1.

1 INT. BLACK 1
Opening credits kick in.

Credits end.
We hear the sound of a phone buzzing.
CUT TO:

2 INT. LIVING ROOM (APARTMENT BUILDING) - MORNING (8:33 AM) 2

The buzzing continues in the background.
Here and there in the room, we see -- a stubbed cigarette...
an empty beer bottle... a solved Rubik's cube... and a
LAPTOP.
AMEER, a man in his early 30s, sits on his couch -- he just
woke up from his sleep.
He has a pale face and puffy eyes -- he hasn't slept well for
a few weeks.
Reveal - his phone's alarm BUZZING.
Ameer's hand stretch to turn off the alarm.
Ameer slightly twitches his neck... grunts... and gets on his
feet.
CLINK. His feet touches the beer bottle on the floor.

3 INT. BATHROOM - MORNING 3

Ameer stands peeing inside the toilet.

He yawns.
He stops peeing... closes his pants' zip.

4 INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING 4

CLOSE UP on the LAPTOP. Ameer picks it up and walks towards -
-- the bedroom.

5 INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS 5

 2.

Ameer enters and sits at a table.

QUICK CUTS: Ameer places the laptop on the table and inserts
the charger cable into it... He turns on the charger and
opens the laptop.
His laptop wallpaper is a big picture of Quentin Tarantino
with his quote by the side : "If you just love movies enough,
you can make a good one."
The wall in the room is covered with posters of films of
Padmarajan, Quentin Tarantino, Anurag Kashyap, Bong Joon Ho
etc...
CLOSE UP on Ameer's face. He stares blankly at the laptop
screen.
Reveal the laptop screen – A screenplay is opened in MS Word.
The first page reads:
"A SWORD OVER THE HEAD
Written by
Ameer"
Ameer scrolls through the script. There are around 60 pages.
He reaches the bottom of the script and opens a new blank
page.
He stares at the laptop screen.

He types in "INT. CRIMINAL'S ROOM - AFTERNOON"

Ameer stares at the text cursor.

A beat.
In the next line, he types "CLOSE UP on the face of Criminal"

He stares. Clicks his tongue. He deletes the line.

He sighs deeply.

He taps his fingers on the table.

SERIES OF SHOTS:

-- Ameer sits with his finger tips together, rapidly shaking

his legs
-- Ameer slowly feels the keyboard keys with his fingers. He
badly wants to type something.
 3.

-- Ameer scratches his chin... he rests his chin over his

hands

-- Ameer rubs his eyes, he is tired of staring at the laptop

screen.

-- Ameer walks around the room, thinking and rubbing his

palms.
-- Ameer sits clicking a pen. His laptop is closed. Few A4
size papers lie on the table.

AMEER WRITES ON THE PAPER "EXT. RAILWAY STATION"

-- Ameer scratches his head.

-- Ameer tries to fidget his pen, fails.

-- Ameer writes a few sentences. clicks his tongue. He
strikes off everything that he wrote. He crumples the paper
and throws it in the dustbin.
-- Ameer rubs his face.

END SERIES OF SHOTS.

He drops the pen on the table and gets up.

6 INT. KITCHEN - DAY (9:48 AM) 6

Ameer, with a toothbrush in his mouth, opens the fridge and

stares inside for a while.
He takes out an egg from the fridge.

He closes the fridge and walks to the kitchen drawer. He

opens the drawer to find a pack of bread slices.

He takes out the pack.

CUT TO:

Ameer breaks the egg into a steel cup -- Some part of the egg
yolk falls outside the cup.
The kitchen sink -- there's a few dirty dishes.

Ameer takes out a plate from the sink, lazily washes it and
places it near.
CUT TO:

The omelette is getting prepared in the stove.

 4.

He places a few bread slices on the plate.

He gets back to the stove and reaches his hand to the salt
container kept by the side of the stove.
He accidentally touches the edge of the HOT pan. He lifts his
hand, making the pan fall to the floor.

AMEER
Fuck!

He quickly turns off the stove. Then looks at his omelette --

on the floor.

He picks the omelette and places it on the plate.

CUT TO:

7 INT. BEDROOM - DAY (10:18 AM) 7

Ameer sits at his table and starts eating bread slices from
his plate while watching an interview of Quentin Tarantino on
the laptop.

CUT TO:

The clock on the wall reads 11:22 AM. The empty plate lies on
the table.

Ameer slouches on his chair, staring at the laptop screen.

A web article about Screenwriting Tips is opened in the

laptop.

He closes the article and opens his script file.

Sighs.
He looks up at a poster on the wall -- of Quentin Tarantino.

He stares at the posters for a few seconds.

On a SUDDEN -- he gets a call on his phone. He looks at the

caller ID. He puts out the cigarette and attends the call.

The person on the other side of the call is JESSIE (30s)

AMEER
Aah.

JESSIE
Eda nee Innu free aano?
 5.

AMEER
entha?
JESSIE
Njan oru aaru mani aakumbo office-
een erangum. Nammak onnu porathu
poyaalo? To a restaurant or
something.

AMEER
Poratho... Script ezhuthaan und.

JESSIE
Nee oru MAASAM aayitt ezhuthi konde
irikuvalle... You need a break

AMEER
Edi I'm so close. Ee script onnu
theeratte... I don't want any
distractions.

JESSIE
Ninne onnu kanaan vendi alle njan
parayane... enthuvaada nee ingana...
Ninne okke Keri pranayikaan thonniya
enne venam parayaan
AMEER
Athusheri... Ente script-inu state
award-o national award-o okke kitti
kazhiyumbo ithu thanne
parayanotto...

JESSIE
(sarcastic)
national award mathiyo? Oru Oscar
engilum vende?

AMEER
Onnu podo...

JESSIE
Nee aa room-eenn vellappozhokke
porath erangu. Eth neravum script
enn paranj nadakkalle... There's
more to life.

AMEER
Tsk... I'm fine this way

JESSIE
Nee ingana onnum aayirunnilla

The doorbell RINGS. Ameer turns his head.

 6.

AMEER
Njan pinne vilikaam, aaro door-il
vannittund...

JESSIE
Araa?

AMEER
ariyilla nokatte
JESSIE
Eppa vilikkum?

AMEER
(annoyed)
Eppozhelum vilikaam!

The doorbell rings again.

JESSIE
Athinu enthina dheshyapedane?

AMEER
Dheshyapettillallo...

JESSIE
Pinne?

Doorbell rings again, twice.

AMEER
Tsk... njan door-ilu araann nokatte

Ameer hangs up the call.

He stands up and walks towards the living room.

8 INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 8

Ameer walks to the door.

Ameer checks the peephole - his UNCLE, in his 50s, stands at

the door - an unpleasant surprise for Ameer.

AMEER
Shit!

Ameer goes and picks up the beer bottle on the floor.

He opens the TV cabinet drawer and throws the bottle inside.

He picks up the stubbed cigarettes and throws it outside the
window.
 7.

Ameer goes to the door and hesitantly opens it.

AMEER
(to uncle)
aah, maman entha ivide?
UNCLE
Ivade aduthulla oru client-ine
kanaan vannatha... Ninnem koodi
kanditt pokaam enn vachu

AMEER
Ah...
A beat.

AMEER
va akathu irikaam
UNCLE
Aah.

Uncle removes his shoes and steps inside.

Ameer makes way for him to get in.
UNCLE
George ippo Germany-ila... M Arch-
inu padikuvaa...
Ameer closes the door.

AMEER
(he doesn't care)
Oh.
Uncle gets disgusted by the look of the room.

UNCLE
Ninak ee room okke onnu vrithi
aakikkoode?
AMEER
Uh, N-Njan kazhikaan enthelum
edukaam
Ameer walks towards the kitchen.

CUT TO:
Uncle sits on the couch eating from a bowl of potato chips.
UNCLE
Amma enth parayunnu?
 8.

AMEER
Njan joli kalanjathinte pinakam
ithuvare mareetilla.

UNCLE
Oh, Avalu parayanathilum karyam
ille? joli kalanjathu mandatharam
anenne njanum parayu.
Ameer doesn't respond.

UNCLE
well, on the other hand,
kudumbathilu oru filmmaker ollathu
nalla karyama. Pakshe you should be
successful as a filmmaker, allengi
aarkum ninne oru vila undavoola.
(a beat)
By the way, enthaanu ninte ippothe
status? Ezhuthi theraar aayo?

AMEER
aah first draft theeraar aayi
almost.
UNCLE
katha entha?
Uncle pulls up his legs on the couch to make himself
comfortable.

AMEER
Uh, athu cinema erangumbo you'll
know
UNCLE
alla enikk detail aayitt onnum
ariyanda. Just oru synopsis paranja
mathi.
AMEER
Uh... okay
(clears throat)
katha oru train yathrene pattiya...
UNCLE
Train yathra?

AMEER
Aah
UNCLE
Appo cinemede thudakkam thott
avasanam vare ee train yathra thanne
 9.

aano?
AMEER
Uh, kind of... Full katha train-nte
akathu vachu thanneyaanu nadakane.
Pinne edakk kurach flashback scenes
okke und.

UNCLE
Oh, okay okay.
AMEER
Randu main charcters und. Oru
criminal-um oru prostitute-um

UNCLE
prostitute-aa?
AMEER
Aah. Ee criminal ee prostitute-ine
train-ilu vacha parichayapedane...
Katheyilu main aayitt ivar thammil
ulla conversations aanu olle. Uh, ee
randu characters-intem different
perspective towards life, uh,
athokke explore cheyaan aanu njan
nokunne...
UNCLE
Oh... Ithu orumathiri Adoor-nte okke
polathe cinema aayi poyi. Ithokke
arelum Kanaan varuvo?
AMEER
Athu saramilla... Kananavar
kaanatte...
UNCLE
Angana allallo. That's a wrong
attitude. Njan parayana kekku... nee
commercial cinema cheyy... you're
sure to achieve success. nalla paisa
undakaan pattum. Allathe ee rand
aalkaru train-il irunna samsaarikana
okke kanaan arelum varoonnu enikk
thonnanilla
AMEER
(Sighs) njan ithu paisa undakaan
vendi cheyunnatha alla... It's my
passion.

UNCLE
 10.

Ah best... Passion anengi vella part

time aayitt cheytha porayirunno?...
Joli okke kalanj ivide Vann irikande
karyam undo? nammal oru joli
cheyumbo ath sucessful akaan vendi
venam cheyaan. ippo ente karyam
thanne nokku... Enikk school-ilokke
padikumbo padaan nalla kazhivu
undaayirunnu. Annu njan
vicharikkuvayirunnu "ho,
veluthaayitt venam oru paatukaran
akaan" ennokke... but later I
realised I was stupid. Ippo enne
nokku, I have a real job. I have
money. I'm successful.
AMEER
Success is not always about money.
Ente cinema oraalu engilum kand
nallath paranja, ath ente success
aanu.
UNCLE
Yeah I get what you mean, but...
Think practically... Nee paranja
success kond real world-il ninak
survive cheyaan pattuvo? Illa..
athinu paisa thanne venam. Ente oru
parichayakkarante mon und. Ninne
poleyaarnn... joleem kalanj veetilu
vazhakkum ittu 'independent' cinema
pidikaan erangiyatha... Ennitt ippo
enth aayi? Cinemem illa... Joleem
illa... kaashum illa... Veetilum
keraan pattatha avastha aayi... you
see what I'm saying?
Ameer doesn't respond. He doesn't like where this
conversation is going.

UNCLE
Ah, Njan paranjanne ollu... Ninte
ishtam pole cheyy

Awkward silence.
CUT TO:
The clock clicks to 12:44 PM.

UNCLE (O.S)
Enna sheri...
Uncle stands out, putting on his shoes.
 11.

He puts them on.

UNCLE
Enna, pinne oru divasam varaam
AMEER
Aah.
Uncle leaves. Ameer closes the door and sighs.

9 INT. BEDROOM - AFTERNOON 9

Ameer comes and sits in front of his closed laptop, then
sighs.
He opens the laptop, opens his script, and stares at it.

He keeps his fingertips together, closes his eyes and thinks.

JUMP CUT TO:

Ameer stands in the middle of the room, thinking while

staring at the wall.
JUMP CUT TO:

Ameer slouches on the chair, staring at the ceiling.

JUMP CUT TO:
Ameer rests his head on the table.

JUMP CUT TO:

Ameer rubs his eyes and gets up from his chair. Then he walks
out of the room.

JUMP CUT TO:

Ameer walks back in.
JUMP CUT TO:

Ameer sits, staring at the laptop screen.

SNAP! An idea struck Ameer's head.

Ameer slowly starts typing and doesn't stop.

After a beat, is phone rings- Ameer stops typing and checks
the phone.
The caller ID reads "Amma".
 12.

Ameer puts the phone in silent mode and gets back to the
laptop.
He continues to type....

Suddenly, the doorbell rings - Ameer turns his head and

clicks his tongue, annoyed.

10 INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON 10

Ameer opens the door to reveal - a 9 year old boy. He has a

transparent lunch box in his hands. We can see a few fish
cutlets in it.

KID
Fish cutlet. Ammem njanum
undakiyatha
Ameer fakes a smike.

AMEER
Aah
The boy hands over the box to Ameer.

AMEER
Ah, thanks.
KID
paathram thirich thanne...

AMEER
Ah
Ameer walks into the kitchen.

The boy notices something in the room - the solved Rubik's

cube.
The boy enters the room and picks up the cube. He looks at it
in awe.

After a beat, Ameer returns from the kitchen with the empty
box.
KID
Aa Rubik's cube araa solve cheythe?
AMEER
Uh, njanaa

KID
Solve cheyaan ariyuvo?
 13.

AMEER
Ah.
KID
Ente veetilum und. Pakshe enikku
solve cheyaan ariyathilla...
AMEER
Oh...

Ameer just wants him to leave.

Ameer hands over the box. The boy keeps the cube back.

AMEER
enna sheri..
The boy nods and walks out.

Ameer closes the door.

CUT TO:
1:19 PM.

Ameer sits in front of the laptop.

He starts typing slowly... picks up speed... starts typing as
if he is a machine.

We get different shots of him typing. A smile grows on his

face as he is typing.
CUT TO:
The clock ticks to 3:48 PM
Ameer has reached the last page of his script. He types "THE
END".
Ameer, with a big smile on his face, takes a deep sigh of
relief and lays back on his chair.
CUT TO:
Ameer stands in the middle of the room. He dials a number on
his phone. The phone rings. The person on the other side of
the phone is HARI (30s)

HARI
(through the phone)
Ahda para
AMEER
 14.

Nee therakilaano?
HARI
Alla alla, entha karyam?

AMEER
Eda ente script-nte first draft
finish aayi. Nee onnu vayichitt
engana undenn parayaamo? Njan ninak
mail cheythittund
HARI
(excited)
Nice, nice... I can't wait to read.
Njan vayichitt vilikaam

AMEER
Aah. Pattoongi innu thanne vayichu
theerkane...
HARI
Aahda, sure.
Ameer hangs up.
Ameer dials another number. Phone rings. It's Jessie on the
other side.
JESSIE
Hello entha?
AMEER
Aah... I was thinking of going out
with you today
JESSIE
Wait... sherikum? Appo script
ezhuthande ninak?
AMEER
Script-nte first draft ippa ezhuthi
theerthe ollu.
(a beat)
So... you coming with me?
JESSIE
ezhu mani

AMEER
Ok poli. See you at seven.
WOMAN
Yeah... varuvallolle?
 15.

AMEER
vannirikkum!
Ameer hangs the call.

CUT TO:

11 INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING (5:37 PM) 11

The TV plays Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window
Ameer lies on his couch, eating potato chips and watching the
TV.

Ameer's phone rings. He turns off the TV and picks up the

call in excitement.
AMEER
Hello
HARI
(through the phone)
Eda njan vayichu..

AMEER
Engana und?
HARI
Basic premise kollaam. Pakshe kore
prashnangal und. aadhyam thanne, nee
ithu kurachu koodi engaging akaan
nokaamo? Ninte kathakku oru shokam
feel aanu. I mean, I get what you're
trying to do here. Ithu oru sad
story aanu, I get it. But it's not
engaging. Kurachu fun moments okke
kondu vaa. No one's gonna pay to
watch a sad, depressing film.
Ameer's excitement fades away.
AMEER
Oh.
HARI
Pinne, ee characters-inu ninak
enthelum peru koduthoode? Ella
eduthum 'criminal' 'prostitute'
'criminal' 'prostitute' enn
vilikumo... it's weird.
AMEER
 16.

Eda actually.. uh, it was an

artistic choice

A beat.
HARI
Eh?
AMEER
Eda... (sighs) To be honest I
thought it'd be cool for them to not
have any names...

HARI
Oh... Enna nee oru karyam cheyy. nee
dialogues-ilu avarde peru onnum
mention cheyanda.. but script-ilu
avare refer cheyaan aayitt enthelum
oru peru koduthekk... vayikanavarde
elupathinu...
AMEER
Aah... Athu njan sheri akaam

HARI
Aah, Pinne ee criminal-nte thalede
melil oru sword float cheyunna aa
scene ille?
AMEER
Ah, athu njan oru metaphor aanu
udheshiche...
HARI
Aah, athu manasilaayi. But aa scene
kurach out of place alle ennoru
samshyam.
AMEER
Aano?
HARI
Ah, enikk angana aanu thonniye.
and... aa brothel owner-nte charcter
ille. Ayaalu kurach unrealistic
aayitt aanu enikk thonniye. He's
just bad because he's bad. That's
not how people are in real life. Aa
charcter-inu kurachu koodi depth
kodukku...
AMEER
Oh.
 17.

HARI
And one last thing, ninte ending
nalla shokam aanu. There's no
resolution. There's no character
arc. There's nothing. Ending-ilu
sherikkum work cheyaan und. I was
expecting more from you dude.
(a beat)
By the way, no offense tto. I was
just sharing my thoughts...
AMEER
Eyy... I'm not offended.
(But we can tell he's
offended)
thanks for the feedback. I'll make
it better.
HARI
Yeah. and ninte katha mosham annenn
onnum alla njan parayane... It has
potential. Work on it and make it
better. You can do it. All the best

AMEER
Ah, thanks.
Ameer hangs up the call. He is upset.

12 INT. BEDROOM - EVENING 12

Ameer sits in front of his laptop, staring at the first page
of his script.
He raises a cigarette to his lips, lights it and smokes.
He begins to type.
Suddenly, the laptop CRASHES - Ameer tries moving the mouse
cursor and pressing different keys -- it isn't responding.
AMEER
Fuck. Shit.

He SLAMS his hand on the table.

He hits the side of the laptop screen to see if it works -
nop.
CUT TO:
Ameer turns off the laptop.
 18.

CUT TO:
Ameer tries to restart the laptop, but a message appears --
"Working on Updates. Don't turn off your computer"
AMEER
Myru
Ameer stands up from his chair. He throws the cigarette on
the floor, steps on it. Then he folds his fist PUNCHES the
wall.

CUT TO:
The clock reads 7:06 PM
The laptop is working fine now. Ameer stares at the script.
His phone rings. Ameer checks the phone.
AMEER
Oh shit!
Ameer picks up the call.
JESSIE
(through the phone)
Nee erangeele?
AMEER
Edi... njan athine kurich maranne
poyi... I- I'm really sorry. Pinne
ente script-il kurach koode work
baaki und. So... Enikk varaan
pattilla. I'm really really sorry.
Silence from her side for a while.
JESSIE
I think we should break up
AMEER
Eh? Athinum mathram entha undaaye?
JESSIE
Onnum undayille? Nee thanne aano
porathu povaann paranje? Ennitt ippo
"marannu poyi..." "Script-ilu work
cheyaan und..." Ellam ninte
ishtathinu aano ivide nadakkane?
AMEER
Njan sorry paranjille
 19.

JESSIE
"Sorry".. enne kond onnum
parayippikarithu... Nammal thammil
avasanmaayitt neritt kandeth
eppazhanenn orma undo ninak?
AMEER
Athu, uh, etho... etho oru Sunday
nammal kandathalle?

JESSIE
Etho oru Sunday alla. Rand aazhcha
mumbathe Sunday. Athum NJAN aanu
ninte veetil vanne... Nee ente
eduthekk eppozhenkilum vannittundo?
Atleast ingott oru call engilum
cheythoode ninak? Ninte eduth onnu
maryathakk kurach neram samsaarikaan
polum pattoola... you're always
preoccupied. Entha ninte prashnam?
Enik vendi spend cheyaan ninak
kurach samayam polum illa... Enikk
vendi mathram alla, onninum ninak
samayam illa...
AMEER
(Sighs) Njan oru important aaya oru
karyam aanu ivide cheythond
irikane...
JESSIE
Ninak mathram aano important aayitt
karyangal olle? Ellavarkum important
aayitt karyangal und. But they are
not fucking obsessed like you
Ameer and Jessie talk over each other:
JESSIE
ninakk eppozhum ninte karyam
mathramu important -

AMEER
(over)
Nee oru mathiri kochu pillere pole
avalle -
JESSIE
nee entha ithra selfish aayi behave
cheyane?
AMEER
Njanaano selfish? NEE aanu selfish.
Nee orikalum ente feelings
 20.

manasilaakan shremichittilla. You

just want my attention. Njan joleem
kalanj veetilu vazhakkum ittu ee
apartment-il vannu thamasikana ninak
UNDAAKAAN ALLA...
A beat.

JESSIE
Fine, Ini njan ninne vilikoola.
Let's end it here.
Ameer realizes he messed up. Jessie hangs up the call.
AMEER
(whispers)
Shit.

13 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT 13

Ameer stands in front of the open fridge.
He takes out a beer and closes the fridge.

14 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 14

Ameer comes and sits in front of the laptop.

He takes a sip from the beer.

Silence.
Ameer drinks the remaining beer in a single chug.
He keeps the bottle on the floor and gets to his laptop.
He stares at the screen.

CUT TO:
8:38 PM.
Ameer is still staring at the screen. His eyes are tired. He
is sleepy.
Suddenly he becomes nauseous. He is about to puke.
PRELAP: the sound of Ameer puking.

CUT TO:
Ameer is bent over the bathroom sink... He PUKES.
 21.

He raises his head. sighs. Wipes his mouth.

(goes t
(next day, kid comes again, with rubick's cube in hand.)
KID
Ithu solve cheyaan padipikkuvo?
(Stares at the kid. Slams the door.)
He tries to put the bolt on the door but HURTS his finger in
the process.
AMEER
Fuck!
Blood squirts from the finger... he holds the finger in pain.

CUT TO:

15 INT. BATHROOM 15
The faucet is on. Ameer stands, rinsing the wound on his
finger. He turns off the faucet. Then, takes the bathroom
towel and gently wipes his finger.

He covers the wound with a bandage.

He sits on the toilet.
headaches.
(insanity scenes)
(rage + punches air)

Contrasts
beginning:
Rushes as he makes noodles. Burns hand. Washes.

Doesn't answer mom's call

Always inside room
 22.

Ending:
Makes noodles, he's calm. Enjoys the process.

Calls mom.
Gazes outside through the balcony... Enjoys the view.

Next day - Break up from J.

Rage, breaks laptop. But actually was thinking.