Prologue

(The stage is dimly lit. Low lights are also on; a quiet melody is humming in the background as the voice of the narrator is heard. The lights come up on the narrator who is on the stage. Aarti and Rajesh are standing at the extreme ends of the stage, just as they wait for their turns to act. In a slow tempo of the movie, each word produced by the narrator feels heavy and has significance.)

Narrator: (Quietly, with gravity) Thus, in the heart of Kolkata, a city of history, culture and of people who never gave up, so did a darkness exists. A tragedy that no one could have thought would happen and this one happens in the neighborhood. A young woman, lively and cheerful, was killed in the cruelest way possible. The lack of response said it all about a failed structure, about a community that had not paid attention until the tragedy occurred. However, soon after this tragedy, a voice for justice could be heard in the streets of Kolkata.

(The music track ceases; the lights change; a play starts – the dramatic setting-turned-action.)

Act 1: The Breaking Point

(The curtain rises on proscenium reveal a bare stage with a middle class family’s living room with little light. Married Aarti is a middle aged woman, sad and grief-stricken, sitting on the couch with a news channel on television. The screen on stage displays the video of the rape case that happened in Kolkata. The man standing close to them is Rajesh, a journalist, who looks serious. It is as if the entire scene is heaviest with what is being done or said.)

Aarti: (Her voice trembling, looking at the television)

This is unbelievable; this is happening in our city. How could something like this happen right here, so close to us?

Rajesh: (He turns to her, his tone serious)

It is not the first time, Aarti, this has happened. This happens far too often. It is quite, sad, but has become a reality that we have all neglected for far too long. But now… people are beginning to come forward.

Aarti: (She was almost crying, her voice was trembling)

But she was just a girl, Rajesh! Full of dreams. Full of life. How could someone do something like this to her? How did we let this happen?

Rajesh: (Beside her, he touched her hand softly)

I know, Aarti. It’s heartbreaking. But we can’t let her be just a victim. Her story has to be heard. And it is for people like us to make sure that this does not become one of the many forgotten causes just like the rest.

Aarti: (Holding the tissue in her hand, looking out the window, her voice was full of despair)

What can we do? What difference can we make?

Rajesh: (Determined)

We start by speaking out. The more people we have, the more difficult it is to silence us. This isn’t just about one girl, this is about every woman, every child, who has been oppressed and ignored for far too long. We will not let her story to fade away.

(Aarti rises from the chair as if something new is growing inside of her. Then the scene pulls out to streets of Calcutta at night, the foreshadowing of the action to come.)

Act 2: The Uprising

(There is a switch of scene where we see a busy street in the city of Kolkata. They are coming together, holding banners, and shouting slogans calling for justice. The sound of the people is heard all over. Aarti and Rajesh also come out on the protest and stand among the voices that are so loud and powerful.)

Aarti: (Shouting with the crowd)

Justice! Now!

Rajesh: (Yelling in the crowd, pumping his fist)

Justice! Now!

(The camera focuses on the determined faces in the crowd: people of different ages, both genders, and coming together to seek justice. The scene is strong and the voices are filled with rage and optimism.)

Aarti: (Turning around her, she became more expressive)

This is what it takes, Rajesh. The city has finally come to life. They are angry, and they have every right to be. We have all been passive for far too long.

Rajesh: (Nods, his voice having a tinge of pride and desperation)

This is not just a protest. It’s a movement. We are asking for justice from the system that has let us down. We will not stop until we see justice is done.

(Aarti and Rajesh rise from their seats, they can now feel the power of people behind them. The audience is lively. The lights fade a little as the noise of the protest goes on in the distance.)

Act 3: The Struggle for Justice

(The scene goes back to Aarti and Rajesh’s living room now. The media is still covering the protests and the investigation process. The room is even illuminated now, meaning the hope and determination which is being kindled inside of them.)

Aarti: (Sitting on the couch, she lowers her voice but still passionately)

I never expected that I would be a part of such a thing. I was a home-bound person who was afraid to even open my mouth and say something. But now... this is personal. It could have been my daughter. It could have been anyone.

Rajesh: (Sitting beside her, staring at her)

This isn’t just about anger, Aarti. It’s about justice. It’s about ensuring that every woman, every child, is protected. The system may be dysfunctional, but we can make it functional. We can’t stop now.

Aarti: (Getting up and opening the window, she spoke with determination)

This fight is bigger than us. It's bigger than Kolkata. It is about every country where women and children are denied basic human rights. We will not rest until the system is made to answer.

Rajesh: (Staring at the audience and speaking confidently)

And we’ll ensure that her story is not the last one that we hear. We will ensure that the victims of the abuse have a chance to be heard.

(The scene depicts brief images of news clips, the protest increasing, the people’s voices getting louder each day. Aarti and Rajesh both are now on the side with full confidence and are ready to fight against any kind of problem that comes their way.) 

Act 4: The Reckoning

(The last scene is set in a court room. The room is tensed. Aarti and Rajesh also get seated in the hall to wait for the judgment of the case. Neither of the attorneys passively sit around during the case and the prosecutor especially gets into the case passionately and the defense attorney fights for the defense. The lights go out and the gravity of the situation hits everyone.)

Prosecutor: (Firmly, to the court)

This is not just the crime of one man. This is the result of a society that has not punished such crimes as these for too long. The victim was a daughter, a sister, a friend. She is not just a statistic. She was a person, she had dreams, and she had a future. And we will make sure that her voice is heard here in this courtroom, and heard clearly.

Defense Attorney: (Stammering, his voice raised in rebellion)

Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot sit back and fold our arms waiting for people to cry foul. We are here to decide the realities, not the sentiments of a disturbed city.

(View shifted on Aarti and Rajesh who were looking forward to something. It is a tense atmosphere in the courtroom.)

Aarti: (Softly to Rajesh with a lot of feeling)

It is no longer all about her, is it? It’s about all the women that have been killed and silenced. It is about all of us who are sick and tired of being left out.

Rajesh: (Nodding, he looked serious)

That, dear Aarti is just the beginning. This case may be over, but the movement? The fight for justice? That will continue. It will go on for every woman, every person, who has ever been hurt.

(The judge brings up the gavel, and the courtroom becomes quiet. The moment of truth has come. The decision will determine the future of justice in Kolkata.)

Epilogue

(The light is back on the narrator, who is on the stage alone. The room is silent and calm. Aarti and Rajesh are also depicted in the background in shadow like positions for the fight continues relentlessly.)

Narrator: (In a low and thoughtful manner) Justice is never served swiftly. It is a very long and challenging process. But it is a journey worth to make. The city of Kolkata had been silently screaming for justice and the scream became the city’s loud roar for change. But this fight, this struggle, does not end with a verdict or a protest, it continues in the streets. It goes on with every conversation, every voice that will not be silenced.

(Stops, his voice becoming less loud.)

And although the last word has been said in the courtroom, the real trial has only started.

(The lights fade out gradually, the music rises, the sound of the crowd’s voice fades away in the background.)

.    .    .