falling

open, revealing stars and planets, the universe unfolding in

wondrous detail.

34 PONDI TEMPLE COURTYARD, 1966 - NIGHT 34

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