Lion Page #8

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Saroo turns, looks at his sleeping minder. Looks back at the

window. Blind down, blind up. Looks back out the window.

INT. CORRIDOR, HOBART AIRPORT - DAY

We’re CLOSE behind Saroo’s shoulder as the minder guides him

along a corridor, flanked by an AIRPORT OFFICIAL.

We round the corner of the corridor and enter

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, HOBART AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS (DAY)

- where JOHN (32) and SUE (29) BRIERLEY stand up anxiously -

Everyone just stands there for a moment - so tentative MINDER

Hello. I’m Swarmina.

JOHN:

(softly)

I’m John. This is Sue.

Saroo has retreated behind Swarmina’s leg - he holds on for

dear life and peers out shyly. Wide-eyed. First boy on Mars.

Sue kneels gently. A lifetime of waiting brims in her eyes.

She looks down on Saroo with as much astonishment as he her.

SUE:

Hi there.

Saroo still clutches the half-eaten Cadbury bar from earlier.

SAROO:

(deadpan)

Cadbury.

It doesn’t get more awkward. Or beautiful.

SUE:

It’s a Cadbury, John.

I/E. CAR / THE BRIERLEY’S STREET - DAY

We’re in the car with our new nuclear family, in the back

seat with Saroo (POV). He looks at the passing rows of brown

suburban homes - neat lawns - sprinklers. So unlike India.

Sue watches Saroo in the central mirror: his curiosity and

his amazement.

INT. BRIERLEY HOME - MINUTES LATER (DAY)

We’re behind Saroo as he enters the house, awed, alert,

curious. Sue and John gently prod JOHN

That’s okay - have a look around -

Saroo is goggle-eyed. Sue gives running commentary wherever

he goes. Whatever he looks at.

SUE:

This is the living room. That’s the

television. [etc...]

The clean white benches. The shiny refrigerator.

Saroo steps up to the fridge. He looks back to Sue: May I?

He opens the door. The colourful glory of western groceries.

Stands there, mouth open, simply stunned. Shuts it gently.

INT. SAROO’S BEDROOM, BRIERLEY HOME - MINUTES LATER (DAY)

Saroo’s bedroom. A box of toys. Saroo looks up at Sue and

John, not quite believing his eyes: Can I touch these?

SUE:

They’re yours.

JOHN:

You can play with them.

But Saroo just stands there, lost in a moment of fully taking

in his parents. John Brierley. Sue Brierley. White Martians.

Saroo blinks twice.

JOHN (CONT’D)

(kneeling)

Here you go.

(pushing a truck)

You have a go, son.

Saroo picks it up. Simply studies its wheels. Spins one.

He’s too overwhelmed, too shy, to play immediately. Looks up

at his parents again.

JOHN (CONT’D)

See how the doors open. Look. Like

this.

John demonstrates the truck doors. Saroo likes that. He opens

and closes the tiny doors.

He puts the truck on the ground - pushes it along. Gets lost

in the activity.

Then he looks up. As he takes in the room once more,

something on the wall catches his attention:

-a detailed MAP OF INDIA. Saroo recognizes the triangle, all

that dense information, though he can no more understand

written English than he could the Bengali on that map in the

police station back in Calcutta SUE

That’s right. That’s where you came

from. Look. This is India. This is

Calcutta, here.

SAROO:

(one word he recognizes)

Cal-cutta.

He stares politely at the incomprehensible map.

INT. DINING ROOM, BRIERLEY HOME - NIGHT

Dinner time:
Saroo nervous, polite, calm, as they eat. Head

barely above the table. Taking in the place settings.

As Saroo chews, he looks up at his new parents. Grins.

SAROO:

(pointing)

Peppa.

Sue and John share a proud smile.

SUE:

That’s right. That’s the pepper.

INT. BATHROOM, BRIERLEY HOME - NIGHT

Sue ladles water over Saroo. He’s fascinated with everything:

the water, the warmth, this gentle woman, these bath toys.

SUE:

Close your eyes.

She motions to him: close your eyes.

For an instant, he looks at her warily. Remembering Noor.

SUE (CONT’D)

Go on. It’s okay.

He looks into her eyes. He has to trust. He can trust.

He closes his eyes.

Sue pours a saucepan of water SLOWLY over his head. The STEAM

comes off him. It’s like some exotic baptism. You can see his

whole body - his whole being - relax.

He opens his eyes.

SUE (CONT’D)

(eager, encouraging)

Good?

Saroo smiles.

SUE (CONT’D)

You’ve come so far. Haven’t you? My

little one.

He stares up at her with those huge dark eyes.

SUE (CONT’D)

I don’t imagine it’s been easy. One

day, you make sure to tell me all

about it. Tell me everything. Who

you are. I’ll always listen.

He squeezes the alligator. It SQUEAKS. He pulls back, amused.

Sue notices John at the door - he has been quietly standing

there the whole time - and a beautiful warmth spreads between

the three. So this is what it feels like - to be a family.

HIGH AERIAL - WINEGLASS BAY - DAY

Down there, a small YACHT races towards a sheltered bay.

Over this, a SUPER: ONE YEAR LATER.

EXT. THE SUZIE / WINEGLASS BAY - DAY

The modest boat - lovingly maintained - skips across the

water. Her name - SUZIE - painted on the side. John teaches

Saroo how to sail.

Saroo is deeply absorbed - his little face earnest. Sue - the

wind in her hair - watches them with unconcealed delight.

EXT. BEACH, WINEGLASS BAY - DAY

CUT IN HARD on little Saroo diving into frame, making an

overdramatic lunge, catching a ball on the soft sand.

JOHN (O.S.)

Howzat!

The Brierleys play cricket on a curve of white sand, at the

extraordinarily beautiful Wineglass Bay. The small family

boat is moored nearby, in the azure water.

With a child’s wooden cricket bat, Sue hits the ball high in

the air in a graceful arc that forces Saroo to really sprint.

JOHN (CONT’D)

(excited commentator)

It’s going for six! No, young

Saroo’s under it! -

Saroo leaps for the ball again - dives into the water’s edge

as he catches it

SAROO:

Howzat!

SUE:

Bravo!

JOHN:

(commentator)

Ohhhh! Saroo Brierley has done the

impossible! Australia wins on the

final ball of the day! Let’s look

at the slow motion replay!

SAROO:

Mum! Mum, look at me!

Saroo’s victory dance. His English comes naturally now.

Laughing, Sue gets her camera - Saroo poses - a miniature

hero - for a victory pic.

INT. HOBART AIRPORT - DAY

CLOSE on a child’s drawing - a house, a tree, the sun, two

adults, a brown child - and another brown face, looking out

from an airplane window high above.

WIDER:
Saroo holding up the drawing like a banner - a kind of

“Welcome” offering. Pointing at the figures

SAROO:

Mum. Dad. Me. Mantosh.

Sue and John, expectant. But not as nervous as last year.

MANTOSH (8) enters with the same minder from last year.

MINDER:

Hello again! Saroo - my goodness!

(beat)

This is Mantosh.

Mantosh looks wild and feral - something not quite right.

Saroo sees it instantly: sees it before John and Sue.

JOHN:

Mantosh - I’m John. This is Sue.

And this is your brother Saroo. Say

hello, Saroo.

Saroo says nothing; gently hands the drawing to Mantosh.

Mantosh doesn’t even take it, doesn’t even look at it.

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