Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran Page #5

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Ashwat, we will get his form

in the evening.

We can spend some time together

till then.

Sushma, it will get very late

by the time you reach Mussoorie. I will collect the form

and mail it to you.

As it is,

it's unsafe to travel at night.

Come on.

Driver, be careful.

Ten days!

It can't be done.

We havent even finished

half the cabling yet.

It will take ages to get the approval

for the delivery dates

of the detonators, Akshat.

-Ashwat.

-Ashwat.

Then use your seniority.

The detonators should reach here

in "T minus 3" days.

Ashwat, we need to

put sandbags in the shafts.

They need to be tightly packed.

We were already on a tight schedule.

How can we do it any faster?

Day shift.

Puru, what time does the satellites

blind spot start during the day?

It is very risky during the day.

Ashwat, you know

there are a lot of sandstorms

at the range during daytime.

It is your job to handle

such difficult situations.

We will conduct the tests

in ten days and that's final.

Do you know how powerful

these bombs are?

If these shafts are

not sealed properly,

not just Pokhran, but the entire

Rajasthan will be reduced to rubble.

We need hundred percent precision

and two hundred percent

planning in this.

We will be testing three

different bombs at the same time.

Ten days are enough for

your hundred percent precision

and two hundred percent planning.

Dont tell me what the problem is,

find a solution.

Ashwat.

This is how the test got compromised

the last time as well.

Why are you giving in

to political pressure? Please dont worry about failure.

If we fail this time...

it will be my responsibility again.

Take this.

Plug this one here

and that one there.

I am so tired.

I have never worked in so much heat.

Plug them in now!

Start wrapping up.

There are only nine days to go now.

I dont think I will last that long.

Ashwat is making plans for my funeral.

If we keep up this speed,

we'll finish on time.

How much time do we have

before the satellite returns?

All the covers have been blown away.

The shafts,

machines, everything is visible.

Only five minutes are left.

Leave quickly.

What's wrong?

I had warned him about the sandstorms.

Hmm.

What happened?

What is it? Did you find something?

What did they miss?

This jeep is parked in

the opposite direction.

But here its direction matches

that of the other vehicles.

So?

If the jeep has moved,

where are its tire marks?

Tire marks are visible

for days in the desert.

Wow, Mr. Daniel. Well done.

That's an excellent observation.

I suggest you call the CIA right away

and tell them everything.

They will inform Bill Clinton,

and by tomorrow morning

the Indian Prime Minister

will receive a phone call.

And all this will stop immediately.

Take it easy.

We need more proof.

More.

How much more proof do you want?

The heat has burned my insides.

I can't even enjoy chaat.

Why are you being so dramatic?

Hurry up,

our night shift is about to start.

You sit in front of

the air conditioner all day

while we're toiling in the heat.

Make it spicy.

-Daniel.

-Sehdev.

Ah, Sehdev.

I've seen the Taj Mahal

and the Qutub Minar

but I am

yet to see the Pokhran Fort.

Yes.

But Ashwat's family is not here.

-What was he talking about?

-Nothing.

Hmm, I love spicy food.

All these names are aliases.

The five Pandavas from the Mahabharata.

Yudhishthir, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul, Sehdev.

Ashwat is the only real name,

Ashwat Raina.

He was a part of the

previous nuclear project.

Our Pakistani ISI

is no less than your CIA.

Papa, it's Ashwat.

Where are you?

Have you forgotten your family

after going to Delhi?

That's not true, Papa.

Why dont you call regularly?

Sushma worries a lot.

She is managing everything by herself.

Talk to her.

Sushma.

Yes, Papa?

Ashwat is on the line.

Why havent you called

in the last two days?

I was busy at work. Double shifts.

Are you hiding something from me, Ashwat?

Huh?

There is no Engineering department

at your university

nor do they have any

Ashwat Raina working for them.

What's happening?

Did you call the university?

You forgot to send Prahlad's school form.

You havent even been

in touch for two days.

Its a new department.

We have separate phone lines.

I'll take a week off

and join you guys.

The deadline is approaching,

please mail the form

and give me their phone number.

So that I can call you.

Sushma, I dont remember the number.

There are a lot of people waiting outside.

But...

He is lying to his wife as well.

She thinks he is teaching

at a university in Delhi.

Hey, can you get me some onions?

If his wife finds out,

he is in Pokhran...

Then he will have

to tell her the truth.

Should we add some fuel to the fire?

Is this Ms. Sushma?

Yes.

Greetings, Ms. Sushma.

Ashwat has asked me

to mail something to you.

Yes, tell me.

He was in a hurry and forgot

to write down the zip code.

If you could tell me,

I will send it right away.

Just a minute, I will tell you.

Are you calling from

the university campus?

Campus?

No, I am calling from Pokhran,

Rajasthan.

From the RTDC guesthouse.

Ashwat is staying here.

What is he doing in Rajasthan?

He has come here with his wife

on their honeymoon.

You know how it is.

So what is your zip code?

There is no need for that. I.. I will come and collect it personally.

We have to repair this immediately.

Use more machinery.

What are you saying, Ashwat?

The generators are

already heavily loaded.

You know that an overload

can cause a complete blackout.

Focus on our problems,

not on our tone.

The entire mission will be compromised

because of your urgency.

I thought they'd have

a fight over the phone,

but she wants to come here.

Daniel, can you hear me?

I have cleaned your room, sir.

Do you need anything else?

No, thank you.

You may leave.

Listen.

-Yes?

-Send me a cup of tea.

Sure.

Any development?

Everybody is very tense, Ashwat.

You're pushing them too much.

Honestly, all of them are

very angry with you, you know.

It doesnt make a difference to me.

But it does make a

difference to our work.

The issue with the generator is genuine. You know that the White House

requires a lot of power.

All right, I agree.

So what's your plan?

What do we do?

Okay, let's go step-by-step.

First of all...

You?

What are you doing here?

I should be asking...

His wife is here.

Nakul?

Are you even a little ashamed?

You are mistaken.

I am mistaken?

I had no idea that you'd lie so much.

This is why you didnt take me

to your college in Delhi.

Forget about a room,

your department doesnt exist there.

I heard...

We stay by the phone every evening

so that we dont miss your calls

and you have a personal cell phone!

This is very expensive

and incoming calls are also charged.

What do you use this

expensive phone for?

Na... Nakul?

"The day goes by

but the night doesn't seem to end.

You're not around,

but your memory torments me."

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