Stage Play 2
Men at work on Women at work
Dramatis Personae,
Men at Work:
Naveen (40) Materials Manager, Bricks & Bats Ltd.
Nayak (55) Manager, HRD, Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Rakesh (50) Managing Director, Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Sunil (35), Assistant Manager, Personnel, Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Gopal (55) Assistant, Marketing., Hares & Hounds Employees Union
Balram (35) Inspector of Police.
Sanjay (40) General Manager, Marketing, Brims & Dregs Ltd.
Kumar (35) Assistant Finance Manager, Skins & Hides Ltd.
Diwakar (50) Finance Manager, Skins & Hides Ltd.
Bhagawan ( 45 ) Lawyer.
Women at Work:
Navya (30) Naveen’s wife and Sanjay’s P.A at Brims & Dregs Ltd.
Rachana (26) Navya’s friend and Kumar’s Assistant at Skins & Hides Ltd.
Rekha (59) Company Secretary, Hares & Hounds Ltd., who with Navya and Rachana starts MAWAW, Movement against womanizing at workplace.
Nritya (21) Navya’s sister and Nayak’s Stenographer at Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Preeti (26) Personal Secretary to Rakesh at Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Margaret (45) Manager Personal, Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Ramya( 40) Deputy Manager, Finance, Hares & Hounds Ltd.
Divya (25) Receptionist, Bricks & Bats Ltd.
Anasuya(35) Maid servant of the Naveens
Mithuna: Accuser of Naveen sans appearance.
Children at play: Ranjan (7) and Nrupa (5), son and daughter of Naveen and Navya.
Scene - 1
[Curtains up: Drawing room of the Naveens. Nine chimes of the clock (not in the scene). Naveen is seen solving the The Hindu ‘crossword’. The telephone in the hall starts ringing.]
Navya: [Not in the scene.] Naveen, are you there?
Naveen: Very much dear. [He goes to answer the call.]
Naveen: It’s Naveen here. [Pause] Wait a minute [Closes the mouthpiece.] Navya, Rachana is on the line for you.
[Enter: Navya from the kitchen portion (left side of the stage) and takes the receiver from Naveen.]
Navya: Hi, Rachana.
[Naveen goes into the master-bedroom (left side of the backstage)]
Navya: You are mistaken, Nritya is expected only tomorrow. [Long pause] Why not, we can meet in the evening.
[Navya disconnects the phone. Naveen comes into the hall with a briefcase in one hand and shoes in the other.
Naveen [Wearing the socks]: What’s the matter?
Navya: Rachana wants to bring her friend’s auntie Rekha on some important business.
Naveen: Bet, if not Amway its Gold Quest to lure you into becoming an Independent Business Owner. See how they network. Rachana became your friend after being introduced by someone, you may not even remember. She runs a ladies hostel in which you wanted her to accommodate your sister and in turn she wants you to entertain her friend’s auntie. What a way to network.
Navya: Why not if it comes to that. You know I’m idling all day and it’s boring.
Naveen: When kids hang around at home it’s tiring, and it’s boring as they grow up to hang out with their friends. Why, this networking would be no less boring. Well, it’s all about parroting the worn out lines day in and day out. What’s worse, you end up being a nuisance to your acquaintances.
Navya: I thought of taking up a job but Rachana feels it amounts to standing in the way of the needy. Like she did, she wants me too start something on my own.
Naveen: Why not get involved in some social activity.
Navya: That’s what I told Rachana. Maybe, this Rekha’s visit has something to with that.
Naveen: Wait and see if Rekha turns out to be an Amway auntie with an axe to grind. If it’s the case don’t count on me to network for you.
Navya: Well, if it’s some social work, I’m bound to bother you.
Naveen: [Goes near her and strokes her head.] Won’t I then leave no stone unturned.
Navya: [Leans on him lovingly] I always know that I can count on you. I’m expecting them by six, why not you come by then.
[Naveen extends the ring and the middle fingers of his right hand towards Navya.]
Navya: What are you aiming at?
Naveen: Let’s see what’s in store for me.
[Navya kisses the middle finger.]
Naveen: It’s all about woman’s sixth sense.
Navya: Why tease me, tell me, what’s the matter?
Naveen: I will tell you if I don’t click.
Navya: Isn’t it strange?
Naveen: My dear, life is like that.
[Navya goes into the kitchen and reappears with the lunch box. Naveen takes it and readies himself to leave.]
Naveen: Bye darling [Kisses her on her cheek]
Navya: [coyly.] Bye.
[Exit: Naveen. Anasuya comes out from the kitchen portion with a plastic cover containing the leftovers.]
Anasuya: Amma, you are lucky to have such a husband
Navya: How is your man, is he keeping his word to give up drinking.
Anasuya: He is drinking more than ever. Why, he says that he won’t be able to drink once he stops drinking.
Navya: That is some logic, isn’t it? [Navya laughs heartily.]
Anasuya: I don’t know amma what to do with him. But when sober there is no man like him.
[Exit: Anasuya. Navya goes into the kitchen. Navya re-enters and goes to the master bedroom. In time, two chimes of the clock (not in the scene) and Navya comes out from the children’s bed room (the right side of the backstage) and goes into the kitchen portion. Navya reappears wiping her hands with the pallu of her saree and goes into the master bedroom. Thereafter, the clock chimes thrice and Navya comes out of the master bedroom and picks up ‘The Hindu’ lying on the centre table. Shortly Ranjan and Nrupa with tired looks and bag loads of school books enter.]
Nrupa: I’m hungry mummy.
Navya: Go have a wash; I shall prepare some garam garam upma for both of you.
[Ranjan and Nrupa go into the children’s bedroom and Navya into the kitchen portion. Navya reappears with two platefuls of upma and goes into the children’s bedroom. Shortly Navya comes into the drawing room with a carom board with Ranjan (holding a box of coins) and Nrupa. Navya spreads the board and as the kids set the coins they converse.]
Ranjan: After Nritya comes we can play doubles every day?
Nrupa: I shall be her partner.
Ranjan: She no fool for that.
[Ranjan and Nrupa come to blows and Navya intervenes.]
Navya: She is not going to stay with us anyway.
Nrupa: But where she will stay?
Navya: In Rachana auntie’s ladies hostel.
Ranjan: Why not she stays with us, mummy.
Navya: It’s better that way.
Nrupa: But how?
Navya: You are too young to understand all that now.
[They get along for a while with the game of carom bank (In the first round, each player keeps the coins he pockets and that makes his bank. While the red is priced at Rs. 5, the whites and blacks are valued at Rs. 2 and Rs.1 respectively. In the second round each player stakes equal money on the board and the process is repeated till a winner emerges.) Six chimes of the clock (not in the scene) and they wind up the show without a clear winner and go into the children’s bedroom. Shortly, Navya appears in the drawing room and picks up a periodical and sits in the sofa. Thereafter Ranjan and Nrupa too come out with a couple of shuttle cocks and their racquets.]
[Exit: Ranjan and Nrupa saying bye to Navya. The door buzzer alerts Navya to the arrival Rachana and Rekha.]
[Enter: Rachana and Rekha with their handbags.]
Rachana: Meet Mrs. Rekha.
Navya: Welcome madam.
Rachana I’ve just come to know that Rekha madam works at Hares & Hounds where your sister is going to join.
Navya: Oh what a relief it is.
Rekha: Maybe fortuitous for it sets the right tone. Thank you for agreeing to see me.
Navya: What a way to embarrass this nobody.
Rekha: But Rachana thinks otherwise.
Navya: Friends tend to either overrate you or underrate you, don’t they?
Rekha: How I wish that Rachana underrates you.
[Navya asks Rekha and Rachana to sit in the sofa while she sits in the chair.]
Navya: What would you like to have madam, coffee or tea?
Rekha: Tea, preferably with elachi and sugar without kanjoosi.
Navya: I see you are quite humorous.
Rachana: That would do for me too.
Navya: What, elachi or kanjoosi?
[Navya goes into the kitchen leaving Rekha and Rachana in all smiles.]
Rekha: Your friend is quite interesting.
Rachana: If you can rope her in, it would be a big catch for you.
Rekha: Don’t ever imagine that I will let you go. I need both of you.
[Navya comes back with three cups of tea in a tray, and they begin to sip it from their cups.]
Rekha: We don’t get to have such tea here. What’s the secret if I may know?
Navya: I’ve learnt it from my sister Nritya. What a sweet girl she is and to be honest I’m against her taking up a job. I know how faint hearted she is. I told my father to get her married instead. But she was adamant and my dad gave in. Well, being born so late after me, she’s his laadli. God forbid, if she has to face harassment at the workplace that I hear about, she won’t be able to cope up with that.
Rekha: Don’t worry about Nritya for men at our office are a decent lot. Even otherwise, your worrying about her won’t stop men at work work on women at work and it’s no stopping them if women start sitting at home. It would be like setting the clock backwards. [One chime of the clock (not in the scene) indicating it was six-thirty] Isn’t it a good omen? We have to mend men in their own den.
Navya: I think the only way out for women is to mend their own ways. I believe that women bring it upon themselves by being half-hearted about male advances. I learn that all women are no angels for many do flirt with men either for fun or out to sponge on them. I know most men do try to interest women they fancy but it is the baser lot who resort to harassing them. Maybe it’s not a cut and dry case any way.
Rekha: No denying, but one has to nuance between the luring female and the harassing male. While a crafty female won’t be able to lead an unwilling man up the garden path, any stupid fellow of some rank can spoil it for the chastely female at the workplace. Whatever, the flirty female syndrome cannot be bracketed with the dirty male menace. It’s not that the two ills at the workplace cancel out each other warranting our inaction. Let men take care of flirts among us while we work on men who work on women.
Navya: I do agree but I still feel it is for the individual woman to tackle the problem.
Rekha: But still there is a need for an institutional mechanism to rein in the errant men, and the Supreme Court ruling in the Visaka’s case is all about it.
Navya: What is it?
Rachana: Sexual harassment at the work place is all about sexually coloured remarks or physical contact and advances or showing pornography or a demand or request for sexual favour and or any other unwelcome physical, verbal/non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. And in case of a complaint of sexual harassment, every employer must provide a complaints committee headed by a woman with half its members being women. What is equally important is that the committee should also include an outside organization- which is familiar with the ways and means by which men resort to sexual harassment. We may fill in the gap as there are not many if not any and we want to take you on board.
Navya: Being unfamiliar with all that, what can I bring to the table?
Rekha: That’s no constraint. Why Rachana is also is not exposed to any such situation. I can see that both of you are employed for a while to come face to face with the ugly facets of womanizing at the workplace.
Navya: Give me sometime to think it over. Besides, I’ve to discuss with Naveen as well.
Rekha: [Smiling.] You have time only till I retire from my job in a couple of months.
Navya: Before that, I hope you would be able to stabilize things for Nritya.
Rekha: Like you would have done, had you been in my place.
Navya: See the irony of my sisterly care. It is to avoid the saala- saali flirting in my place that I want her to stay at Rachan’s hostel. Unlike the sexual harassment at workplace, there is no escaping from the alien sexual enthusiasm at home.
Rekha: It’s another facet of female vulnerability. You have a thinking head on your shoulders and that should help you to shoulder our cause. I wait for your word to get on board. Meanwhile, you may go through these case studies on sexual harassment at workplace that I downloaded from the net.
[Rekha pulls out a spiral bound volume and gives it to Navya.]
Navya: Thank you, I’ll go through it.
Rachana: [Gets up from her seat.] See you with Nritya tomorrow.
Navya: In the evening that is.
[Rekha and Navya too get up from their seats.]
[Exit: Rachana and Rekha, after bidding adieu to Navya.]
[Navya browses through the material that Rekha gave her and shortly Ranjan and Nrupa come back from play. Navya nudges them into the children’s bedroom for wash and she resumes reading the material. Seven chimes of the clock (not in the scene)]
[Enter: Naveen with his briefcase and the lunch box. Navya goes up to him.]
Navya: [Taking the lunchbox.] What’s the news?
Naveen: I had a sumptuous meal.
Navya: What about my sixth sense?
Naveen: I said that I will tell you if I fail.
Navya: So you have clicked?
Naveen: It’s not that I failed to pass.
Navya: Why are you talking in circles?
Naveen: Because there is nothing straight about it.
Navya: To hell with you.
Naveen: Okay, but did Amway auntie turn up?
Navya: Stop saying that. Why as it turned out Rekha is the Company Secretary of Hares & Hounds.
Naveen: I’m relieved more than you as it soothes your nerves.
Navya: She wants to start a NGO to nail down the womanizers at workplace. Be a good boss or else.
[Naveen catches his ears with his hands crossed.]
Navya: Well, she wants to take me on board.
Naveen: You can cross the bridge when you come to it.
Navya: So you are not against the idea.
Naveen: If I oppose, you may lose your face.
Navya: How’s that?
Naveen: What if she propagates that your man is a MCP.
Navya: Well, I won’t let that happen. [She strokes his head affectionately.] [Curtains down.]
Scene – 2
[Curtains up: The Naveens’ drawing room where Ranjan and Nrupa were slow in getting ready to go to school. The clock (not in the scene) eight chimes.]
[Enter: Navya hurriedly with the lunch packs for them.]
Navya: [Annoyed] Oh, you, I know why you are dragging your feet.
Ranjan: Mummy, didn’t you tell us that Nritya auntie comes before we leave for school.
Navya: What am I to do when the train runs late? Your daddy rang up and said that it won’t reach before ten.
Nrupa: Why he forces us to go school when we love to play with auntie.
Ranjan: Please mummy, allow us to bunk school today.
Navya: Don’t you know your daddy won’t allow that.
Ranjan: But why?
Navya: Because he loves you and wants to see you becoming MBAs from IIMs.
[Honking of a horn]
Navya: Hurry up, the auto uncle has come.
[Exit: Ranjan and Nrupa literally dragging their feet with their school bags and lunch packs.]
[Enter: Maid servant Anasuya with a broom and as she begins to sweep the floor.]
Navya: What a pity we deny our kids a certain present for the sake of an uncertain future. Why it’s the pressure of the times. Thanks to our dad and the times, what a wonderful childhood Nritya and I had. But would Nritya’s boss play the father to her.
Anasuya: Amma every man is not like ayya. How men ogle at the maid servants as they go about their work? You can understand how jittery it feels but changing households won’t help as men are same everywhere. But for the fear of their wives, men would be forcing themselves on the maid servants.
Navya: Oh, it’s another facet of the male malaise. That being a woman’s plight in another woman’s place, where she can be safe from the ogling men. I wonder how Nritya would cope up with that.
[Enter: Naveen with two suitcases and Nritya with two travel bags. Naveen rushes into their bedroom and Anasuya takes the bags from Nritya and takes them into the guest room (to the right of the stage).]
Nritya: Hi akka.
Navya: [Hugging Nritya] Welcome to being a Hyderabadi.
Nritya: Doesn’t it sound like barbadi. [Laughs]
Navya: [Frowns.] It’s no good talking like that.
[Anasuya comes back to picks up Nritya’s suitcases.]
Nritya: How are you Anasuya?
Anasuya: Your akka takes good care of me chinnamma.
[Anasuya moves the suitcases into the guest room. Anasuya comes out of the guest room, and takes leave of Navya and Nritya.]
[Exit: Anasuya and Navya and Nritya go into the kitchen.]
[Naveen comes into the drawing room with his briefcase and shoes. He goes about wearing his socks and shoes as Navya with lunch pack in hand followed by Nritya enter.]
Nritya: Bava, hoping for a drop, thank you for the lift.
Naveen: Why I forgot that your akka is packing you off to the hostel.
Navya: Don’t be unfair. I only want her to be on her own.
Naveen: I’m just joking.
[Naveen’s mobile rings and he answers the call (mime.)]
Naveen: My Secretary says the M.D is already missing me.
Navya: If it’s not for akka’s ears, may I take it is your secretary who is missing you.
Navya: Why put unwelcome ideas into his head.
Naveen: Unwelcome to whom is the question. [He smiles heartily.] Wonder how the instincts of a woman as woman, and her constraints as wife contrast. Bye.
[Exit: Naveen as Navya and Nritya wave him good bye.]
Navya: Don’t take him seriously. There is no seven year itch yet even after fourteen years. He’s a lovely man.
Nritya: Why forget about your sweeties, Ranjan and Nritya. How I love to be with them. Tell me if your wanting me to be on my own is not a bahana.
Navya: Yes and no. Well, I don’t want any complications for you and me.
Nritya: What complications?
Navya: You are too young to visualize them.
Nritya: If only you care to tell me, I’m old enough to understand.
Navya: When the wife lets her sister stay in the house, her man takes it as a license from her to seduce his saali.
Nritya: Why it’s like fearing one’s own shadow.
Navya: You won’t say that when you are of my age.
Nritya: Well, that is all about the generation gap.
Navya: Okay baaba, you are jet age type and I am of bullock cart class.
Nritya: Whatever, you are sweet and still cute.
Navya: You know how worried I was about your taking up a job. But I’m relieved after getting acquainted with Rekha. She works in the firm that you are going to join.
Nritya: Whether she would be of help to me or not, I am glad that you are feeling easy.
Navya: After retiring in two months, she’s planning to be a social activist against sexual harassment at workplace. She wants to take me on board as well.
Nritya: Why not.
Navya: I am also inclined but before that I have a lot of ground to cover.
Nritya: Akka I am famished so to say.
Navya: Don’t I know one can hardly eat that railway stuff.
[The clock chimes twelve times and Navya and Nritya go into the kitchen portion only to reenter the drawing room after lunch.]
Nritya: Now I think your cooking is better than mummy’s.
Navya: Well, after all these years, she must have got tired of it all.
Nritya: [Yawns] I didn’t have a wink on the train.
Navya: That’s what happens when you get a berth near the exit.
[Nritya goes into the guestroom and Navya begins reading the spiral bound volume that Rekha gave her. At length, the clock (not in the scene) chimes four times. Nritya comes out from the guest room and joins Navya.]
Navya: I suppose you slept like a log.
Nritya: Yes, but where are the kids? You said they would be back by three-thirty.
Navya: It won’t take long for you to realize that in Hyderabad, the snarling traffic takes time forward. Why not familiarize yourself with what might lie in store for you. [Navya gives the volume to Nritya.] Who knows you may change your mind to become a housewife instead of a workingwoman.
Nritya: Let me be a woman by working before becoming a wife.
[Nritya browses the material as Navya peeps out to see if Ranjan and Nrupa are in sight.]
Navya: Think about the devils and here they come.
[Enter: Ranjan and Nrupa with a weary look that becomes lively on seeing Nritya. Throwing the school bags and lunch packs on the floor, Ranjan and Nrupa rush into Nritya’s outstretched arms. Nritya kisses both of them and they kiss her in return.]
Nritya: Oh, how sweet you look.
Ranjan: Auntie, the whole day we were thinking about you only.
Nritya: Don’t you know that you should concentrate at school.
Nrupa: We didn’t want to go to school but daddy said ‘no bunking please’.
Ranjan: Mummy says you won’t stay with us.
Nrupa: Why so auntie?
Nritya: If I’m here, it will be chutti to your studies. I will come on Sundays. Is that okay?
Ranjan: It’s not okay.
Nrupa: Why it’s bad.
[Nritya takes them into her embrace and cajoles them (mime)]
Navya: Now go and have a wash while I prepare Maggi for you.
[Nritya picks up the school bags and goes with Ranjan and Nrupa into the children’s room. Navya picks up the lunch packs and goes into the kitchen portion. Navya reappears with two plates of Maggi on her way to the children’s bedroom. Shortly all appear in the drawing room and Navya watches as Nritya plays hide and seek with Ranjan and Nrupa. The clock (not in the scene) chimes six times.]
[Enter: Naveen. Ranjan and Nrupa go into sulking. Naveen goes up to them and cajoles them (mime)]
Nritya: Hi bava, are you done with your darlings.
Naveen: Hi, when shall I book the return ticket?
Nritya: What do you mean?
Naveen: why I thought she had brainwashed you into not taking up the job. Oh, how she was after me to compile a dossier on every male employee at the Hares & Hounds. Why, she is uneasy with the company’s name itself. I understand that they styled the firm to reflect their marketing strategy of hunting with the hounds and running with the hares. How on earth they can do that is anybody’s guess.
Nritya: Don’t tell me bava that your Bricks & Bats is any less funny.
Navya: See she hasn’t even joined there but she is already siding with them. What loyalty.
Naveen: Whatever why not I request their management to let the elder sister stand guard her younger sister at the workplace to ward off the male wolves. Well, there is precedent after all. Won’t film actresses’ mothers come in tow with their daughters?
Navya: You seem to be stuck up with the old English. There are no actresses any more, male or female, an actor is an actor.
[the telephone rings and Navya answers the call.]
Navya: It’s Navya here. [Pause] Hi Rachana, we will be there in half an hour.
[Exit: Naveen, Navya with a suitcase each and Nritya with two travel bags followed by Ranjan and Nrupa.] [Curtains down.]
Scene -3
[Curtains up: Office of Hares & Hounds Ltd. Nayak is in his chambers to the left back of stage and Nritya is seated in its right front portion. The clock (not in the scene) strikes twelve times and Nayak
dials Nritya on the intercom.]
Nayak: Come on in Nritya.
[Nritya goes to Nayak with a notebook and takes her seat opposite to Nayak.]
Nayak: How do you like our Hares & Hounds dear?
Nritya: They are quite friendly Sir.
Nayak: Who, hares or hounds?
Nritya: I don’t get you Sir.
Nayak: Don’t they say women are hares and men are hounds.
Nritya: [Smiles.] Why both.
Nayak: I know you are Miss but are you engaged.
Nritya: No Sir.
Nayak: Are you in love?
Nritya: No Sir.
[Nayak gets up and goes near Nritya. She gets up but he gently nudges her back into her chair. She sits uncomfortably as he holds her shoulders.]
Nayak: Oh, what a perfect Miss not to be missed.
Nritya: [Looks up at him a little scared and pushes away his hands.]
Nayak: Are you a modern girl?
Nritya: Sir I don’t know what you mean.
Nayak: What else is modernity but to think and act freely?
Nritya: That way I am modern Sir.
Nayak: What do you say about premarital sex?
Nritya: Sir, you may please excuse me. [Gets up to go]
Nayak: You may go if you please but it helps you to hear what I say. [He nudges her back into her seat and she pushes away his hand.] Being a virgin bride isn’t a guarantee to be a fulfilled wife and vice versa. But extramarital affairs are bound to put the wife at odds with her husband in the long run. That’s why clever girls savour the spice of life before they come to endure the staleness of married life.
Nritya: What are you aiming at Sir?
Nayak: Why, I want to be your friend, philosopher and guide. [He caresses her bare back.]
Nritya: I find your philosophy quite discomforting Sir. [She pushes away his hand.]
Nayak: But my friendliness can further your career.
Nritya: I’m like your daughter Sir.
Nayak: What were your subjects of study?
Nritya: I’m a commerce graduate Sir.
Nayak: That’s the problem with the non-biology gang. Even if it is half a pass at them, these women are quick to say, don’t you have a mother, sister etc. What stupidity. Why to drive out the silliness from women’s heads, study of biology must be made compulsory.
Nritya: [Keeps mum.]
Nayak: Put an end to the fatherly nonsense and begin to see the attractions older men hold for young things like you. Well, if it not attraction, let it be expediency. Who wants to be hired in the morning only to be fired in the evening? It’s not the way to start a career. Think about it.
[Nritya goes to her seat and sits perplexed while Nayak continues to ogle at her from his chamber. The clock (not in the scene) strikes one and they both open their lunchboxes. They both finish their meal and the telephone rings in the chamber and Nayak answers the call (mute). Nayak goes to Nritya with a file in hand.]
Nayak: I’ve an urgent meeting to attend. I’ll be back by five to take you out for a movie. Be ready.
Nritya:[Keeps mum.]
[Exit: Nayak in a hurry.]
[Nritya is seen lost in her thoughts in her chair. The clock (not in the scene) strikes five and she comes out of her stupor.]
[Enter: Nayak. He goes into his chamber and calls Nritya on the intercom (mime). Nritya picks up a bunch of letters and goes up to him. Having placed them on the table she turns to go back to her seat.]
Nayak: Nritya.
Nritya: [Stops and turns towards Nayak.] Yes Sir.
Nayak: Have you thought of any movie?
Nritya: I thought you were only testing me Sir.
Nayak: Sit down.
Nritya: [Takes her seat.]
Nayak: Don’t you know that you should always carry your notebook and pencil when I call you.
Nritya: I’m sorry sir.
[Nayak pushes a paper and pencil towards Nritya that she takes and awaits his dictation.]
Nayak: Would you like me to dictate your termination letter?
Nritya: But why Sir.
Nayak: Do you know how a corrupt cop behaves?
Nritya: I don’t know Sir?
Nayak: Why he harasses before he obliges that too if bribed. And that bugs you, won’t it?
Nritya: [Keeps quiet.]
Nayak: And it bugs man if a woman grants only after tormenting him. I’m no teen to be contented with pushes and prods on the sly. It’s neither here nor there either for me or for you. What’s worse; I might make a nuisance of myself.
Nritya: That’s true Sir.
Nayak: I don’t believe in seduction for it is uncertain besides being time consuming. I don’t have time on my side any way. Let it be quid pro quo, you give me what you have and I will get you where you want to reach. If you are not willing so be it. But I have to fire you to hire a willing YPT.
Nritya: It’s unfair Sir.
Nayak: You will know by and by that life is not all that fair. If you can’t, you have to make way for someone willing. The choice is yours, hit out or get out.
[Exit: Nritya slowly as Nayak watches her hopefully.]
[Curtains down.]
Scene – 4
[Curtains Up: The conference hall of Hares & Hounds Ltd. The clock (not in the scene) strikes eleven times.]
Voice Over: As Nritya had complained about Nayak’s sexual harassment of her, the Complaints Committee of Hounds & Hares Ltd., is about to meet to take up her case. The committee is headed by Rekha, the Company Secretary [Enter: Rekha.] and comprises of Margaret, Manager Personnel [Enter: Margaret.], Ramya, Deputy Manager, Finance [Enter: Ramya.], Sunil, Assistant Manager, Personnel [Enter: Sunil] and Gopal, Assistant, Marketing [Enter: Gopal]. Preeti, Personal Secretary to the Managing Director, [Enter: Preeti] would assist the committee.
[All except Preeti take their seats on the table on which pads and pens are placed for their use. Preeti stands next to Rekha with a bunch of papers.]
Rekha: Miss. Preeti, I don’t see any from NGO in the committee. Didn’t I say someone familiar with sexual harassment should be associated with this case?
Preeti: Sorry madam, we couldn’t find any.
Rekha: What a shame.
Ramya: Why not start a forum of your own after retirement. I shall follow suit when my time comes.
Rekha: Why, won’t I welcome you?
Gopal: What about taking me on board madam.
Rekha: Maybe it’s an idea to court the devil in the fight against the devil.
Sunil: Why tar all men with the same brush even before the complaint is tabled.
Rekha: Miss. Preeti, place the material before the committee.
[Preeti distributes the copies of Nritya’s complaint that they go through in silence.]
Rekha: Let’s first examine the complainant.
[Exit: Preeti.]
[Enter: Nritya followed by Preeti.]
Rekha: Are you Miss. Nritya?
Nritya: Yes, madam.
Rekha: Are you married?
Nritya: No, I’m single.
Rekha: When did you join the company?
Nritya: On 14 March.
Gopal: Oh, it’s hardly a week.
Rekha: In which department are you?
Nritya: In the HRD.
Ramya: What’s your designation?
Nritya: Stenographer.
Ramya: Is it your complaint that Mr. Nayak sought sexual favours from you not to terminate your services.
Nritya: That’s true madam.
Rekha: Was he forthright in his demand?
Nritya: Quite so madam.
Gopal: Is there anyone you can vouch for your allegation.
Nritya: There is no one as he said what he said in his chambers on the day I reported to him. On my complaint I was moved out of the department the next day.
Rekha: Preeti, please ask Mr. Nayak to come in.
[Exit: Preeti.]
[Enter: Nayak followed by Preeti.]
Rekha: Are you Mr. Nayak?
Nayak: Yes, Mrs. Rekha.
Rekha: What are you in the organization?
Nayak: I’m the Head of the HRD.
Ramya: Had Ms. Nritya ever reported to you?
Nayak: Yes, she did.
Ramya: And for how long.
Nayak: Luckily it was a one day ordeal for me.
Margaret: What do you mean by that?
Nayak: Why she was such a pain in the neck.
Rekha: Ms. Nritya complained that you threatened to fire her if she failed to grant you sexual favours. What have you got to say on that?
Nayak: Actually it was she who was warming up to me.
Nritya: He’s lying, the old lecher.
Rekha: Mind your language Miss. Nritya.
Margaret: Mr. Nayak, what was your response to her alleged advances?
Nayak: I didn’t fall for her as she is not my kind of girl.
Nritya: Oh God, he’s adding insult to injury.
Nayak: Miss. Nritya, what was your complaint but a character assassination.
Rekha: Mr. Nayak, the agenda is to go into Nritya’s complaint and not to get into a debate about her appeal to you.
Nayak: I say her devious complaint is devoid of truth.
Rekha: Mr. Nayak, why should Nritya scandalize herself by making a baseless allegation against you?
Nayak: That’s the crux of the matter and the malady of the times. It’s all about overriding ambition to make it big by hook or crook. Miss. Nritya wants to climb up the career ladder fast and furious never mind a slip or two on the moral line. Why in someone so fresh and young, this attitude is quite amazing. Well, I didn’t want to play ball with her as that would have lowered our Hares & Hounds. Worried that I would report against her, she scandalized me before hand. Now it is for the committee to consider the ill affects of having such a lose woman in the company rolls.
[Nritya rushes to a window and jumps out of it. Others too rush to the two windows (at the back of the stage] to peep down.]
Rekha: [Exiting in a hurry] My God, the poor thing could be dead.
Gopal: [Exiting behind Rekha.] It’s all Mr. Nayak’s making.
Nayak: Who expected this? [He sinks his head on the conference table.]
[Exit: Ramya, Preeti and Sunil, all sighing and Margaret, crossing herself.]
[Curtains down.]
Scene – 5
[Curtains up: Partially visible body of Nritya face down (not the head) is seen lying in a pool of blood on the ground. Rekha, Gopal, Ramya, Preeti, Sunil, Margaret are around it with their backs to the audience.]
[Enter: Rakesh hurriedly.]
Rakesh: [Examines Nritya] Oh, she’s dead. What went wrong?
Rekha: Sir, she was upset by Mr. Nayak’s character assassination.
Rakesh: Well, we will deal with that later.
[Rakesh signals to Preeti and as she goes to him, he whispers in her ears (mime)]
[Exit: Preeti.]
[Rakesh takes Rekha aside.]
Rakesh: Mrs. Rekha, I understand you know her sister.
Rekha: Yes Sir.
Rakesh: I know how it hurts you, but [He pauses]
Rekha: Our Company’s reputation is at stake.
Rakesh: I know you are part of it for thirty-five years now.
Rekha: It’s hard on my conscience Sir.
Rakesh: There is no way out for us but to keep quiet.
Rekha: [Keeps mum.]
Rakesh: Why don’t you call up her people?
Rekha: I’ve to shut up to save one and open up to hurt another.
Rakesh: Don’t think the irony is lost on me.
[Rekha moves away from Rakesh into a corner and talks to Navya on her mobile (mime).]
Rakesh: Sunil, why not you call up the cops.
Sunil: Yes Sir.
[Exit: Sunil.]
Rakesh: Gopal, let the guards take care till the cops come.
Gopal: Yes, Sir.
[Exit: All of them but Gopal.]
[Curtains down]
Scene – 6
[Curtains up: Split setting of the chambers of the Managing Director, Hares & Hounds Ltd. One third of the stage on the right is Managing Director’s office, in which sits a downcast Nayak. Preeti stands near the Managing Director’s chair with a bunch of papers pertaining to Nritya’s complaint and the related matters. Two thirds of the stage to the left is the visitors’ room with chairs and a centre table.]
[Enter: Rakesh followed by Rekha, Ramya and Margaret. Rakesh goes into his chamber as others sit in the visitors’ room. Preeti hands over the papers she was holding to Rakesh.]
Rakesh: Oh shit, what a mess this is.
Nayak: Sorry Sir, I was out of wits.
Rakesh: Why not own it up and be done with it.
Nayak: Its better I too jump to my death.
Rakesh: Why, to make it worse for us.
Nayak: If I confess, what face I will have to show to my children.
Rakesh: You should have thought about it when you brought it upon yourself.
Nayak: Sir, please Sir.
Rakesh: Preeti, go and shred them right now [He hands over the papers back to her.] No, no, why court trouble for destroying evidence should things go wrong [Takes back the papers and locks them in his drawer.]
[Enter: Sunil and Gopal and join the women in the visitors’ room. Preeti too joins them and Nayak is seen pleading with Rakesh (mime)]
Sunil: Inspector Balram is expected any time now.
Preeti: Boss is mad with Mr. Nayak.
Ramya: But will he go against him?
Rekha: But we will, won’t we?
Margaret: Come out clean and be fair to Nritya’s soul.
Sunil: Why wash our dirty linen in public? Won’t the stink reach your own homes?
Gopal: What if we get fired for spilling the beans?
Rekha: What self-serving arguments. If only some NGO was involved.
Margaret: Why that would’ve cooked Nayak’s’s goose for good.
[Nayak gets up from the chair and folds his hands in gratitude.]
Nayak: Thank you Sir.
Rakesh: But you’ve to put them in the silent mode.
[Nayak goes into the visitors’ room and Rakesh picks up the phone. While Rakesh makes a number of phone calls (mime), Nayak pleads with his colleagues (mime) and Rekha is seen resisting the most (mime).]
[Enter: Inspector Balram in uniform and all fell silent and Nayak retreats into a corner. As Balram takes a look at all those present, Preeti goes up to him]
Balram: I’m Inspector Balram.
Preeti: Please be seated Sir.
Balram: No need for that, I want to see your M.D.
Preeti: Mr. Rakesh is expecting you Sir. Please wait.
[Preeti goes up to Rakesh and announces Balram’s visit (mime) Rakesh goes up to Balram, greets him and leads him into his office (mime). And they take their seats.]
Rakesh: Sorry for the bother Mr. Balram
Balram: Why it’s my duty.
Rakesh: If only there are a few more like you, India would be on top of the world.
Balram: Any way, who pushed her out of the window?
Rakesh: Sir, how can you say that?
Balram: Well, if its suicide, what was the provocation?
Rakesh: We are at a loss ourselves Sir. I thought she had a great future. We’re upset that it should’ve ended that way that too in the office.
Balram: Has anyone witnessed it?
[Rakesh is seen talking to Balram and his gestures suggest that he knew the higher ups in the department. He rings up someone on phone and hands over the receiver to Balram. Balram talks reverentially and gives back the receiver to Rakesh who disconnects the line after expressing his gratitude (mime).]
Balram: I agree the D.I.G is your buddy but would he take the flak if things go wrong. Why not I register it as a case of suspected murder and then see how things shape up.
[Rakesh is seen desperately pleading with Balram to hush up the case while the latter is seen explaining the difficulties involved. Rakesh offers bribe and Balram raises the stakes. In the end Rakesh shakes Balram’s hands.]
Balram: Let me go through the motions.
Rakesh: Why not Sir.
Balram: May I talk to her female colleagues.
Rakesh: You are welcome.
Balram: One by one that is.
[Rakesh goes into the office portion and all flock to him. He talks to them (mime). Rekha goes into the M .D’s chamber. Balram and Rekha are seen talking to each other (mime) and in the end the latter gets up and goes into the visitors’ room. As the others mob Rekha, Ramya goes up to Balram, and the process is repeated with Margaret and Preeti (all in mime). Rakesh goes back into his chamber after Preeti comes out of it.}
Balram: I see you manage your people admirably. But it may not so easy for me with her people.
Rakesh: Why Sir, we’ve covered the costs.
Balram: But there can always be overruns.
Rakesh: If it comes to that won’t I underwrite them.
Balram: Good, let me go to her people and see how the tide turns over there.
Rakesh: Why trouble yourself, her sister is expected any time now. Meanwhile you can savour our coffee.
[Rakesh calls Preeti on the intercom and asks her to fetch them some coffee (mime). Rakesh and Balram chat (mime).]
[Exit: Preeti.]
Gopal: Looks like its smooth sailing for our Nayak.
Sunil: That is if Nritya’s sister won’t puncture the rudder. Would she buy the suicide theory? Who knows she may be privy to what went on in Nayak’s chamber.
Gopal: Why scare him Sir, he’s half dead already.
Sunil: Well, I’m just showing him the danger end and no more.
[Enter: Preeti with two coffee cups in a tray and goes serve Rakesh and Balram. Preeti goes back to her seat. Rakesh and Balram sip coffee from their cups.]
[Enter: Navya in disarray as all watch her she goes up to Rekha.]
Navya: How is Nritya?
Rekha: [She hugs Navya with tears in her eyes.]
Navya: Oh God, where is she take me to her.
Rekha: No dear, you can’t bear the sight.
[Navya becomes unconscious and collapses on the floor.]
[Exit: Preeti to fetch some water as Rekha takes Navya into her lap.]
[Enter: Preeti with a water bottle and she sprinkles some water on Navya’s face. Navya regains her consciousness.]
Navya: Where is her body?
Rekha: The police moved it to the Gandhi Hospital.
Navya: Take me there.
Rekha: Let your husband also come.
[While others try to console Navya (mime) and Preeti goes into Rakesh’s chamber and informs him of the developments (mime). Rakesh comes out of his chamber to see Navya.]
Rakesh: I’m sorry madam.
Navya (Wiping her tears): Oh, how she brought it upon herself.
[Enter: Naveen and a sobbing Navya falls into his hands.]
Navya: Let’s go and see her.
Rakesh: Madam, Inspector Balram is here and he would arrange things.
[Rakesh leads Navya and Naveen into his chamber and introduces them to Balram who receives them by getting up from his chair [mime]. Rakesh motions Navya and Naveen to sit and as they take their seats, Rakesh and Balram too take their seats.]
Balram: It feels sad really.
Navya: [Sobs silently.]
Naveen: I wonder why she should commit suicide.
Rakesh: It’s no good talking ill about the dead but as it involves the life of the living, I’ve to be frank with you. In hindsight I see she has a troubled psyche. Wonder how she mistook Mr. Nayak’s patronizing behaviour as sexual harassment. Why he’s on the wrong side of fifties with a thirty-year-old clean slate. When he tried to set the record straight before the complaints committee, she took it as a personal affront and lost her balance. Devastated by her act, now Mr. Nayak looks on the wrong side of sixties.
Navya: Well, the day I came to know of her complaint, I wanted her to pack up and go home. But she was not to listen.
Rakesh: Maybe, you can throw some light on her private life. Inspector Balram may like to have a word with you. [Rakesh moves to get up from his seat] I better leave you alone.
Balram: Why, you may as well stay.
Rakesh: As you please [He sits back in his chair.]
Balram: Madam, I’ve got to look at her death from all angles.
Navya: I understand Sir.
Balram: Is your sister put up with you?
Navya: She stays in a ladies hostel.
Balram: Was there any domestic discord or was she jilted by someone.
Navya: I don’t think either was the case.
Balram [Gets up]: I understand your loss and we shall investigate the matter. If you come across any information that incites your suspicion, please let me know. [Balram opens his wallet, pulls out his visiting card and hands it over to Naveen.] Please come along to identify the body and to record your statement.
[Exit: Balram with Navya and Naveen seen off by Rakesh. Rakesh talks to Rekha and others (mime).]
[Exit: all except Rakesh. He goes into his chamber and broods over the matter with his head buried in his hands placed on the table. Curtains down]
Scene – 7
[Curtains up: In the Naveen’s drawing room Navya is morose in the sofa. Seven chimes of the clock (not in the scene). At the sound of the door buzzer, Navya gets up and goes to the door.]
Navya: Nice you’ve come.
[Enter: Rekha and Rachana and they shake hands with Navya.]
Rekha: How are your parents?
Navya: They have a long way to go.
Rekha: Well, time is a great healer
Navya: But I wonder whether I could have averted the mishap
Rekha: It’s a case of ifs and buts but you can make a difference to Nrityas in the making.
Rachana: You know madam had resigned on moral grounds.
Rekha: Well, after that immoral silence.
Navya: Looks like it was all pre-destined. What was her barbadi jest but a premonition?
Rachana: What was it about?
Navya: [In tears] When I said she was welcome to being a Hyderabadi, didn’t she joke that it sounded like barbadi.
Rekha: But for her ill-fate, why a decent guy like Nayak should have misbehaved as he did? When I confronted him, he confessed his guilt and expressed regret. I asked him why he behaved out of character; he said that as he is nearing sixty, he began to see the beginning of the end of his sex life. Why, having stuck to his wife all his life; he thought that he missed the thrills on the frill. It was his sense of deprivation that drove him towards Nritya. When I asked him why he pressurized her the day she joined, he said he wanted to overwhelm her without giving her time to think for herself or consult with others.
Navya: Whatever, he got away with it having abetted, didn’t the police close the case once and for all.
Rekha: Since he was not brought to justice, you can say so. But he resigned on his own to atone for his sin.
Navya: Would that bring her back to life?
Rekha: But it won’t take his life forward the way he wanted it to be. Why her tragic death farcically ended his quest for variety before it ever began.
Navya: That’s true. But till Rachana put things in the proper perspective, I was upset that you didn’t stand up and be counted in Nritya’s case.
Rekha: Thank you for your understanding; well I may even say forgiveness. How I pressurized Rakesh not to hush up the case and how Nayak and his wife begged me to relent I only know. Well, I didn’t have it in me what it takes to be on the just side of the dilemma. If only an outsider was in the commute, even if she couldn’t have saved Nritya’s life at least she would have ensured that Nayak got booked for abetting her suicide. If anything, my failure to protect Nritya’s fair name underscores the need for us to form a NGO.
Navya: I am with you in any movement against womanizing at workplace.
Rachana: MAWAW for short.
Navya: Why, it sounds nice.
Rekha: Let it sound a death knell to the errant. [Rekha raises her hand and opens her palms; Navya and Rachana make it high-fives.] But for that, both of you need to familiarize yourselves with men at work on women at work. Navya, you would join Brims & Dregs, producers of major IMFL brands and you, Rachana, Skins & Hides, leather carpet makers. I would sound the concerned at both the firms.
Navya: [Contemplates for a while.] After the Nritya fiasco, Naveen won’t like my working even for a day.
Rekha: Why not I speak to him.
Navya: It won’t help. Well, I never did anything behind his back but for the larger good let us keep it from him.
Rachana: Who would protect us from men as we train ourselves to protect women from them?
Navya: Why it’s our zeal for a cause.
Rachana: To catch men with their pants down.
Rekha: But if you go overboard, they will get away, citing that women run faster with their skirts up than men with their pants down. [All laugh. Curtains down.]
Scene – 8
[Curtains up: Split setting. Right portion is the office chamber of the General Manager, Marketing, Brims & Dregs Ltd. Left portion is the ante-room of the Personnel Assistant. Navya is seated in the ante-room. Intercom rings and she talks on the phone (mime). After she completes the clock (not in the scene) strikes twelve.]
[Enter: Sanjay holding a brief case.]
Navya: Sir, M.D. is looking for you.
Sanjay: That is as I was missing you. Well, connect me to him.
[He walks into his chamber and picks up the phone and is at conversation (mime). Navya goes into his portion with a bunch of papers and having placed them on the table is about to turn back. He gestures her to stay and she sits in a chair opposite to him as he continues on the phone (mime). He disconnects the phone.]
Sanjay: What do you think of the baseline of our corporate ads?
Navya: What is it Sir?
Sanjay: Fill it to the brim and drain it to the dregs.
Navya: Isn’t it apt for liquors.
Sanjay: It’s relevant for the SEWs as well.
Navya: What is that Sir?
Sanjay: Don’t you know I am no Sir Sanjay
Navya: I just said Sir and no more.
Sanjay: Smart, I like it but…
[He gets up, goes to her and bends behind her.]
Sanjay: [Whispers to her.] Don’t you know that Sir to a SEW is Mr. Spent-force
Navya: [Feels uncomfortable] I don’t get you Sir.
Sanjay: [Breathing over her back.]: Why, are you not a sexually experienced woman?
Navya: What you are talking Sir? [She gets up from the chair.]
Sanjay: [Hugs her from behind.] Know it’s your sex-appeal at work.
[Navya wriggles herself out of his hold but Sanjay nudges her back into the chair.]
Navya: Leave me Sir.
Sanjay: Try asking an iron rod to leave a magnetic hole.
[He holds her by her shoulders. She struggles to get up from her chair. He finds a mole on her exposed back.
Sanjay: Navya it’s eureka. Oh, a mole on your back.
Navya: What for you?
Sanjay: Oh, how it fascinates me. Won’t that stand you in good stead? You know what and in which posture to afford you a varied experience.
[She wriggles herself out of his hold and he lets her go. As she moves away from him, he pinches her bottom. She settles down in her seat and shortly thereafter he calls her on the intercom. She goes back into his chambers, he motions her to sit and she does.]
Sanjay: I’m sorry I’ve got carried away.
Navya: It’s okay Sir.
Sanjay: What is okay, my ardour or my apology?
Navya: Don’t you know?
Sanjay: My ardour is never an apology to an amorous dame.
Navya: Why pester a disinterested woman?
Sanjay: What am I to do when I am interested?
Navya: Why woman should give a damn to every Tom, Dick and Harry who comes to fancy her?
Sanjay: Ask any rapist and he would tell you.
Navya: Isn’t it like a thief borrowing from a robber’s lexicon.
Sanjay: Why isn’t it a higher knowledge? It’s the refrain of the rapists that having enjoyed the fare it’s unfair of women to accuse them of rape. As with rape so with the so called sexual harassment, it’s about woman’s inward exhilaration couched by outward indignation. Like rape gets better for woman as it lasts longer, so is the case with the sexual harassment for sure.
Navya: [Gets up] I don’t think neither you are paid to harass me nor I am hired to be harassed by you.
Sanjay: Cool dear. [Sanjay goes up to Navya and gently nudges her into the chair.] If it’s hard this way, I’ll make it soft another way [Lightly brushes her breast and she recoils] but there is nothing really soft about ball games barring the handball that is if it’s not about throwing the ball against the wall. Why, in golf, it gets clubbed before it is nudged into the hole. What a tame end, but hockey is different. It is taken into the D before it is slammed it into the goal, something manly, isn’t it? But how piteous is the ping-pong, at least in tennis, the balls are bigger and get respite. And savage is the squash, what do you say?
Navya: Oh, stop it Sir.
[Navya tries to get up and Sanjay nudges her back into the chair.]
Sanjay: I’m glad you want the balls are handled better than that. Why, volleyball is a via media. A dozen men get to handle the ball and scores of them voyeur. If the dames are at it, two dozen balls get agitated as well. What with those bikinis, won’t the sight get better in the beach volleyball? But it’s the rough and tough rugby that is true to life as it allows men to hug the ball. Wonder how in football it’s a foul to handle the ball. But it’s cricket that is sexy with its field placements like say, no cover, no extra cover while there is a deep gully between two fine legs.
Navya: It’s all foul Sir.
Sanjay: Talk about foul and nothing to beat caroms at it. Why, with four holes to fill, there is no peg on board.
Navya: Stop it Mister. [She gets up]
Sanjay: Well, Sir to Mister is one step closer, isn’t it? Call me Sanjay and we would leap frog to it, won’t we?
Navya: After all, there is a limit. [She goes back to her seat in a huff.]
[Sanjay picks up a note book and begins to sketch Navya and having finished the drawing, he calls her on the intercom (mime). Navya goes back to into Sanjay’s chamber.]
Navya: Yes.
Sanjay: Is Her Ladyship an artist?
Navya: So, if not harassment it should be mocking then.
Sanjay: Given your lovely fingers, I guess you could be one.
Navya: I am not, is it okay?
Sanjay: Still you could be an art lover. [He gives her the sketch book] Judge this one.
Navya: [Holding the sketch book] I take objection to this.
Sanjay: I don’t blame you for that but you won’t be complaining if only you model in nude. How else can I do justice to your figure?
[Navya slowly but deliberately begins to slide her pallu. Sanjay looks at her bulging blouse in heightened anticipation and she holds it back coquettishly. Sanjay goes nearer to her and Navya, feigning to protect her self, puts her hand into her blouse. [She presses the button to stop the recording and then another to start rewinding the tape in the audience view]. Sanjay looks in wonderment as Navya drops her pallu exposing her valley to him.]
Sanjay: What a valley!
Navya: Of your fall.
[Navya pulls out a pocket tape recorder from within her blouse. As Sanjay stands stunned, Navya pulls her pallu back over her blouse. Recovering himself, Sanajy tries to grab the tape recorder from her hand. Navya pushes Sanjay with all her strength and he falls on the floor. Navya plays the tape recorder. Sanjay gets up from the floor and attempts to grab it from her. She runs out of the place leaving him stunned and worried. Curtains down.]
Scene – 9
[Curtains up: Split setting of the office of Skins & Hides Ltd. Cabin of the Finance Manager on the left and the Finance Department on the right. Diwakar is in the cabin with Rachana. Kumar sits in the office portion. Rachana comes out of the cabin and takes her seat at the adjacent table to Kumar’s. The clock (not in the scene) strikes four.
Rachana: How I wish every boss is like our boss.
Kumar: May I know what you saw in him that we failed to see all these years.
Rachana: He doesn’t misbehave with women.
Kumar: What a simpleton you are.
Rachana: It’s no flattering.
Kumar: I think its early days for that [He smiles.]
Rachana: [Though pleased, she tries to hide her feelings.]
Kumar: Once I overheard a conversation between an old woman and a young girl. Well, they were egg vendors at our hostel mess. When the young thing said that boys misbehave with her, the oldie averred they were all nice to her. [Laughs]
Rachana: It’s insulting.
Kumar: What if I say you are terrific.
Rachana: Won’t I complain of harassment?
Kumar: That’s what Deepti did when the boss lost his eyes for her. But the only difference was she carried the complaint to his wife and that was that. Well, he acquired the look of a castrated bull after that. Deepti resigned having had her last laugh but his wife got a couple of surveillance cameras installed in his cabin. I suppose to be doubly sure.
Rachana: Don’t joke.
Kumar: It’s no joke that it pays to report on man’s womanizing ways to his wife. Wonder why women won’t realize that.
Rachana: Give me your wife’s number, just in case.
Kumar: She’s going to welcome your call.
Rachana: But why, if it’s not a joke.
Kumar: You will know when we get close.
Rachana: How clever, incite a woman’s curiosity to induce her to come closer
Kumar: It’s for the woman to choose to be or not to be. But why should I open my life to someone not closer to me.
Rachana: Looks like you are a seasoned hand.
Kumar: I can vouch that I’m thirty-five and no less.
Rachana: I think there is lot that one can learn from you.
Kumar: One needn’t come close to me for that.
[Diwakar talks to Kumar on intercom (mime). Kumar takes the file to Diwakar. Rachana watches Kumar as Diwakar pulls him up [mime] Kumar goes back to his seat.]
Rachana: I could see that boss is annoyed with you.
Kumar: Of what avail being a boss if he won’t pull subordinates for his shortcomings.
Rachana: Maybe he’s jealous.
Kumar: You give me cause to complain.
Rachana: Why do you think so?
Kumar: Is it not inducing womanizing.
Rachana: Jokes apart, what it is all about.
Kumar: Take men as sperms and women as eggs, as you should, and it’s the Sperm-egg Syndrome that governs the male female attitudes. Like hordes of sperms seek a single egg, scores of men chase a desirable woman. As with eggs, so with women, having taken one, they would ignore others. But like an odd egg that lets in multiple sperms, some women revel in multiple partners.
Rachana: What are you suggesting?
Kumar: It’ natural for men to besiege a desirable dame and it’s for her to let the superfluous suitors pass by.
Rachana: Why it’s but shifting the onus on women.
[Diwakar with some files in hand reaches them.]
Diwakar: Kumar hold the fort till I come back. .
Kumar: Yes Sir.
[Exit: Diwakar.]
Kumar: Picking up the threads from where we left them, there was an episode which proves that men are far too ill-equipped to guard against scheming women.
Rachana: What is that?
Kumar: There was a lady clerk in the marketing department who was a past master of soft sell. It was her tactic to let the targeted man know that she was short of money. What with the man perceiving her as vulnerable, she starts flirting with him to begin fleecing him in time. Well, all the while keeping him at an arms length. But were he to tighten his purse strings in frustration, she invites him home insinuating her willingness.
Rachana: What next?
Kumar: When he goes to her in heightened anticipation, she would introduce her mother-in-law who supposedly came on an unscheduled visit. Having proved her intent to grant him, she would fleece him before a couple of repeats give her game away to him. When she picks up a new prey, the wounded keeps mum for fear of being ridiculed. It went on for a year before she was exposed. But before that, she induced Diwakar’s predecessor to sanction a departmental loan of two lakhs and stand guarantee for her. And the matter is in the court now.
Rachana: But who belled the cat.
Kumar: I don’t believe in being boastful.
Rachana: I thought you are a gentleman.
Kumar: What if I’m a ladies man.
Rachana: It’s shameful being a married man.
Kumar: How women bemoan if marriage turns man into half a man.
Rachana: There is no winning an argument with you.
Kumar: Why, you are a wonderful conversationalist.
Rachana: What’s her name?
Kumar: Who’s name, my wife’s or the one I crave.
Kumar: Mind the tense, Mr.?
Kumar: She is ever evocative.
Rachana: Oh, you are impossible.
Kumar: But I do see possibilities.
Rachana: [Smiles.] Won’t the soft-pedaling be harder on women than the hard sell?
Kumar: How am I to know?
Rachana: Wait till I figure it out.
[The clock (not in the scene) strikes five and they get ready to go.]
[Enter: Diwakar and he talks to Kumar and Rachana (mime). He goes into his chamber, picks up his briefcase and lunch box and comes out. Kumar too picks up his briefcase and lunch box while Rachana keeps her lunch boxes in her handbag.]
[Exit: The three of them. Curtains down.]
Scene – 10
[Curtains up: Split setting of the office of Bricks & Bats. In the conference room [right portion] Naveen, Manager, Materials, is deposing before the Complaints Committee on the sexual harassment at the workplace [mime]. In the left portion is Divya.]
[Enter: Navya and goes to the reception desk.]
Navya: Miss, I’m Navya from MAWAH. I would like to meet your Managing Director.
Divya: Well he is out of station and is expected only the next week..
Navya: [Hands over her business card.] I am from a NGO dealing with sexual harassment at the workplace. Maybe I can see the Personnel manager.
Divya: [Divya glances at Navya’s business card.] What a coincidence! Right now the Complaints Committee is hearing a case.
Navya: Oh, really. Is there anyone from a NGO?
Divya: I don’t think so.
Navya: Then why not send my card to the concerned person.
Divya: Let me see if she would like to see you now.
[As Navya is seated in the visitors’ sofa, Divya goes into the conference room with Navya’s business card. When Divya gives the card to the lady heading the complaints committee, she is seen talking to the others [mime] A perplexed Naveen comes out of the conference hall and goes up to Navya.]
Naveen: Believe me, it was all false.
Navya: [surprised.] What is it about?
Naveen: I thought you got wind of Mithuna’s complaint against me.
Navya: So you lead a double life.
Naveen: I’ll explain everything.
Navya: You should have done that before.
Naveen: I didn’t want to upset you dear.
Navya: Now you made it worse for me.
Naveen: Bear with me, I’ll tell them and come.
[As Naveen goes into the conference room, Divya comes out of it. As Naveen explains things to his colleagues [mime] they wear a surprised look. At the same time, Navya is seen talking to Divya [mine]. Even as Naveen comes out of the chamber, Navya storms out of the office. A stunned Naveen follows her. [Curtains down.]
Scene – 11
[Curtains up: In her drawing room that evening, Rekha in serious discussion with Rachana (mime). The clock (not in the scene) strikes six.]
[Enter: Navya (with a suitcase in each hand) with Ranjan and Nrupa]
Rekha: Is it miya bibi jhagada or what?
Navya: It’s no mere jhagada, its jeopardy.
Rachana: Why what happened?
Rekha: Naveen has thrown me into a dilemma.
Rekha: So has Kumar our Rachana.
Navya: Who is that?
Rekha: The Cupid at her office
Navya: Why is it an unrequited love?
Rekha: He’s already married.
Navya: Oh how men mislead women
Rekha: Is Naveen cheating on you or what?
Navya: If that’s the case, I would have been sulking at home hoping that man always comes back to his wife.
Rachana: What then?
Navya: He was harassing a woman at his office.
Rachana: Oh God, I can understand your dilemma. But what’s his version?
Navya: I think his was a partial confession. As coincidences go, he met Mithuna that is her name, on the very day we met. He did admit that he coveted her bowled over by her charms. When he realized she was a flirt, he says that his ardour for her evaporated. But when she shifted gear and began flirting with one and all he saw it was telling upon their performance. Well, the complaints committee upheld his stance that she fixed him as he tried to discipline her and the management fired her.
Rachana: What’s the dilemma then?
Navya: After Nritya affair, I’m not going to believe the verdict of any committee. Why, he would have complained against her when she didn’t yield to his advances. Besides, having put Sanjay on the mat if I let Naveen off the hook, won’t I have to answer to my conscience?
Rekha: Even if he was guilty, what can be done now?
Navya: Why can’t I divorce him to make men realize that womanizing at workplace could be hazardous at home?
Rachana: Don’t be crazy.
Rekha: Why become more Christian than the Christ to ruin your children’s lives. [She takes the nonplussed Ranjan and Nrupa into her arms.]
Navya: Won’t the double jeopardy be doubly deterring for the hopefuls.
Rekha: Don’t be silly and make me feel guilty for radicalizing you.
Navya: Well, after that experience with Sanjay, I am obsessed about fighting against the errant men.
Rekha: I don’t think you have any grounds for divorce at all.
Navya: Maybe but can’t I desert him?
Rekha: What about the children?
Navya: If I can keep them it’s fine. If not I would find meaning to my meaningless life by dedicating myself to the MAWAW.
Rekha: Why not I take you to Lawyer Bhagawan? Rachana also needs to understand the implications of bigamy.
Rachana: I don’t think there is any law against a live-in relationship.
Rekha: What a shame that you want to disturb a woman’s married life.
Rachana: Well everything is fair in love and war.
Navya Why not get acquainted with his wife and take her to a couple of movies of the fifties and sixties. Bet if not you, she would imbibe the spirit of self-sacrifice to make it easy for him
Rekha: Jokes apart, why build castles in the air when you have neither declared your love to him nor he indicated his to you.
Rachana: Madam might recall that love manifests itself in looks much before it gets expressed in words.
Rekha: Let Bhagawan (Looks up to the heavens) judge after Lawyer Bhagawan appraises Him about the law of our land.
[Rekha gets up from her seat followed by Rachana and Navya.]
[Enter: Naveen. Navya instinctively takes hold of Ranjan and Nrupa.]
Naveen: Spoil your life if you must. [He moves towards Ranjan and Nrupa as Navya hugs them closer to her.] I don’t want your stupidity to ruin their lives.
[Naveen tries to take hold of Ranjan and Nrupa and Navya resists him as Rekha and Rachana watch in dismay. A tug of war ensues between Naveen and Navya for the possession of the bewildered Ranjan and Nrupa who alternately cry ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’. Naveen prevails in the end and takes hold of the crying Ranjan and Nrupa and drags them towards the exit.]
Navya: I swear I’ll drag you to the court.
Naveen: Leaving your home, you’ve become lame.
Navya: Wait, I’ll show you what I am
Naveen: What a sight it makes, a lame woman dragging her man to the court.
[Exit: Naveen with Ranjan and Nrupa yelling ‘mummy’.]
Rekha: I think you must bend for your children’s sake.
Navya: Well, I’m more focused than ever. Let’s go to Lawyer Bhagawan.
[Exit: Navya, Rachana and Rekha. Curtains down.]
Scene – 12
[Curtains up: Lawyer Bhagawan’s Office. Bhagawan is at his desk poring over some papers. The clock (not in the scene) strikes seven.]
[Enter: Rekha, Rachana and Navya.]
Bhagawan: Hi Rekha. I’ve read about your MAWAW in The Hindu and wanted to compliment you. Why, work may not kill man but surely it kills his social life.
[Bhagawan asks them to take their seats and as they sit his mobile rings. He checks the caller number and answers the call.]
Bhagawan: I’ve some clients with me. You can come and collect the decree.
[Bhagawan switches off his mobile.]
Rekha: Sorry for barging in with my battalion.
Bhagawan: You know you’re always welcome.
Rekha: Thank you and let me introduce the co-activists of MAWAW. This is Navya [Bhagawan and Navya greet each other] and this is Rachana [Bhagawan and Rachana greet each other].
Bhagawan: Is it about a legal dilemma or a liberal donation. [Bhagawan laughs heartily.]
Rekha: You’ve put an idea into my head. Be MAWAW’s honorary legal advisor.
Bhagawan: Done, I deem it an honour.
Rekha: Thanks a lot. Now we have a twin dilemma, one is about bigamy and another is about divorce.
Bhagawan: Why not we deal with the prosaic before we go to the poetic. Which of these two ladies seeks divorce?
Rekha: Men are men whatever be their calling.
Bhagawan: If not, where’s the charm for women.
[Rekha briefs Bhagawan about Navya’s case (mime)]
Bhagawan: I think you should give him the benefit of doubt.
Navya: I‘ve no doubt about his guilt
Bhagawan: What if Mithuna is a questionable character?
Navya: Lawyer saab, this is no argument in the court.
[Bhagawan pulls out three case files and places before them. Navya reads one and her colour changes. Rekha and Rachana too peruse one each.]
Rachana: [Exclaims.] Oh, it’s our company’s suit against Mithuna. Without taking her name, Kumar told me about her.
Bhagawan: How do you know him?
Rachana: He’s my boss.
Bhagawan: And he’s my client.
Rekha: The world is small indeed and the other side of the sexual coin is no less ugly
Navya: [Holds Bhagawan’s hand.] If not for you, it would have been a certain ruin for me.
Bhagawan: It’s all God’s will.
Navya: Let me go and apologize to Naveen. [She gets up from her chair.]
Rekha: Why not ask him to drive down. He can be here before you can persuade some autowallah to take you home.
Navya: Not a bad idea. Lend me your cell
[Rekha gives her mobile to Navya. Navya goes to a corner and talks to Naveen on the mobile (mime).]
[Enter: Kumar. He is surprised to see Rachana in profile.]
Bhagawan: Think about the devil…
[Rachana turns her head in all curiosity and rises from her seat surprised.]
Kumar: I hope Ms. Rachana has no brief for an original suit against me.
Bhagawan: Why you have picked up the legal jargon as well.
Kumar: Am I not in the right company on a wrong issue.
Bhagawan: [Handing over a document to Kumar] Now you are free to set right your life.
Kumar: I owe it to you really. I am sure if not for you; I would have been in the limbo till the very end.
[Kumar opens his briefcase and having placed the document in it pulls out his bank cheque book. He signs a leaf, puts the cheque book in the briefcase and closes it. Kumar gives the cheque to Bhagawan]
Bhagawan: Why a blank cheque?
Kumar: Just to show my boundless gratitude within my limited bank balance.
Bhagawan: [Embraces Kumar.]You touched me like no other client. I wish your next wife would see life from the right side of it. [Bhagawan checks himself] Oh, I’ve got carried away. I am sorry for breaching the client confidentiality.
Kumar: Why blame your emotional involvement that ended my marital stalemate.
Rekha [Goes up to Kumar.]: I’m Rekha. I want to have a word with you.
Kumar: Welcome, if it’s not platitude.
Rekha: I want to play a matchmaker.
[Rachana’s face brightens up and readily she becomes tense.]
Kumar: Thank you. I shall give you my resume.
Rekha: I have it from Rachana underscored with love.
Kumar: [Goes up to Rachana with apparent joy.] Will you accept my love and lead me in life.
Rachana: If only you vow not to put your charms at work on the women at work, ever.
Rekha [to Rachana]: But before that you pledge to work against men at work on women at work
Rachana: Only against men unfairly at work.
Bhagawan: [in jest.] Shall I get the affidavits ready for both of you to sign?
Navya: Why forget me. Don’t I need an affidavit affirming trust in my man?
Rekha: With a rider that mischief in the office can misfire at home.
[Rekha receives a call on her mobile and she nods in agreement as she talks (mime).]
Rekha: It’s about a complaint at Tits & Tats for MAWAW to get cracking.
[The clock (not in the scene) strikes eight.]
Bhagawan: Why it sounds good tidings for MAWAW.
Rekha: And bad omen for men at work on women at work.
[Enter: Naveen with Ranjan and Nrupa. Navya rushes to Naveen while Ranjan and Nrupa run to Navya. Naveen hugs Navya and she holds Ranjan and Nrupa on either side. Curtains down.]
