Tubelight

1

See this beautiful place?

It's our town, Jagatpur.

It was a small town then.

I was small, too.

This is me. Laxman Singh Bisht.

This is our headmaster,

Father Frederick.

There's another place, London,

don't know where that is.

He brought this long bulb from there.

It took ages to light up.

(Light up. Light up. Light up!)

The bulb was called a tubelight.

Don't know why, but the kids

also started calling me Tubelight.

Hey Tubelight!

Light up. Light up. Light up!

Laxman, what's three plus four?

The tubelight didn't light up

at once...

...nor did my brain cells.

My mother would say my mind

was like a tubelight.

It needed time to light up...

...but when it did,

it lit up the whole world.

The four brothers:

Ram, Bharat, Shatrughan, Laxman.

They enjoyed life.

But I had no brother.

On the first day of the Ramlila,

I asked God for a boon.

He heard me in a flash.

Lanka was in flames.

Ram and Ravan battled.

Papa emptied a bottle to celebrate

Good triumphing Evil.

It was a cold October night...

...out of pity, mother let him

sleep indoors.

He usually slept outside.

And exactly nine months later

my real story began.

When this little baby

appeared before me...

...he was soft as mountain grass.

My younger brother.

They had already named

me Laxman.

So they worked backwards...

...and named my little brother,

Bharat.

Bharat Singh Bisht.

I had only one friend:

my brother, my partner.

He did whatever I asked.

He trusted me blindly.

I was Tubelight to everyone...

...to my little partner,

I was his Captain.

Tubelight!

Light up. Light up. Light up!

Hey Narayan!

God be praised!

My Bharat got all the kids

standing at attention.

Narayan stood straight as a pole now.

One day a remarkable man came

to our school.

A true captain.

If I believe that I can do

what I set out to do...

...then I'll gain the strength

to complete my task.

Even if I lack that strength

at first.

Even in the terrible cold,

he was dressed sparsely.

I heard this captain bowed

before no British officer.

Namaste, Bapuji.

Bapu, where is true belief?

Belief is inside of you, son.

Right here.

Do not forget that.

Yes, Bapuji.

Where? Where is true belief?

Here. Inside of you.

Since that day, Gandhiji's words

became our catchphrase.

Captain, do you believe

you can do it?

Yes, brother, I believe I can.

Captain, do you believe

you can do it?

Yes, partner. I believe

I can do it.

We believed that together

we could do anything.

But slowly our world

began to change.

India got its independence,

but it was divided into two.

Father Frederick returned

to London with his tubelight.

Father consumed alcohol,

and one day it consumed him.

Alcohol killed my father...

...and grief killed my mother.

And we all killed Gandhiji.

The world turned upside down.

But we brothers could not be parted

You're the ace in the pack.

You're the sixer in my innings.

I'm Aladdin.

You're my genie.

Without you... I'm incomplete.

You're my first paycheck.

You're my true soulmate.

You're Aladdin.

I'm your genie.

Without you...

...I'm incomplete.

You never made me feel

less than the others.

You've taught me how to live.

Dance with abandon.

Leave all your buts and ifs behind.

Jump, Captain! Go on, jump!

No.

Do you believe you can do it?

I totally believe that...

...if I jumped, I will die.

Damn Tubelight, you chicken.

The moron fell!

You bum! Think it's funny?

So jump.

I'm not nuts like you.

When you die...

- ...they won't find your corpse.

- So what?

Your soul will wander about.

You won't know peace.

If my body goes missing,

then burn all my things.

My shoes and clothes.

Throw the ashes into the river.

My soul will be at peace then.

So jump with me.

You're crazy!

We are bound together like

kite and string.

Like kite and string.

Without you, I can't take

a single step.

Not a single step.

You put me on a pedestal.

You taught me how to live.

Play with the clouds like the wind.

Leave all your buts and ifs behind.

Dance with abandon.

Leave all your buts and ifs behind.

Jump high and touch the sky.

Leave all your buts and ifs behind.

All was well.

That's what we thought.

But beyond those mountains

events were taking place...

...that would change

our lives forever.

My Jagatpur friends...

...I am Major Rajbir Tokas.

As you all know...

...there's tension on

the Indo-China border.

So the government has decided...

...that the young men who

wish to serve their country...

...may now enlist in the

Indian army.

I am confident that every man

in Jagatpur...

...is ready to serve his country

at this difficult hour.

Hail to the Motherland!

Glory to the Kumaon Regiment!

How can I leave Laxman alone?

He's not alone. We're here.

- But Banne uncle...

- Listen.

Our Delhi legislator, Mr. Tiwari.

He says there shan't be

a conflict.

There's tension at the border...

...but Pandit Nehru does not

want a conflict with China.

The tension will soon subside.

Come back home then.

Bharat!

Another thing. If you enlisted...

...it'd be good for Laxman.

How?

In three years, you can leave

the army...

...you'll get a pension for life.

You'll have ample money

to look after Laxman.

Besides, how long can you

keep working in my ashram?

I know how little I pay you.

Don't say that, Banne uncle.

When our parents died,

you raised us both.

What happens after I go?

Wise decision.

Everyone's leaving.

Why can't I go?

Captain, try and understand.

How can I?

You're unfit to enlist.

What do you mean?

Unfit?

Do you think I'm a tubelight too?

No, Captain.

You know that isn't true.

So in what way am I unfit?

You're fine, my Captain.

You're just fine.

Catch me, catch me!

Next!

Narayan Lal Tiwari.

You're rejected.

Impossible.

Right! It's impossible.

What do you mean?

Not selected?

You have knock-knees.

Hindi, please.

Come here.

Stand at attention.

Will everyone pay attention?

See how his knees touch

each other?

No gap between his knees.

See how they touch when he

straightens his legs?

It's called knock-knees.

Four Jagatpur boys have

this condition.

When running your knees could

knock against each other...

...and you'd fall.

So don't make me run!

Armed, I can fight

the enemy sitting.

We do not enlist men with

knock-knees. Please go!

I've run without falling.

Wasting time here while

fighting is going on there.

Next!

Laxman Singh Bisht.

Sorry. Rejected.

How come?

See? There's a gap between

my knees.

Let me explain.

Bharat!

Captain! They'll enlist you.

Don't worry.

Will they?

Yes, Captain.

Some men will go to the front,

others will stay here...

...and protect the country.

You're a Captain, Jagatpur

regiment.

Jagatpur regiment?

Yes!

If the enemy enters Jagatpur,

who will alert the army?

You will of course.

A regiment here?

That's right.

Long live India!

Long live India!

Next!

Bharat, be confident!

Bravo! Next.

Next!

Don't worry, son.

Take care.

Laxman, new boots!

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