Young Writers Society

Narration: Indian Cinema has come a long way since the beginning of its journey. With time, the industry has grown from strength to strength, and so have the women in the industry. From its inception when men had to play the parts of women to today’s daring portrayals of real women, Indian Cinema has come a long way.

Today, we present before you “___________________________”, the story about a debuting starlet and her bossy star mom. But what do they learn when a volley of ghosts land up one fine day? Let’s find out.

Scene 1

Mandeera (Mandy) is training with her choreographer to the beats of “Sheila ki Jawani”. Her mother Meena appears from the right wing and shouts

Meena: Atrocious! My daughter doing an item song and that too in her first film. No! Never!

Mandy: Don’t interfere in my work Mom. Look at all the actresses of today – They’ve all delivered item numbers. That is the need of the hour!

Meena: Huhh! We did not need item numbers to prove ourselves. Ours was a golden era …

Mandy: Why don’t you accept it that you are a bad dancer and that your directors did not trust you?

Meena: Shut up! Why don’t you accept it that your story is so weak that it depends on your dance?

Mandy: My movie will be the best of the year thanks to my strong lead character and hot item number.

Meena (snorts): All the more reason to go for a flop. Who will go to see you dance?

Mandy: That’s what you believe. Our “era” is different.

Meena: Unacceptable! I will talk to your manager immediately.

(Flash of lightning and thunder clap. A pale figure of a boy draped in a sari enters)

Scene 2

Ghost 1: You screechy creatures! I had to leave my death day party hanging to shut you guys up. We can’t hear the music!

Meena: Who are you?

Ghost 1: I am the ghost of the famous actress umm actor of our time; you know the twenties. I was known for my grace at playing female characters

Mandy: With a figure like that?

Ghost 1: Of course! Lean was mean. I don’t understand why you are allowed to act. Where are the pretty boys?

Mandy: Excuse me! When we exist why should we let man play our parts?

(Another flash of lightning and thunder clap. Enter silent actress and Suraiya)

Suraiya (sings): where is the party tonight? On the ground floor?

(Silent actress gestures towards Meena and Mandy and to the ghost 1, asking him why he’s here.)

Meena: Who are you two now?

Suraiya: Myself Suraiya, famous singing star of the 40’s. And this is Silent star from the silent era. She doesn’t speak, only acts. Samjhe?

Mandy: You had to sing too? And you didn’t even speak?

Silent actress gestures to Ghost 1, then to herself and then to Suraiya.

Ghost 1: Oh! She means that with each phase there were changes. First it was me(happily) Women in our days were not allowed to act in movies so men like me had to don women’s attire and play female roles, and then it was this one (to Silent Actress, frowning) with the society evolving, women got more rights in home and the society and this reflected in the movies as well as women entered Indian Cinema and then it was this one (to Suraiya, hatefully) slowly and steadily women centred movies also started coming up.

Suraiya: Aap Baare Hoshiyar!

You are absolutely right!

Women like Nargis have shown their might!

Memorable female roles have come to sight!

Meena(shouts): Whatever you ghosts say, I will not let my daughter do an item number! I will make her a mother in the first movie.

(Thunderclap and flash of lightning again. Enter Nirupa Roy and Parveen Babi)

Nirupa Roy: Nahi! Don’t make this beautigul girl a mother. She’ll be a mother her entire life then, just like me.

Parveen Babi: Yes, Nirupa Roy is right. If she plays a mother character once, she will be stereotyped and will always play the role of a mother, just like Nirupa dear. Let her be a star, like me.

Mandy: Oh My God! Parveen Babi! So glad to meet you. You have been my role model and ofcourse, my mother’s rival.

Meena: Tch! Tch! Mandira! The things you say. Parveen is no rival of mine, she is a dear friend, practically a sister.

Mandy: Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t call me Mandira, my name is Mandy.

Meena: Phui! What kind of a name is Mandy? It has no substance, no gravity, just like the films of today.

Dear Ghosts, that’s what I am trying to make my daughter understand. Earlier women had roles of substance to play, be it Nargis in Mother India or Madhubala in Mughle – Azam or Joymoti. But nowadays women are mere accessories in movies.

Mandy: Wait a minute Mom! Today’s women roles portray the roles of women in today’s society. Earlier movies showed women being dependent on men but look at the movies that we make now. Fashion, No one killed Jessica, Lazza, Bandit Queen – all these movies have just proved that actresses can carry a movie on their shoulders alone, and that we do respect women much more than the older days.

(Thunderclap and a flash of lightning. Enter Amrish Puri)

Amrish Puri: Hahaha, Mogambo khush hua. That’s the spirit of today’s generation. Entertainment is still on but just the portrayal has changed and that is important.

Nirupa Roy: I agree! Look at Vidya Balan; on one hand she played Sabrina Lal and now she’s Silk Smitha, I like that! Even mothers are more fun and interesting characters now.

Amrish Puri: I was in the movie industry for a long time. And I have seen it evolve. Not only female oriented movies are being made now, female directors are also emerging. Female directors like Meera Nair and Deepa Mehta have received much critical acclaim for their movies. And directors like Farah Khan and Zoya Akhtar has also given us popular blockbusters.

Parveen Babi: And girls have more independent characters, no brothers or fathers to lean on.

Ghost 1: But the pretty boys . . .

Everyone: Shut up!!

Mandy: So Mom and Ghosts, the moral of the story is that the Indian film industry has changed for the better. All of you represent the different phases of the industry and it has been a gradual upliftment. Now it’s my time and my turn to entertain everyone to the fullest. So enjoy!

Scene 3

(From the audience Yamraj and two Yamdoots shout and come running onto the stage)

Yamraj: Time up! You all can’t stay on earth any longer.

Yamdoots: Bhaag! Bhaag!

Ghosts squeal and start running around the stage. Yamraj and the Yamdoots chase around them.

Yamraj: You rouges! I always have to come after you. Chitragupt is right. I give you all too much freedom. Just you wait.

(All the ghosts run out of the stage screaming with Yamraj behind them. Meena and Mandy stare after them with shocked expressions. Slowly they look at each other and then realizing they are alone now look away)

Meena: Ahem! Ummm .. Maybe you can dance in the movie after all.

Mandy: Oh Mom! Really? Thank you.

Meena: But do know that mere dancing skills will not take you forward in the movie industry. Whatever may be the popular notion, the film industry is not merely about looks.

Mandy: I know that, Mom. And don’t worry I won’t let you down, afterall I do have your acting skills.

(Mother and Daughter hug)