ARJUN vs ZAHEER

[Greenwood]

Update 43

Location: College campus

Time: 10:30 AM – Bright sunny morning

?Scene 1: Zaheer ka Room – Morning Start

(Zaheer mirror ke saamne khada hota hai, hair set karta hua. Aankhon mein thodi si thakaan, but mostly determination.)

Zaheer (self-talk, brushing hair)

"Aaj nahi. Bilkul nahi."

"Shanu se na aankh milani hai, na baat karni hai. Full ignore mode, sala dimagh kharab ho gaya jabse usse attachment hui hai."

(Woh bag uthata hai, confident walk ke saath room se nikalta hai jaise kisi war zone jaa raha ho.)

?Scene 2: College Corridor – First Encounter

(Zaheer corner turn karta hai aur saamne se Shanu aa rahi hoti hai. Dono ki aankhon ka contact hota hai for 2 seconds. Zaheer awkwardly aankh ghumata hai aur dusri side dekh kar chhoti si smile pressure mein deta hai. Shanu rukti hai.)

Shanu (casual, sweet)

"Good morning, Zaheer." ?

(Zaheer fake cough karta hai, bag adjust karta hai.)

Zaheer (bina dekhe)

"Hmm... haa... morning. Mujhe... class ke liye late ho raha hai."

(Woh awkward speed mein nikal jaata hai. Shanu peeche dekhti hai confused, lekin smile karti hai.)

?Scene 3: Library – Fail #2

(Zaheer corner table par baitha hota hai earphones laga ke pad raha hota hai. Tabhi ek shadow padti hai uske table pe. Headphone utarta hai… aur dekhta hai Shanu saamne khadi hoti hai, ek file haath mein.)

Shanu

"Ye notes tere liye laayi hoon… kal pooche the na?"

(Zaheer 1 second confused hota hai, fir yaad aata hai usne sach mein poocha tha. Woh file leta hai.)

Zaheer (under breath)

"Saala, khud hi trap set kar liya tha." ?

Zaheer (zabardasti smile)

"Thanks. Main… padhta hoon. Class... next period…"

(Woh file se munh chhupata hai. Shanu thoda awkward smile ke saath baith jaati hai same table par. Zaheer uske left hota hai. Woh aankhon ke kone se Shanu ko dekhta rehta hai. Uske dimag mein chal raha hota hai:)

Zaheer (internal monologue)

"Bach gaya. Bas 5 minute... phir bhaagna hai."

(Pause)

"Par yeh muskara kyun rahi hai? Yeh kya perfume lagaya hai? Arre dimag idhar rakh..."

?Scene 4: Campus Café – Final Breakdown

(Zaheer canteen se coffee le ke nikal raha hota hai, tabhi Shanu aati hai aur accidentally uska haath touch ho jaata hai.)

Shanu

"Oops! Sorry… main dekh nahi paayi."

(Zaheer cup sambhalta hai. Dono ek pal ke liye close hote hain. Phir Shanu coffee ki taraf dekh ke kehti hai:)

Shanu (teasing)

"Mujhe laga tum black coffee peeke mujhse aur zyada rude ban jaoge."

Zaheer (whisper to himself)

Nikal le yaha se sale,ye tujhe pakka bigad rahi hai

Shanu

Kya hua ? Kisse baatein kar rahe ho, kya bol rahe ho...

Zaheer(sound rushly)

Kkuchh nahi... Bas mujhe Jana practice ke liye... Bye shanu... Baad me milte hai..

Or zaheer Waha se nikal jata hai and shanu use mood mood kar dekh rahi hoti hai uske is behaviour ke liye...

Location: Zaheer ka room

Time: Late afternoon – 4:30 PM

(Room mein dim light. Fan chal raha hai, ek sports magazine bed pe pada hai. Zaheer bed par lete hue phone scroll kar raha hota hai. Scroll karte karte achanak rukta hai  ek reel chal rahi hoti hai jisme ladki aur ladka ek dusre ko chhup chhup ke dekhte hain... background mein slow piano music.)

Zaheer (frustrated face bana ke)

"Arey abey yeh bhi... kya chal raha hai yaar har jagah!"

(Woh phone side mein fekta hai. Phir uthkar apni football uthata hai.)

?Cut to: Terrace – Football Practice

(Zaheer apne chhat pe football ke saath juggling kar raha hota hai. 10, 11, 12 taps… fir ball gir jaata hai.)

Zaheer (gussa mein)

"Kya kar raha hai be Zaheer! Focus, focus!"

(Ball uthata hai, phir try karta hai… par ball phir se gir jaata hai. Is baar woh zor se ball ko wall pe maar deta hai.)

(Thoda heavily saans le raha hota hai. Uske aankhon ke saamne ek aur flash: Shanu corridor mein hansi rokti hai, aur woh awkwardly kehta hai “Coffee ke saath rude aur charming dono hota hoon.”)

Zaheer (apne aap se)

"Phir aa gayi tu... dimaag mein..."

(He walks restlessly on the terrace.)

"Kitni baar bol chuka hoon — kuch nahi hai, kuch nahi hona chahiye… fir bhi har baat mein bas tu hi dikh rahi hai."

?Cut to: Room Again

(Zaheer return karta hai. Music on karta hai — heavy metal type — full blast. Table pe baith ke books kholta hai.)

Zaheer

"Bas! Padhta hoon. Civil war ke notes. No emotions. Just dead kings and boring treaties."

(Woh pehla line padhta hai — "1861..." — tabhi uske mind mein flash hota hai — Shanu ne bola tha:)

“History mujhe isliye pasand hai kyunki wahan log feelings likh jaate hain…”

Zaheer (book band karke, aankhon bandh)

"Shut up, Shanu… tu literal history mein bhi aa gayi?"

(Pause)

"Main pagal ho gaya hoon kya?"

(Woh thoda thoda hansa bhi deta hai khud pe, phir thak ke chair se uthta hai. Room ke andar chakkar kaat raha hota hai, jaise dil ko samjha raha ho.)

?Final Frame

(Zaheer balcony ke railing pe tik jaata hai thoda hair messed up, aankhon mein clarity nahi — confused, tired. Sky thoda sa orange ho chuka hai late afternoon ending. Camera uske side profile ko slow zoom out karta hai.)

Zaheer (soft murmur)

"Main usse ignore karne chala tha…

Aur khud ko hi bhool gaya."

Location: Shanu ka ghar – uska personal room

Time: Same evening – 6:45 PM

(Room mein shaam ki halke narangi dhoop aa rahi hoti hai window se. Ek chhoti si study table ke paas Shanu baithi hoti hai chair mein, ek pen uske haath mein gol gol ghoom raha hota hai. Table pe diary padhi hoti hai aur side mein coffee ka cup — thanda pad chuka hai.)

(Shanu ka face blank hai na hansi, na udaasi, bas ek soch mein dooba hua expression. Woh diary ka ek puraana page palatti hai jisme kuch khud ke likhe thoughts hain.)

Shanu (internal monologue soft voiceover)

"Main toh bol chuki hoon sab kuch...

Usse samajh aaya ya nahi — pata nahi."

"Ek pal ke liye laga tha uske chehre pe kuch tha...

Phir wahi... uski usual awkward khamoshi."

(Woh diary bandh karti hai. Phir thoda time us par ungliyon se tap karti hai as if waiting for a thought to hit. Phir suddenly khadi ho jaati hai, aur mirror ke paas jaake khud ko dekhti hai.)

Shanu (mirror mein dekhte hue  sarcastic tone)

"Shanu beta, emotional speech deke sochi thi ki agle din woh le aayega gulab ka phool aur bolega ‘tum hi ho’? Bas kar pagli."

(Woh thoda aankhon mein mazaak bhari narazgi laake mirror mein apni reflection ko dekhti hai. Phir thoda soft ho jaati hai.)

Shanu (softly)

"Par seriously... usne kuch bola bhi toh nahi."

"Ek baar bhi… ek shabd… koi sign… kuch nahi."

(Pause)

"Lekin maine toh sab keh diya tha… toh ab kya? Ab main kya karu?"

(Woh diary uthake phir se table par aake baithti hai. Pen uthati hai… lekin likhti nahi. Sirf sochti hai. Coffee ka sip leti hai — thanda taste kar ke nakh chadhata hai.)

Shanu (thinking aloud, halki hansi ke saath)

"Waqt bharosa nahi deta… toh tu kyun ruki, Shanu?"

"Tujhe lagta hai bas bol diya toh ho gaya sab? Na baba na… zaheer hai, zip file nahi jo turant open ho jaaye."

(Woh pen se diary pe ek naya title likhti hai: “Phase 2: Soft attack.”

Phir diary band karti hai, confident si smirk ke saath.)

Shanu (to herself – soft but firm)

"Lagta hai ek baar phir tujhe kuch karna padega, Shanu."

"Iss baar... aur bhi simple. Aur bhi seedha."

(Camera dheere dheere uske mirror ke reflection pe zoom karta hai — jahan uske chehre pe ek nayi clarity hoti hai. Background mein lo-fi soft beat chalu ho jaata hai.)

Location: College – Football Practice Ground

Time: Next day – 12:15 PM (Lunch break ke baad)

(Zaheer ground ke kone mein baitha hota hai. Practice khatam ho chuka hai. Shirt thodi gili hai, hair messy. Paas mein uska football padha hai. Woh bottle se paani pee raha hota hai, lekin clearly dimaag kahin aur hota hai haan, wahi Shanu ke paas.)

(Tabhi uske paas se koi aata hai — Shanu. White kurta, soft blue stole, haathon mein ek folded chitthi type paper.)

(Shanu directly nahi baithti. Sirf uske paas rukti hai. Zaheer usse dekhta hai — thoda cautious expression ke saath. Shanu normal tone mein bolti hai — very breezy, friendly.)

Shanu (casual)

"Tu kal apne dost ko keh raha tha na ki tune woh practice drill ka proper layout nahi dekha tha?"

(Zaheer confused blink karta hai. Shanu chitthi uske haath mein rakh deti hai neatly folded.)

Shanu (soft smile)

"Main library mein notes likh rahi thi... toh socha tera kaam bhi ho jaye."

(Pause)

"Khaas kuch nahi hai. Just… detailing."

(Woh uski aankhon mein nahi dekhti, bas halki si muskurahat de ke palatne lagti hai.)

Zaheer (confused + touched)

"Shanu… ruk, matlab... tu mere liye

Shanu (lightly interrupting, peeche dekh ke)

"Mere notes ache hote hain… kehna mat bhoolna."

(Wink ke bina, full confident smile de ke woh nikal jaati hai.)

?Cut to: Zaheer – 5 Seconds Later

(Zaheer thodi der tak bas uska peeche jaata hua silhouette dekhta hai. Phir chitthi unfold karta hai. Andar likha hota hai diagram ke beech mein ek chhota sa post-it chipka hota hai.)

Post-it:

“Kuch cheezen theory se nahi, practice se samajh aati hain.

Aur kuch… sirf feel se.” – S ❤️

(Zaheer ke face pe ek chhoti si smile aati hai woh wali jo banda rokte hue bhi de deta hai. Eyes thodi moist, par smile real hoti hai. Uska thumb woh post-it pe gently tap karta hai. Woh chitthi fold karta hai lekin alag tarike se jaise koi gift ho.)

[i]Zaheer still baitha hota hai bench pe. Uske haath mein folded chitthi. Usne usse abhi just padha hai.[/i]

[i]Woh chitthi ke beech chipka hua post-it note uski aankhon ke saamne hai…[/i]

[i]Jahan likha hai:)[/i]

“Kuch cheezen theory se nahi, practice se samajh aati hain.

Aur kuch… sirf feel se.” – S ❤️

(Uske fingers us paper ko softly rub karte hain jaise har letter ko feel kar raha ho. Woh do lines zaheer ke dimaag mein repeat hoti hain phir echo hone lagti hain...)

Zaheer (internal voice, slow whisper)

"‘Feel se samajh aati hain’…

Tu kehna kya chaahti thi Shanu…"

(pause)

"Ya... main hi samajh nahi paa raha tha?"

?Flashback Montage — Short but Deep

(Fast flashes no dialogues, just expressions)

Shanu ka corridor mein ruk ruk ke kehna: “Main kisi ko directly nahi bolti...”

Uska notebook mein Zaheer ka naam likhna

Uska awkward laugh us din coffee ke baad

Aur sabse aakhri — uski aankhon ka wo nazar hata lena jab usne sab kuch keh diya tha... except three words.

(Back to present. Zaheer ab paper ko haath mein ghumata hai.

Uski aankhon mein thoda disbelief, thoda regret, lekin sabse zyada ek relieved smile.

Wo wali smile jo achanak hoti hai jab dimaag aur dil ek hi baat pe agree kar lein.)

Zaheer (slow breath + smile, murmur)

"Yeh itna simple tha?"

(head shake karta hai khud pe hansi aati hai)

"Aur main… mujhe laga tha sab kuch complicated hai."

(Woh paper ko carefully fold karta hai jaise koi personal khazana ho. Shirt ke andar chest pocket mein gently rakh leta hai. Phir peeche lean karke sky ki taraf dekhta hai aankhon mein halki si chamak.)

Zaheer (light chuckle to himself)

"Shanu… tu sach mein khatarnaak nikli."

"Ek line mein meri poori setting kar di.

(Camera slowly zooms out from his smiling face to full frame uski messy hair, slightly sweaty face, aur aankhon mein nayi clarity.)

Bgm:-

[i]Slow guitar pluck with airy piano — gentle, uplifting vibe[/i]

[i]Location: College Canteen[/i]

Time: Same day – 1:15 PM (Lunch Rush)

(Canteen ka mahaul garam hai har table pe ya toh plate mein rajma chawal, ya chutney waale sandwich, ya group gossip.Shanu apne doston ke group ke saath ek corner table pe baithi hoti hai.Halka sa music chal raha hota hai group ke ek ladki softly “Tumse milke dil ka hai jo haal kya kahein” gunguna rahi hoti hai, baaki haan mein haan mila rahe hote hain. Shanu zyada involved nahi hoti bas smile karti hai, par dimaag kahin aur hota hai.)

(Uski nazar baar-baar canteen ke entrance pe jaati hai.

Uske mind mein ek voice-over chalta hai, jaise ki usne khud se bola ho )

Shanu (thinking)

"Aaj nahi samjha toh main hi uth ke bol dungi… is baar aankhon se, muh se nahi."

(Pause)

"Bas ek baar dekh le."

(Aur tabhi... Zaheer enters.

College ka football duffle bag uske shoulder pe, thoda thaka, thoda dhundhne wala expression.

Wo aankhon se ek table scan karta hai…

Phir ek khaali table pakad ke baithta hai Shanu ke table se diagonally opposite.Jab woh baithta hai, toh ek pal ke liye uska focus crowd pe jaata hai aur tabhi Shanu usse pehle dekh leti hai. Ek second ke liye aankhen milti hain.)

Zaheer (expression: calm, sure)

(Bas ek soft smile deta hai woh wali jo keh jaati hai: “haan, mujhe sab samajh aa gaya… aur haan mein hai”)

Phir aankhon se ek chhota sa signal deta hai jaise “ab tu dekh, main ready hoon.”)

(Shanu ka expression suddenly bright ho jaata hai. Uske chehre par ek shiny sparkle jaise aa jaata hai. Wo thoda shocked si smile karti hai  jaise andar se chillaye, “Finally!”

Par face pe ek classy control hota hai. Just a soft, proud smile.)

(Usi waqt group waale ladke-ladki gungunahat se thoda dance mein convert ho jaate hain. Ek ladka beat maar ke bolta hai

Group Guy:

"Yeh kya mast gana hai yaar… chalo chalo gaate hain!"

(Ek ladki Shanu ko uthne ko bolti hai:)

Group Girl:

"Chal Shanu… teri toh aankhon mein sparkle aa gayi, chal tu lead le!"

(Shanu pehle resist karti hai, phir ek “why not?” wali energy ke saath uth jaati hai.

Wo thoda halka sa naachti hai graceful, khush, free.

Zaheer usse dekhte jaata hai no distraction, no phone, no kuch… bas Shanu.

(Dono ek dusre ko dekh ke muskurate hain ek aisi muskurahat jisme sab kuch tha:

“Haan... ab hum dono samajh chuke hain.”)

(Scene ka camera slowly rotate karta hai Shanu ki thirakti muskurahat, Zaheer ki aankhon mein wo glow, aur peechhe se group ka mazaak bhara music.)

? Background fades into lyrics:

"Jab se mila tu, sab kuch pura sa hai..."

[i]Shanu hansi control karti hai, Zaheer thoda head shake karta hai dono table ke distance par hone ke bawajood, dono [i]connection mein hote hain.[/i][/i]