LAKSHMI SCRIPT
● CAMERA SHOTS FOR SPECIFIC PATTERN
FADE IN
1. INT. CLASSROOM - DAYTIME SCENE 1
Lakshmi is sleeping in class. Her friends try to wake her up but she is still asleep.
The teacher calls her name loudly and she wakes up startled. Lakshmi looks into
the camera.
Camera close up on Lakshmi - Background transition - Expression change
(startled / afraid - tired / exhausted)
CUT TO -
2. EXT. OUTSIDE - AFTERNOON SCENE 2
Lakshmi is seen sitting on a rock alongside a dusty road. A villager walks up to
her and starts talking.
VILLAGER
“Lakshmi! What are you doing here? Done with school?”
LAKSHMI
“Yes, Uncle.”
VILLAGER
“Your school is in that town outside the village, right?”
(Lakshmi nods)
VILLAGER
“You’re walking so far just to study.” (pauses)
“Don’t worry. There’s a respectable man who helps children like you.”
(Lakshmi opens her mouth to say something)
(Villager continues in interruption)
“I will tell him about you, okay?”
(Lakshmi nods & agrees with a smile)
3. INT. LAKSHMI’S HUT - DAYTIME SCENE 3
RAJENDRAN is speaking to Lakshmi’s Father. (seated on a chair). And Lakshmi
is standing by the kitchen.
RAJENDRAN
“Then, tomorrow I will pick her up personally.” (looks at Lakshmi & calls her
over)
“Do you study well?”
(Lakshmi tries to answer but her Father interrupts her)
FATHER
“Yes, yes. She comes first in her class.”
RAJENDRAN
“When did our country get independence?”
LAKSHMI (answers without hesitation)
“1947!”
Rajendran smiles & hands over a brand new notebook. (that he had kept in a
small bag next to his chair) Lakshmi gleams with joy.
CUT TO -
4. EXT. OUTSIDE - EVENING SCENE 4
Lakshmi is buried behind a book as Rajendran rides the bicycle. His eyes shift
behind for a second & then he speaks.
RAJENDRAN
“What did you learn in school today, Lakshmi?”
LAKSHMI
“Multiplication tables. I memorized until 12..”
(Rajendran interrupts her)
“How old are you? 14, right?”
(Lakshmi is puzzled for a moment)
(Rajendran continues)
“Still they are teaching you tables? Then when will you learn division &
equations? (Maintains a sarcastic tone)
Let’s do one thing. You come to my house from tomorrow onwards, I will teach
you all that, okay?”
Lakshmi agrees - “Okay.”
Camera close up at Lakshmi - Background transition - Expression change
(smiles relieved - expressionless / haunted / post harassment)
Then camera zooms out to the entire house
CUT TO -
5. EXT. RAJENDRAN’S HOUSE - EVENING SCENE 1
Lakshmi walks out of Rajendran’s house which is at a distance. She is dressed
shabbily, clutching her notebook. Fireworks light up above the house.
She walks a little and sits down near a swampy pond. She looks into the water to
see her distorted reflection under an old flickering streetlight.
She starts crying without being able to hold back. She takes continuous short
breaths while she cries and she spots a crumpled paper floating.
(An old article about a woman lawyer who won justice for a poor woman against
a wealthy man)
Lakshmi tries to read the article by slowly lipsing the words almost inaudibly.
Then the streetlight goes out completely. But the light from the fireworks (in slow
motion) highlights the headline in intervals.
6. INT. CLASSROOM - DAYTIME SCENE 6
Lakshmi walks into the classroom abruptly & asks for permission to enter. The
teacher scolds her.
TEACHER
“You were coming early, right? What happened now?”
Lakshmi tries to answer but is interrupted instead.
“Go sit down.”
Lakshmi places a handful of books on her desk and sits down. She looks into the
camera emotionless.
Camera close up at Lakshmi - Background transition - Expression change
(emotionless - tired / exhausted)
CUT TO -
7. EXT. OUTSIDE - AFTERNOON SCENE 7
Lakshmi is sitting on the same rock. (refer Scene 2)
Rajendran appears from behind in a bicycle. Lakshmi shifts her eyes towards
Rajendran.
RAJENDRAN
“Lakshmi!” (closes in as he slows down the bicycle in front of her. )
Come, I will drop you.
(Smiles slightly)
She (sat on the rock) stares into his eyes with indifference and says -
“No.”
She remains seated and looks into the other direction.
RAJENDRAN
“I asked if I could drop you.” (flustered)
LAKSHMI
“And I said ‘no’. You have done enough for me. I will take care of myself, thank
you.”
She looks back again into the other side of the road. Unable to convince her,
Rajendran moves along with his cycle. Lakshmi stares him down until he fades
into the distance. She looks up at the sky and sighs.
Camera cuts
CREDITS SCENE (8)
Lakshmi’s school passport size photo transforms into her grown self.
Camera shows a school application form of Lakshmi’s - proceeds to zoom in on
her passport photo - this transforms into her grown face - slowly camera zooms
out to reveal the photo on the newspaper article from scene 5 - The headline &
Lakshmi’s name everywhere, is highlighted - zooming in on the word ‘LAKSHMI’
in capitals - which is revealed as the title.
FADE OUT