KASHMIR

ANAND VIHAR 

A warm and cheerful atmosphere enveloped the Anand family. Antara, their daughter with an exceptional singing talent, walked in with a radiant smile. Rushing toward her father, Dr. Ashok Anand, she embraced him tightly, a burst of affection evident in her demeanor.

Ashok: How was your day, darling daughter? he inquired with a gentle smile.

Antara: beamed with joy It was so good, Papa.

The tranquility was interrupted by the arrival of Aarav, their mischievous son, who bounded onto the sofa where they were seated. Antara nudged him, urging him to put his legs down.

Antara: Oyee, put your legs down she scolded playfully.

Aarav being his usual cheeky self, only made a face in response. 

Antara: complained to her father, Papa, see, he's teasing me.

Ashok: gently reprimanded Aarav, Aarav, bad manners. She's your elder sister.

Aarav: with a mischievous glint in his eye, retorted, Wow, Papa, you're taking her side? If she's elder, then I should get more pampering as the youngest in the family.

Antara: rolled her eyes at Aarav's antics, remarking, Oyee nautanki, first learn to spell 'pampering' correctly, then maybe you'll get it.

A playful banter ensued as Aarav, in response, called her 'santara' instead of 'Antara.' She tossed a pillow at him in jest, hitting his glasses, prompting Aarav to retaliate with a pillow of his own.

Antara: My name is Antara, not Santara! she exclaimed, laughing.

Aarav: persisted, My name is Aarav, not Aloo! Understand, Santara didi?

Their lively bickering continued, the playful exchange of teasing and banter echoing through the house. Amidst their teasing, laughter, and pillow fights, Dr. Ashok Anand observed with a heartwarming smile, reveling in the joy and energy that his children brought to their home. Their antics, their affectionate taunts, and their playful squabbles were the threads that stitched the fabric of their family life, making their house a place filled with love and liveliness.

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MUMBAI

DEV NAGAR CHAWL

A bustling street corner in Mumbai. Raghu, a stern-looking man in his mid-30s, sits beside a tea stall, sipping his tea. His two trusted men, Munna and Peter, approach him with a grave expression on their faces.

Raghu: (noticing their serious demeanor) Kya hua? Tum dono khaali haath kyun aa gaye?

Munna: (hesitantly) Raghu bhai, hum gaye toh thay vasuli karne par kuch logo ne paisa diya aur kuch ne nahi diya...

Raghu: (frowning) Kaun yaha paida ho gaya jisne Raghu ko paisa dene se mana kar diya?

Peter: Bhai, vo apne paas wali chawl hai na vaha ke logo ne hafta dene se mana kar diya...

Raghu stands up abruptly, a determined look in his eyes.

Raghu: Chal, apun bhi dekhta hai ki apne ko kaun mana karta hai...

Together, Raghu, Munna, and Peter stride purposefully towards the neighboring chawl. As they enter, Raghu scans the area with a sharp gaze.

Raghu: (demanding) Kisne mana kiya hafta dene se?

Munna: (pointing) Bhai, vo 4 number wala ghar hai na... udhar vaha se mana kiya hai...

Raghu makes his way towards the house indicated by Munna. He knocks on the door, which is opened by a strikingly beautiful girl who appears startled to see Raghu standing at her doorstep.

Girl: Raghu!

Raghu, momentarily taken aback by her appearance, quickly regains his composure, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

Raghu: Tune mana kiya apne pantar logo ko hafta dene se?

Girl: Haan, maine mana kiya... kyunki main tere se milna chahti thi... issiliye main unhe bheja taaki tu yaha aa sake...

She smiles at Raghu, her expression suggesting a hint of flirtation. Raghu, uncomfortable with the situation, maintains his stern demeanor.

Raghu: (slightly irritated) Yedi hai kya? Kya bole jaa rahi hai?

Girl: (teasingly) Uff, Raghu tu toh gusse mein bhi bada aag lagta hai re...

As she continues to speak, Raghu, feeling out of his element, decides to handle the situation with caution.

Raghu:  I'm telling you for the last time, stop playing with fire. You don't know what you're getting into.

Meenakshi's smirk widens as she disregards Raghu's warning, a glint of defiance in her eyes. Her nonchalant demeanor infuriates Raghu.

Meenakshi: Oh, Raghu, why so serious? I know what I'm doing. I can handle it.

Raghu's patience wears thin. He grabs Meenakshi's elbow, twisting it behind her back, his voice laced with a dangerous tone.

Raghu: Aaj ke baad apun ke saath zyada free hone ki koshish ki na toh apun bhul jaayega ki tu ek ladki hai, samjhi?

(If you try to get too free with me again, I'll forget you're a girl. Understand?)

He forcefully pushes her away, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground. Meenakshi's face contorts with anger, but she maintains her composure, determined not to back down.

Meenakshi: I will make sure you can't resist my charms and advances either!

As Raghu takes a step towards her, Munna intervenes, sensing escalating tension in the air. He steps in between them, addressing Raghu urgently.

Munna: Bhai, jaane do na. Ladki hai. Chalte hai yaha se. 

(Bro, let it go. She's a girl. Let's go from here.)

Raghu, seething with anger, reluctantly steps back, shooting a final intense glare at Meenakshi before storming away from the alley, his frustration palpable.

Munna leads Raghu away, trying to calm him down as Meenakshi watches them leave, a mix of defiance and determination still evident on her face.

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AT ANAND VIHAR

Anand Vihar, where life seemed to move at its usual pace. Antara, immersed in her singing career, Aarav attending school, and their parents engrossed in their respective work routines. Amidst this routine, a pregnant lady arrives seeking Dr. Ashok Anand's assistance. Ashok warmly welcomes her into his office.

Ashok: Please tell me, how can I help you?

The lady, named Leela, clasps her hands together, desperation etched on her face.

Leela: Doctor, please save me...

Ashok: But what happened?

Leela: My name is Leela. My husband has beaten me before, and I've lost two daughters because they were girls...

Ashok: Sex determination is a crime. Who allowed this?

Leela: Sab mile hue hain, doctor sahab. Paise ke aage kisi ka bas nahi chalta.

(Everyone is involved, doctor. No one can resist money.)

Ashok: Tumne police ko bataya? 

(Have you informed the police?)

Leela: Police bhi mere pati ko jaanti hai. Issiliye unhone complaint nahi likhi. 

(The police know my husband. That's why they didn't file a complaint.)

Dr. Ashok sighs deeply, concerned for her plight.

Ashok: Toh main tumhari kya madad kar sakta hoon? 

(So, how can I help you?)

Before Leela can respond, a commotion erupts outside. Dr. Ashok rushes to the window and witnesses a group of around fifty men armed with weapons. Fear seizes him momentarily, but his concern shifts to his children as he spots Aarav and Antara approaching the house.

Suddenly, the door is violently smashed open, and Leela's husband barges in, his rage palpable. He grabs Leela by her hair and utters menacingly.

Leela's Husband: So, you've come here to escape from me? But you don't realize, today no one can save you.

He slaps her fiercely, and she collapses to the floor. Dr. Ashok, filled with fury at this brutality, confronts the man, gripping his collar.

 Ashok: Tum jaise mardo ki wajah se duniya ka har mard badnaam hai. 

(Because of men like you, every man in this world is disgraced.)

Leela's husband shoves him away, warning him to stay out of this mess.

Leela's Husband: Ayee doctor, dekh, teri aur meri koi dushmani nahi hai. Iss jhamele mein mat padh. 

(Hey doctor, see, you and I have no enmity. Don't get involved in this mess.)

The tension escalates as Antara and Aarav enter the room, witnessing the chaos unfolding before them. A lady is crying in agony while holding her stomach, and several men are engaged in a heated altercation with their father, Ashok. Antara rushes forward, calling out to her father in a desperate attempt to intervene.

Antara: Papa! Chodo mere papa ko! 

(Dad! Leave my father!)

She struggles against the men, trying to release her father from their grip. Amidst the chaos, Leela cries out in pain, clutching her abdomen.  Ashok realizes that she might be in labor.

 Ashok: Antara, bacche, meri ek baat maanegi please, isse jaldi se hospital le ja, varna yeh aur iska bacha dono hi nahi bach paayenge. 

(Antara, my dear, please listen to me. Take her to the hospital quickly, otherwise, both she and the baby won't survive.)

Antara: Par papa, main aapko aise akela chhod ke nahi ja sakti. 

(But Dad, I can't leave you alone like this.)

Ashok: Please, Antara, save her...

Suddenly, a gunshot pierces the air, shocking Antara and Aarav. Leela's husband threatens everyone, declaring his intention to harm anyone in his way.

Leela's Husband: Mera nishana chuka nahi hai. Agar ab kisine bhi mere raaste mein aane ki koshish ki, toh main kisi ko zinda nahi chodunga. 

(My aim hasn't missed. If anyone tries to hinder me now, I won't spare anyone alive.)

Sunita arrives from the temple and is stunned to witness the chaos. She sees her husband injured and some men trying to take a lady away while she screams in agony. Sunita immediately calls the police for help. As more armed men enter the scene, Dr. Ashok tries to divert their attention, giving Antara a chance to assist Leela to safety.

Antara swiftly guides Leela to another room, accompanied by Aarav, and tries to calm her. An ambulance arrives, and Antara rushes to inform the medical team about Leela's labor pain. They manage to settle Leela in the ambulance, but a gunshot is heard, causing panic and chaos.

In the midst of the turmoil, Antara returns to her parents' side only to witness another gunshot. Her father lies injured, and Sunita, shocked and numb, sees Antara and pleads with her in a broken voice.

Sunita: Antara, promise me that you'll take care of Aarav and yourself.

Antara, devastated and in shock, is unable to respond. She tries to go to her father's aid, but Sunita stops her, urging her to leave for their safety.

Sunita: Please, Antara, leave. I beg you. I can't risk losing both of you. Just go!

Despite Antara's protests, Sunita insists, fearing for their lives. Suddenly, Sunita spots a man aiming a gun at Antara. In a selfless act, she pushes Antara away, taking the bullet herself.

Antara: Mumma! NO!

Sunita, wounded, urges Antara to escape while she still can. Antara, in tears, hesitates, but Sunita implores her to honor her last wish. As Antara rushes away, she hears footsteps behind her. Sunita, fearful, shouts one last time.

Sunita: Just run, Antara!

Antara sprints away from the scene, finding Aarav standing outside the house, overwhelmed by the unfolding tragedy.

Antara rushes to Aarav's side, taking his hand urgently, and insists they need to flee from the situation. Aarav, bewildered and unwilling to abandon their parents, protests.

Antara: Aarav, we have to leave from here.

Aarav: But Didi, Mumma and Papa are inside. How can we leave them?

Overwhelmed with emotion, Antara, in tears, tries to explain the grim reality to Aarav, desperately urging him to understand.

Antara: Aarav, we have to go! Our parents... they're no more. Please, Mumma asked me to take you away from here.

Aarav, stunned and devastated upon hearing the truth about their parents, begins crying uncontrollably. However, Antara, with a heavy heart, grabs him and starts running, pursued by the men.

Amidst the chase, Antara spots an ambulance nearby. Without a second thought, she and Aarav hop inside. There, she notices the same lady from their house, but something is terribly wrong—her stomach is flat. Alarmed, Antara questions the doctor about her condition.

Antara: What happened to her?

Doctor: We tried to save her, but she passed away once she was in the ambulance. The baby, however, is fine. We've taken the baby to another ambulance for tests.

Arriving at the hospital, the doctor hands the baby girl to Antara, realizing she is now the baby's only hope.

Doctor: There's no one else for this baby. What are your plans?

Antara: Now, I have no one too.

Aarav: Didi, can we take her with us?

Antara: But Aarav, where will we take her?

Aarav: If we don't help her, those people will harm her too.

Understanding the dire situation, Antara pleads with the doctor to allow her to take the baby, explaining their circumstances. The doctor, moved by their plight, agrees to help.

At midnight, the doctor provides them with some money, food, a milk bottle, and information about a vacant house in Mumbai where they can stay temporarily. Antara expresses her gratitude, and the doctor gives her his contact number for any future assistance.

As the train arrives, Antara, Aarav, and the baby begin their journey, leaving behind their shattered world. In the midst of chaos, Antara's life is torn apart within hours, and she embarks on an uncertain path in an unknown place, carrying the weight of responsibility for herself, Aarav, and the newborn baby.

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