Diary of my dreams

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Diary of My Dreams Original Screenplay by WARDAN M. TIPLE

Log Line: In dreams, there is neither truth nor untruth.

Premise: How will you get rid of your past? MOHAN tries to overcome his past, his memories which are troubling him through dreams.

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Synopsis: MOHAN [M-30] is a writer. He writes fiction. His stories are primarily inspired from his own life experiences. He derives his imagination from his earlier memories and his dreams. He writes stories to get rid of his past. He keeps a diary where he notes down his dreams. Some of his dreams are repetitive but when he starts analyzing it to find out what it means then he gets puzzled and couldn’t distinguish between his dreams and reality; which in turn explores his personality and reveals more dark secrets about him.

MOHAN travels through his dreams in different zones of his memories. He observes a death of an unidentified person and a rebirth of a soul. He writes about it in his diary specifically mentioned as “Diary of My Dreams” as „THE BOON‟.

He finds himself as a child eating bitter gourd which he never liked. It merges with another dream where a virgin asks him for an abandoned task that he couldn‟t accomplish. He writes about it as „THE CURSE‟.

He sees the virgin and himself meeting in the modern times because of unavoidable circumstances but she couldn‟t recognize him and rejects his proposal fulfilling the past legacy. He observes that as „THE RULE‟.

He sees overshadows of his present life that gets mixed with his dream there he have a conversation with the Almighty. HE turns to be an observer of his fate which is already decided and he writes it in his diary as „THE LAW‟.

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FADE IN EXT. A MANSION- NIGHT A big mansion surrounded by large trees is barely seen in calm light of full moon. Dried leaves on the ground rustles with a blow of wind. The window at second floor is open; curtains are shining with warm light.

INT. ROOM- NIGHT MOHAN (V.O.) From last few days I am not dreaming about you. Few weeks ago I had a dream that I am searching for you in a maize; you were passing nearby me but you don‟t look at me neither paid any attention to my voice, my screams; as if I am not there and you went away without noticing me. I am afraid; I feel that I am losing you.

We see these images over V.O., a family photograph kept on a table; Mother, Father and a small child in Mother‟s lap. Some books on history and philosophy and a photo of a smiling young girl. MOHAN finishes writing in the diary under the light of a table lamp. He closes diary, moves hand to put off the table lamp.

EXT. THE MANSION- NIGHT The shining window curtain goes dark. The full moon is shining over the top of the mansion; dried leaves rustles on the road, CAMERA dollies over it then towards the window and then inside the window.

INT. ROOM- NIGHT CAMERA dollies on moonlit face of MOHAN‟s eyes which are moving rapidly under the eyelids, an R. E. M. CAMERA goes into it and

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travels through his billions of electrically charged neurons, on that travel appears the title “Diary of My Dreams” and other beginning credits.

EXT. A MAIZE- DAY We see in a sunny day smoggy, de-saturated, gloomy images; A girl‟s feet wearing anklets (PAYAL) standing on the dried ground. CAMERA slowly rises above the ground to reveal that she is standing in a maize and looking at a person standing in fog.

MOHAN comes out of fog, he sees the girl standing at other end.

MOHAN Venus…, Venus sss

!!!

VENUS (F-24) standing there hears the call and smiles, she starts running towards him. One of the anklets slides on the ground she runs without noticing it; MOHAN runs towards her, he stops opens his arms wide but she passes very close to him as if she doesn‟t notice him. His eyes widens in amazement. He turns around but there is a wall of shrubs. He makes his way through it. He comes out in a passage between the shrubs.

He hears her giggling, her footsteps, he turns here and there.

He gets her glimpses through openings in shrubs but couldn‟t see her completely. He frightens and get nervous. He runs in different alleys, searches her in shrubs. He gets tired and stands helpless. Fog grows dense covering the maize. He coughs and falls down. In dirt he sees the anklet. He moves his hand with great effort to hold it.

EXT. UNDER WATER/IN SEA- DAY He drops into water, anklet slips from his hand. He tries to grip it but sees a WOMAN‟s body (F-30) falling down besides him.

She is wearing a red SAARI (Indian women‟s attire). He swims towards her; somehow gets hold of her body and swims at the water surface. As he reaches the water surface he finds himself on the SHORE.

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Her face is covered with long hairs. He starts crying without taking a single close look of her face as if she is very dear to him. He sits near her feet. She has anklets in her both feet. He caresses her right foot there is a little dark black mole on it.

He looks at it and starts sobbing.

MOHAN (sobbing) I will be back, I will be back, I will come back.

Large waves continues breaking on the rocks, he sits there.

INT. ROOM- NIGHT Crashing sound of waves slowly FADES OUT. MOHANâ€&#x;s face appears to be in deep pain, he opens eyes, he sees the door is ajar and a beam of white light is coming through it. A silhouetted figure of the WOMAN stands near the door. MOHAN gets up to look at her but she turns around and walks out of the door into the bright light. He goes behind her. MOHAN closes his eyes with hands unable to bear the brightness and suddenly the light goes off.

MOHAN slowly opens his eyes. He is standing in an empty room where moonlight is coming from a window. He turns back to go to the bed but his face becomes frightened. There is MOHAN already sleeping on the bed. His whole body shivers and perspires. He hears a cry of a new born baby accompanied by the jingle bells tinkling. His vision goes blurred and he falls unconscious.

A photograph comes into focus, a family photo of a young couple with a child. MOHAN switches on the table lamp, wipes his sweated face. Jingle bell melody FADES OUT. He pulls up a chair and sits there, opens his diary and starts writing.

MOHAN (V.O.) My father told me about this. I have a black mole on my right foot. He believed in it. My aunt died in a river. He said that I am THE BOON.

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He rests on the chair, while looking at the ceiling he hears sobbing of someone coming from the next room.

INT. NEXT ROOM- DAY/NIGHT MOHAN peeps into the room. He sees bright sunlight coming from the window; he shivers for a moment then turns back to see the dark night in his room. Unable to think what to do he moves in the direction of the sobbing.

There is a long dining table near the window, its surface reflecting sunlight in the room. A BOY (M-5) is standing behind it in a corner and sobbing. MOHAN comes near the dining table where a plate is kept with Bitter Guard cut in pieces in it. He ignores that plate and walks near the BOY who is facing towards the corner. He sees a water pool under BOY‟s feet and his half pant is wet.

MOHAN Hey buddy, what.. what happened? Who are you?

BOY turns around MOHAN jumps back and falls on the floor on his back.

MOHAN WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? BOY bears a strikingly similar face with MOHAN! BOY vomits out consumed bitter guard, he drops a bitter guard holding in his hand, he starts coughing and crying.

MOHAN caress the BOY, he gets little comfortable. BOY looks at him carefully, he lifts up the piece of bitter guards and tries to feed MOHAN. MOHAN Hey?? What are you doin, huh? I don‟t like it… don‟t, don‟t!

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MOHAN feels uneasy. He tries to get rid of him but he can‟t move.

V.O. Don‟t you like bitter guard? It‟s delicious!

MOHAN turns his eyes without moving his head. CAMERA pans from his frightening face to the gun put on at his ear ways. A WOMAN giggles near his ear.

MOHAN Mom..?

She makes him sit on the chair then gestures with the gun towards the bitter guard plate. MOHAN looks back at her. She gestures with her eyes authoritatively to eat the bitter guard.

MOHAN‟s perspires, his eyes and nose becomes wet; he tries to gulp saliva through his dried throat while looking at the plate.

He nods NO. MOM gets angry she holds his head and pushes it down at the plate. His head is on the plate, he opens his mouth starts breathing heavily and gel comes out of his nose. He looks from the corner of his wet eyes. The sideways door is open and suddenly he pushes her and rushes towards it.

BANG a fire, somewhere glass breaks and shatters on the ground.

Room goes total dark.

INT. ANOTHER ROOM- NIGHT From the darkness appears the BOY‟s face. He is tired and pulling a rope which goes over his shoulder and is tied to the one leg of MOHAN. The BOY pulls MOHAN‟s body with great effort.

It slides on the floor. CAMERA dollies up to MOHAN‟s face. The BOY stops and looks at something.

A young woman YAKSHINI (F-24) appears out of the dark inside the room. She has an attire of medieval period, a thin white SAARI wrapped around her waist and its long drape goes over her left shoulder covering her bare breast. She has a white flower‟s

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garland around her neck and the same flowerâ€&#x;s bracelet in her upper arms and at her bare feet. She walks with difficulty holding an earthen pot filled with water resting at her waist.

The tired BOY looks at the water dripping from the pot. He leaves the rope and rushes towards her. He moves his tongue over his dried lips and sits down at her feet. YAKSHINI pities at him. He makes cup of his hands, she pours water from the pot. He drinks it hastily. He stops, takes a looks of her. She smiles and continues pouring. He stops drinking, looks up at her feet then slowly glances over her curvy parts which are apparent through wet SAARI. YAKSHINI stops pouring water, she shocks, pot falls and breaks.

She moves back. The BOY became MOHAN. He is with bare body wearing only a thin white cloth wrapped around his waist. He stands up, their eyes gets lock. She slowly breaks eye contact and smiles with little shy. A smile appears on MOHANâ€&#x;s lips.

She swings her body and points her hand somewhere in the dark. A ray of light illuminates a saucer with a red apple floating in the mid air. MOHAN remains astonished. She smiles at him. She gestures with her finger to get that apple.

MOHAN smiles and move a step towards it. Suddenly a crow starts crowing. He looks around, crowing stops, there is no one. He moves forward and again it starts crowing. He takes a closer look. In a dark corner only two eyes glow up. He moves faster and jumps but misses the apple. The crowing grows faster and a beastly figure comes out of the dark.

It is like a MUTANT of human and crow. Its eyes are glowing like a wolf and its beak is too long besides its legs are like crow and it has black wings. MOHAN frightens but jumps to catch the apple. He falls down. The MUTANT starts crowing loudly, it is like many crows crowing at once, it grows louder.

MOHAN puts his hands on both the ears. YAKSHINI looks at his failure and she goes away angrily. The beastly figure covers MOHAN with its wings. Crowing continues.

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INT. ROOM- NIGHT MOHAN‟s face appears with fading sound of crowing. He is sleeping on the bed. He wakes up with a jerk, the table lamp is still on. He gets up and sits on the chair; he shuffles pages of diary which is left open on the table. He picks up the pen, stares blankly at VENUS‟ photo on the table. Then starts writing in the diary.

MOHAN (V.O.) Why I lose her? I put my effort, my energy, I tried and I did my best. But still something bad happened. I feel like cursed, it‟s THE CURSE that stopped me to meet her.

HE rests back putting his both hands behind his head and hums a tune. He walks towards a cupboard in a corner. He looks for something amongst the different decorative articles kept in it while humming the tune. He opens the glass pane, stops humming and picks up a special article. It is a round glass sphere.

Inside it is a dancing pair. He holds it in front of his eyes and shakes it slightly the pair starts rotating and we hear a melodious music same as he was humming. CAMERA pulls back.

INT. A BIG HALL- NIGHT We see him sitting on a table holding the same sphere, he is looking through it. He moves his hand slowly to see many couples dancing in a big hall; his hand stops on a girl sitting alone on a coffee table. She looks like YAKSHINI but her hair, make up, attire all is modern. She looks a real HOT. She looks at the warm couples dancing and takes a sip of coffee.

On that sip she notices that someone is looking at her from the next end.

MOHAN looks at her with sheepish smile; she turns her face away and sips coffee. But after a moment slowly lowers down her head and takes a peek of him. He is still looking at her. She quickly

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turns her head in awe and smirks shyly. Holding her breathe she looks back at him.

MOHAN‟s eyes gets locked with her, both stares each other. Her crossed legs slowly parts, she slowly closes her eyes and raises her hand up and rests her head on her raised shoulder. A smart smile appears on MOHAN‟s lips.

YAKSHINI opens her eyes, MOHAN is standing in front of her.

MOHAN Hi, my name is MOHAN. Are you waiting for some one? (She shrugs NO) Shall we dance?

He gives her hand, she holds it gently and both walks in the court. A vibrant music begins. Both dance together as if their bodies become one. Music ends, dance stops.

Hall is empty except them. She is standing very close to him looking into his eyes. He moves his face near her but she slowly takes aback.

MOHAN I thought we have the same feelings.

YAKSHINI May be that‟s because of music.

MOHAN Music was spellbound.

YAKSHINI Now the spell is broken.

MOHAN I think I love you.

YAKSHINI (angrily) What the fuck does this mean?

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She walks away angrily from him towards the door. MOHAN runs behind her.

MOHAN Hey, I really love you!

YAKSHINI (very angrily) I don‟t believe in Love. (Turns around)Stay away from me!

Now MOHAN stops. He can‟t withstand her fury. She opens the door and smoke engulfs her. MOHAN remains alone in the smoke, he coughs intensely, holds at his chest. He bends, opens his mouth, saliva drips from his mouth. He tries to vomit but nothing comes out. He tries hard and a bunch of dark black hairs comes out of his mouth. He holds it in his hand. His nose becomes wet. He finds some of his teeth entangled in it. He lifts up his face, we see openings between his teeth. Tears flows over his cheeks.

He stumbles, his vision goes blurred and he falls unconscious.

His face goes out of focus, we hear his fall on the floor and melodious music slowly fades in.

INT. ROOM- NIGHT The glass globe comes into focus, the dancing pair inside it stops dancing and the music fades out. CAMERA pulls back. MOHAN is sitting on the chair writing in his diary.

MOHAN (V.O.) This event exists only in my memory. I don‟t know why this happened with me.

We met and I expressed my feelings but many things remained to say and suddenly we separated! Why? Why?? (A sigh) May be this is THE RULE. He closes the diary, rests on the chair and takes a deep breath.

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MAN#1 (V.O.) Aaarrgh… hut-hut… yak-yak-yak…

MOHAN shivers. The table lamp flickers and goes off. He walks slowly in the next room.

INT. NEXT ROOM- NIGHT CAMERA dollies over the floor on the scattered parts of many jigsaw puzzles. A YOUNG MAN (M-28) is sitting among it with a scissor in his hand and wearing a cap with head lamp. He tries to join some pieces but he can‟t. He frustrates and throws it angrily and screams very loudly.

YOUNG MAN It‟s a mess, it‟s a mess… I can‟t solve this puzzle. I can‟t join it, I can’t join it!

And he starts crying. CAMERA tracks to his face, he stops crying. Someone is singing a song. It‟s an old American folk song (by Docks Boggs- Sugar Baby).

MAN#2 (V.O.) oh I got no sugar baby no all I can do for see-peep wid you and I can't get along this away..

In the middle of the room four wooden screens are placed to make a small room. A board is hanging on its door as TOILET and over its open top a milky bulb of 60 W is glowing.

Inside the toilet, a BLACK MAN (M-27) is sitting on the commode; a hat is kept in between his bare thighs, over it “THINKING” is written. He is scratching his head which have a little dotted hairs.

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BLACK MAN ..I can't get along this a way...(stops singing) You need to think; you need to think baby. (stops scratching, looks up)I NEED HE-ELL-P! The bulb flickers and blasts CAMERA dollies down as BLACK MAN gets up, holding his hat at groin. CAMERA stops at his face.

BLACK MAN I CAN‟T SEE IN THIS FUCKING LIGHT. Suddenly heavy wind starts blowing.

EXT. SOMEWHERE ON BIG GROUND- NIGHT A bright spotlight falls on BLACK MAN. A big helicopter is flying over them. CAMERA reveals it‟s a BIG GROUND. Heavy blow of wind collapses the flour walls of toilet, jigsaw puzzle fly away. A storm of dust, a big disaster. Somehow BLACK MAN is holding the hat at his groin, YOUNG MAN tries to hold pieces of jigsaw puzzle. MOHAN hides behind long tall grass to avoid dust.

BLACK MAN What the fuck is this?

He runs towards the YOUNG MAN. Both hold each other and bends down, they shivers, frightens & can‟t even look up to it.

Helicopter maneuvers and brings MOHAN under the spot light. He walks out of grass, light follows him. He stands looking up at it.

Helicopter stagnates in the air above him. A soft but heavy and echoing voice comes from the helicopter.

V.O. WHY DO YOU ALWAYS COMPLAIN?

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MOHAN I just want to get rid of these dreams.

V.O. YOU DREAM BECAUSE OF YOUR PAST. MOHAN How shall I get rid of my past?

V.O. THINK ONLY OF YOUR PRESENT. MOHAN But at present she is going away from me.

V.O. MY CHILD, LOVE HER. MOHAN Love? huh, she doesn‟t believe in Love.

V.O. MY CHILD, TRUE LOVE WILL FIND OUT ITS OWN EXPRESSION. ONE NEEDS TO EXPRESS & ACCEPT IT. THAT‟S ALL! The bright light goes off.

INT. ROOM- DAY Birds chirping FADE IN with the scene. Window curtains blows with cool breeze. Distant sound of some vehicles parking and people chattering is heard. MOHAN wakes up from the bed. He opens his diary and writes

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MOHAN (V.O.) I was always searching for something that is tangible, clear. This is something I can believe in “True love will find out its own expression”. I feel lighter, happy and relaxed.

Surely, it is THE LAW. He looks at the smiling photograph of the young girl on the table. This is the first time we see the photo clearly, closely.

She is VENUS, he touches it lovingly, holds it and bring in front of his eyes. He hears a knock on the door while admiring the photo.

He opens the door VENUS is standing in front of him. She looks at his dried and scattered hairs, sleepy eyes and yawning face.

With show off anger she gives him a look.

VENUS What - the – fuck! You are still not ready? Its 8.15! What happened to you?

MOHAN takes a look of wall clock, he tries to say something but he couldn‟t find any word, so he looks at her helplessly. Saying just “Um- uh”.

VENUS Hey listen! I will give you just five minutes, FIVE MINUTES! And I want you to get ready and come out of this mess. Where is the car key?

MOHAN points out at the table. She looks over it and gestures “where”. He wants to say something but she shows him her five fingers “only five minutes”. He walks making a gesture “oh my god” opens the drawer and hands over the keys. She stands near the door.

VENUS Get ready! And come fast baby.

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EXT. CAR PARKING- DAY VENUS clicks the keys and a BMW flashes lights. She opens car doors. INSIDE THE CAR she finds a mobile. She checks it.

VENUS 32 missed calls! That must be mine. I don‟t know what this guy is up to!

She drives the car out of parking.

EXT. THE ROOM- DAY The door opens. MOHAN comes out wearing a nice suit and CAMERA pulls back to show the room is nothing but an office. As he walks down the stairs the CAMERA reveals it‟s a row of offices attached with a big studio floor.

Behind him on the floor at a distance some kids are rehearsing wearing different costumes of Rabbit, Bear, Butterfly, Lion, etc and Crow. Some workers pass him carrying props, there is a big long dining table.

He comes out on the road, a group of dancer passes him chitchatting amongst them. Behind him worker carries studio lights, stands and some vehicle passes by. He walks past them.

A BMW parks in front of him. VENUS comes out of the car. She is about to say something but a big helicopter move above them in the sky. Both looks at it, the helicopter get down somewhere near the studio.

INT. CAR- DAY Both get into the car. VENUS drives it.

MOHAN I think I saw it somewhere…

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VENUS You saw (a pause) what?

MOHAN The Helicopter..!

VENUS Where?

MOHAN I think in dreams...

VENUS Oh No, not again! You and your dreams, I just can‟t believe this! You spent the whole night in studio to write your dreams? (She parks the car) MOHAN are you listening? I need an explanation!

She stares very hard at him.

MOHAN (murmur) You know, you look very pretty when you get angry. (Stops murmuring) I love you darling.

VENUS What the …

MOHAN kisses on her lips without letting her complete the sentence. She holds her breath, remains shocked. MOHAN whispers in her ear “I LOVE YOU” and continues kissing. She holds him tight and goes on kissing.

Both smiles and giggles.

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EXT. ROAD- DAY The Car moves on the road. A song is heard I wanna hold you, hug you and kiss you‌ It goes on repeating. CAMERA slowly lifts up END CREDIT ROLLS as car goes away.

FADE OUT

THE END