INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...XIX

INTO THE PAST WITH PAIN...XIX
SCENE XIX
Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao ( Retired)

(Gandhi is seen lying in bed coughing vigorously. The room is simple with barest necessities… On the wall, a painting of Lord Rama is displayed. Ram is holding a bow that is stretched with arrow.. He is in a war mood )

Gandhi. Ohf. The winter is just bad. Whole body is aching. He swallows tablet from the bottle. These strikes, agitations are taking life out of me. I must find some time for relaxation and entertainment. I shall become fresh too.

( Suddenly Raj kapoor appears after a flash)

Raj. Namaste Bapu. Nice that you remembered some entertainment. I am here. Where shall we go?

Gandhi. Please take me to some good place

( Raj and Gandhi drive to a pub at the outskirts of the city. Gandhi is in his usual dress)

Gandhi. Which is this place?

Raj. This is called a Jing bang pub

Gandhi. The name is funny. Name sound like bear cub

Raj. Hee…heee..haaa.huu.huu. This is special in city

( They enter the pub after paying at the counter. At entrance lot of security check is there. Inside they see Mukesh, Surendra BA LLB, KL Saigal, Pahadi sanyal, KaviPradeep,Talat mahmood, Rafi, Hemant dada and KC dey.Jagmohan,Mannadey, Zahur Raja, Comedian sunder, Bhagwan and Mukri They also see Ashok kumar, Kishore,Motilal,KN Singh,Gope,C ramachandra, Kalyanji, Anil Biswas, Pankaj Mullick, Prihviraj kapoor, RC Boral, Naushad, Jaikishan, Pandit Indra, Ram ganguly, Madan mohan, at another table. They all stand up and wish Gandhi with great respect.Gandhi is escorted to a table and he is seated in a special chair. Saigal, Surendra BA LL B, Sanyal, Prithviraj kappor and Pradeep are seated with him. Raj kapoor stands behind Gandhi)

Saigal. Bapu. Nice to see you here. He picks up his glass and gulps few drops of whisky while Gandhi looks other way

Bapu. Mr Kundanlal you have not changed much

Mukesh. Bapu. Why change ? No.. We are already dead. Not going to die again.
Let us enjoy ( Sings).

Dil Jalta Hai tho Jalne do
Aasoo na baha faryad na kar dil
Jalta hai tho jalne do

Gandhi. Come on Mukesh. Try to be happy

Mukesh. Bapu. If the mood has to develop one must have few drops of liquor down the throat.

Gnadhi. That I can not do

( In the mean time color lights are flashed and orchestra comes alive on the stage. Two scantily dressed good looking girls come on to the stage and start dancing. As the beats of the drums get more pronounced the dance also gets more faster. Whistle and shrieks are heard. Some crazy guys get up and start dancing wildly)

Rafi. ( Gets into mood) Yeah… yeah.. Ayyayyo karu my kya suku.. sooku…sooku( he gets up and does some fast jig)

Mukhesh. ( Sings)

Patli kamar hai Tirchi nazar hai
Khile phool si teri jawani.. Kaha ka dar hai
Patili kamar hai…hai…

( He gets up and dances singing the song)

Gandhi.Ohf.. What type of guys here.( looks at them helplessly while Raj kapoor offers him a soft drink)

Gandhi. What is this?

Rajkapoor. Bapu. It is soft drink. Coca-Cola of Indian make

Gandhi. It is ok for a change. I would have preferred Jaljeera.Hope nothing is mixed in it

Saigal. Bapu. How can we do that? You are our Bapu, Great bapu

( In the mean time, the dancing girls come very close to the table where Gandhi and others are sitting. It is a cabaret dance going on. One of the dancer tickles the cheek of Mukhesh, still dancing)

Dancing Girl. Hoi. handsome

Mukhesh . Fine. Gets up and dances with her

( Saigal, Rafi, Pradeep, Surendra BA LLB and others clap while Gandhi watches. In the mean time waiter brings snacks monkey- nuts, chips, wafers, kaju fried and mini samosas. He brings drinks to all. The dancing girl comes now close to Gandhi and winks at him She asks him to dance with her )

Gandhi. Eeee….eee...aaa.. Raj..Rajj come. Go away.. How can I dance with you? I am very old of 79 years.

Girl. That is fine. Age is no bar here. Just enjoy sir. It will be a new experience. You have wasted all your life like this.

Raj kapoor. Hello madam. Leave him alone.

( The dancer goes away dancing to some other table taking SurendraBALLB with her )

Gandhi . These snacks are fine. I like them. ( He accepts the snacks)

( The music tempo builds up and the compeer at mike shouts in big voice that all are requested to join)

(Most of the guys and girls get up and start dancing to the beat of the drums. There is a great amount of cigarette smoke. Lights are being flashed. The drums are beat crazily. The partners are dancing with great craze. Shouts, shrieks, cat calls, and all types of screams are heard at pitch of the voice,, There is a great commotion. Mukesh, Rafi, Pradeep, Rajkapoor, Hemant kumar, Kishore kumar are also on the floor doing their bit.)

Saigal. Bapu. This does not suit us.

Surendra. True. Times have changed.

Pankaj mullick. Entire music has changed. Very great western influence is there in music

Anil Biswas. Ohf ( Holds head)

Saigal. We can not fit in

( In the mean time the organizer Ashok come to Gandhi and bow to him and they wish all great singers sitting with him)

Gandhi. Thanks for recognizing me. I am not fake Gandhi. The real one

Ashok. Saigal sahib. You must give a song, Surendraji BA LL B .. You also must give a song.. It is great occasion for us.

( They escort all singers, Rajkapoor and Gandhi to the stage)

Rajkapoor ( In his typical style) Hello. Namaste. We have Gandhiji amongst us. You are very lucky. We also have great singers like Saigal, Surendra, Atma, Pankaj mullick, Rafi, Mukesh, Pradeep, Kishore… Let us welcome them . Give a big hand

( All clap loudly while Saigal adjusts the mike and tunes harmonium)

Saigal. Friends. I shall give a light song from film My sister (Sings)

Chupo na chupo na…chuponaa..
Chupona chupona oh pyari sajaniya
Hamse chupona chupona…Baaki rasseelee..
Baaki rasseeli Hamaari sajaniya
Hamse chupona chupona……

( All listen in pin drop silence and clapin appreciation )

Saigal. Surendra. Please come here. It is your turn

Surendra.. I shall also give a light happy song from movie Elan

Ek baar phirse aaja
Dilme mere samaaja..Ek
Aya Zindagiki rahat,
Aai Jannath ki jannat
Ek bar muskaraja..
Dil me mere samaajaa

( The song is accompanied by brass band and all clap loudly)

(Every one wants now CH Atma to give a song and he obliges.)

Atma. I shall give the most famous song from film Nagina
( Every one claps)

Atma. (Sings with his usual deep voice)

(Rowumai.. saagar ke kinare… sagar hasee udaye
Jag mere chanchal lahre. Maibhi aaj chupaa….

(All clap loudly and request Pamkaj dada to give anice song)

Pankaj mullick. ( Sings)

Piyaa milam ko jaaana. Haa… Piya Milan ko jaana


(All the people now want Gandhi to give something and Gandhi appreciates the deamd. He goes to mike and sings Ramdhun

Gandhi ( sings)

Raghupathi Raaghava raja raam
Pateetha pavan seethe raam
Iswar allah tere nSab ko sanmathi de bhagwan,,

( entire crowd sings Ramdhun most sincerely and Gandhi wipes tears)

Saigal. Bapu . What happened. Any dirt in the eye

Gandhi. Not in the eye. Dirt is in the country. See How nie these bioys and girls are. They are still singing Ramdhun at my request. They are all good. But only got on to a wrong path by western culture. Soon they would realize and come back to noble path

Surendra. Yes Bapu. I am sure they will some day.

( The orchestra accompanies Ramdhun and entire atmosphere becomes noble and pious.Gandhi thanks all and he departs along with Raj kapoor)

Gandhi. Raj. That was the nice evening

Raj. True sir. Hope you are relaxed now

Gandhi. Sure. But one should not go there regularly. One can get habituated

Raj. True Bapu. I very rarely go there

Gandhi. That is good. Thanks for accompanying me. Bye

( Gandhi gets down and goes to the room while Raj drives away in his car)

CURTAIN FALLS
Dr K Prabhakar Rao