கதை சுருக்கம்
யுத்த பூமியிலே, வெடிசத்தங்களின் மத்தியிலே பிறந்தது முதல், உயிருக்காக, உணவுக்காக,
உறக்கத்திற்காக, உரிமைக்காக, உறவுகளுக்காக, ஊருக்காகவென்று தன் வாழ்வின் ஒவ்வெரு
மணித்துளிகளையும் போராடியே கடந்த இவன், அமைதியான இந்த அன்னிய நாட்டில்
தோற்றுப்போனது யாரிடம்?
அலைமோதும் இவன் இதயத்தில் இடியாக ஆயிரம் நினைவுகள், தவிக்கும் இவன் நெஞ்சம்
தற்கொலைக்கு தூண்டுகிறது. புறத்தை வென்ற இவனால் ஏன் அகத்தை வெல்ல முடியவில்லை?
இனியவர்களை தொடர்ந்து, வேகமாக வளர்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கும் மனித சமுதாயத்தின்
வெற்றிப்பாதையில் கண்ணிவெடியாக மறைந்திருந்து பலரின் வாழ்க்கையை சூறாடும் மன அழுத்த
நோயைபற்றிய எச்சரிக்கை மணியை நம் மக்களிடையே ஒலிக்க விடுகின்றார் இயக்குனர் லெனின்.
Lately everything in Ram’s life is going wrong. He has just lost his mother back
home. He doesn’t have a job. He is struggling to keep up with the fast life in
Canada. He doesn’t have anyone to turn to. He has totally alienated himself from
the rest of the world by locking himself in his filthy apartment. He blames
himself for everything that has gone wrong, and is sinking into an abyss of
denial, guilt and fear. He is on the verge of giving up!
Uruthy, which translates to strength, describes Ram’s struggle with depression.
Director Lenin M. Sivam takes us to the sullen world of Ram. Bold and powerful,
Uruthy realistically depicts Ram’s struggle against depression, which deserves
much more attention than we often care to give.
1 EXT. APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT 1
An old apartment building stands at the corner of two
streets. Occasionally vehicles are passing by. WE HEAR
SOUND OF SOME PEOPLE ARGUING AND THE SIREN OF AN AMBULANCE AT
A DISTANCE. Apartment building generally looks dark except
for the lights seeping through a few windows. No signs of
people on the street. Light at the entrance to the building
looks more prominent than any other lights around the
vicinity.
2 INT. APARTMENT - LATE NIGHT 2
RAM, in his mid 20s, dressed in a pair of jeans and a
T-shirt, stands on a chair and drills a hole on the ceiling
with a drill. WE CAN ONLY HEAR THE SOUND OF THE DRILL GUN.
SHADOW stands close to him on the floor looking up at Ram.
Ram stops drilling and takes a break. He shakes his head and
shoulders and continues to drill. Shadow whose back is
facing us looks bigger and stronger than Ram. SOUND OF THE
DRILL GETS LITTLE LOUDER.
SHADOW
Shhhhhhh, Quietly. People are
going to hear us.
உஷ்........ மெதுவாக வெளியில
சனத்துக்குக் கேட்கப்போகுது
Ram quickly pulls out the drill. The drill still spins. Ram
realizes that the drill is still on and turns it off. He
looks at Shadow with hesitation and fear.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
(agitated)
Can't you do anything right? Why
did you stop? Go on. Just keep it
quiet.
உனக்கு என்னதான் ஒழுங்காச் செய்யத்
தெரியும்? ஏன் இப்ப நிப்பாட்டடீனனி?
ஓட்டையைப் போடு, ஆனா மெதுவாச் செய்.
Ram looks worried and somewhat subdued. He pauses for a
moment and continues to drill.
The apartment looks filthy. The walls are stained. Empty
instant noodle containers are strewn at the corner of the
room. A worn, dirty sofa fills one side of the room. A
black coffee table is in the middle of the room. An old
wooden table sits against the wall.
Old coins and coin albums are spread on a table. One dim
light illuminates the whole room.
Ram stops drilling and looks at Shadow. Shadow stands facing
his back to us.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
OK, now lets try to mount the hook.
ஓகே, இப்ப அந்தக் கொழுக்கியைப் போடு
Ram gets down and puts the drill on the sofa. He picks up a
metal hook and inspects it in the light. He slowly climbs
back on the chair and tries to screw the hook in the hole.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
(disappointedly)
Come on! How would it stay without
an anchor? Put the anchor first.
என்னடா, அந்தப் பிளாஸ்டீக் துண்டீலாமல்
எப்பிடீ நிக்கும்? முதல் பிளாஸ்டீக்கைப்
போடு.
Ram gets down and picks up an anchor and a hammer. He climbs
back on the chair. He puts the anchor in the hole and
proceeds to hammer it in. THE SOUND OF THE HAMMER IS LOUD.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
(annoyed, whispering)
Shhhhhh, quiet! Do you want to wake
up everyone in the building?
உஷ்....... இப்ப இந்த பில்டீங்கில உள்ள
சனத்தையெல்லாம் எழுப்ப்போறியா?
Ram stops. He looks confused and somewhat submissive. He
hesitates and waits for a while. He turns to Shadow.
RAM
(Exhaustively)
I can't do this anymore, I am
tired. My neck kills me. Let's do
it tomorrow.
என்னால ஏலாம இருக்கு, சரியான
களையாக இருக்கு. களுத்துக்க சரியா
நோகுது. நாளைக்குச் செய்யலாம்.
Shadow walks side ways back and forth.
SHADOW
(agitated)
' Tell me one thing that you've
completed in your life. You can't
even put a hook on the ceiling. I
have never seen anyone so
incompetent.
உன்ர வாழ்கையிலேயே ஒழுங்கா உருப்படீயாச்
செய்ததொண்டைச் சொல்லு பாப்பம்? உன்னால
இந்த கொழுக்கியைக்கூடப் போடேலாமலிருக்கு.
உன்னை மாதிரி ஒரு வலச நான்
கண்டதேயில்லை.
Ram looks down. He looks dejected. Ram stands still on the
chair.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
(relenting)
OK, we will do it in the morning.
Lets drink now.
சரி நாளைக்குச் செய்வம், இப்ப
தண்ணியடீப்பம்.
Ram gets down and sits on the sofa. Shadow walks to the
Kitchen and disappears. Shadow comes back with a liquor
bottle and two glasses. He sits beside Ram and pours the
liquor into the glasses. He picks up both glasses and offers
one to Ram. Ram takes the glass from Shadow and empties it
at once. Shadow follows suite. Shadow fill the glasses for
the second round.
3 EXT. APARTMENT -- LATE MORNING 3
The old apartment building stands still. There is no one
going in or coming out of the building. Traffic on the
? street is slow.
4 INT. APARTMENT -- LATE MORNING 4
Curtains closed. Outside, grey sky light seeps through the
cracks between the curtains, more brown than bright. The
SOUNDS of the CITY are here. Ram sleeps on the sofa.
Ram slowly wakes up. Shadow sits in front of him on the
chair. Shadow's face is not visible.
SHADOW
Get up, we have a lot to do.
எழும்பு எங்களுக்கு நிறைய
வேலையியருக்கு
Ram looks so dispirited and tired.
RAM
I am so tired.
எனக்கு ஒரே களையாக இருக்கு....
SHADOW
How can you be tired? You got laid
off last month. You haven't done
anything but eat, drink and sleep.
Aren't you ashamed of yourself for
saying you are tired. You are
trying to put the hook for two
days.
என்னத்துக்கு உனக்குக் களைக்குது? என்ன
வெட்டீ முறிசிசனி? வேலைபோனதிலயிருந்து
இந்த ஒரு மாதமாகச் சாபிடீறது,
குடீக்கிறது, நித்திரைகொள்ளுறதைத்தான்
முழுநோர வேலையாச் செய்யிறாய். இந்த
லட்சணத்தில களைக்குதெண்டு சொல்ல
வெக்கமாயிலையே? இந்தக் கொழுக்கியை 3
நாளாகப் போடப் பாக்கிறாய்.
Ram looks very annoyed and disappointed.
RAM
I am hungry.
எனக்குப் பசிக்குது.
SHADOW
See what I mean. This is the only
thing you do properly.
நான் சொன்னன் இதை ஒழுங்காகச்
செய்துபோடுவாய்.
Ram goes in to the kitchen. Kitchen sink is filled wit'
dirty dishes, counter top is dirty and filled with various
things. There is a dirty stove with greasy spice bottles on
it. He grabs a discolored kettle and fills it with water
directly from the tap. He plugs the kettle in.
He opens the pantry above him and gets a new instant noodle
pack. The pantry is filled with instant noodle packs. He
leaves the noodle pack beside the kettle and goes back to the
living room.
RAM
I have a headache. My upper back
is still in pain.
தலையிடீக்குது, மேல்முதுகில இப்பவும்
நோகுது.
SHADOW
Just take two Tylenols and you'll
be fine.
இரண்டு தைலநோலைப் போடு எல்லாம்
சரியாப்போகும்.
Ram goes back into the kitchen. He grabs a Tylenol bottle
from the counter. He gets two pills from the bottle and puts
the bottle back on the counter. He fetches tap water in a
dirty glass. He takes the pills with the water. SOUND OF
THE BOILING WATER FROM THE KETTLE. Ram turns and looks at the
kettle. Steam blows out of the kettle. He goes to the
kettle and yanks the plug off the wall. He opens the instant
noodle cup and pours the hot water in it. He closes the foil
back and takes the cup?to the room.
Ram leaves the cup on the table and looks at the coins
scattered on the table. He leans down and takes an old coin
in his hand and looks at it closely.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
Remember father gave it to you on
your 12th birthday.
ஞாபகமிருக்கா உன்ர 12வது
பிறந்தநாளுக்கு அப்பா தந்தது?
RAM
(memories fills him and he
is happy )
Yes, this is the coin issued by the
Dutch when they first colonized Sri
Lanka in 1735. I remember that
day.
ஓ, இதுதான் டச்சுக்காரர் இலங்கையைப்
பிடீச்ச உடன 1735ம் ஆண்டு வெளியிட்ட
காசு. எனக்கு நல்ல ஞாபகம் இருக்கு.
Ram holds the coin and continues to look at it.
(yearning)
It was one of the happiest days in
my life.
என்ர வாழ்க்கையிலேயே ஒரு சந்தோசமான
நாள்.
Ram's eyes are wet. He is filled with sorrow and
disappointment. He continues to steer the coin.
SHADOW
(impassively interrupting)
Look at you now, all messed up and
worthless. If father was here, he
would've been so disappointed to
see you. In a way it's a good
thing he killed himself.
இப்ப உன்னைப்பர்.... எவ்வளவு கேவலமா
ஒண்டுக்கும் பிரியோசனமில்லாம.... அப்பர்
இருந்தால் எவ்வளவு கவலைப்பட்டீருப்பார்.
ஒருவகையில அவர் தற்கொலை செய்தது
எவ்வளவு நல்லது.
Ram is slowly overwhelmed with sorrow. He feels worthless.
He slowly picks up noodles. He begins to eat it slow'y and
listens.
SHADOW (CONT'D)
You took these coins out to polish
3 weeks ago and you still haven't
touched them. These coins are
laying there collecting dust. You
know what father had to go through
to get you some of these coins.
இந்நக் காசுகளை மினுக்கோணும் எண்டு
மூண்டு கிழமைக்குமுதல் வெளியில
எடுத்தனி, காசில தூசு படுகுதே தவிர
உன்ர கை படேல்லை. இதையெல்லாம்
சேர்க்க அப்பர் எவ்வளவு கஷ்டப்
பட்டீருப்பார்.
Ram stops eating. He looks at shadow.
RAM
I don't know why, I can't find the
interest to work on my album
anymore.
என்னண்டு தெரியேல்லை, எனக்கு
முந்தினமாதி எதிலயும் ஒரு ஈடுபாடு
இல்லாமலிருக்கு.
Ram pauses a moment.
RAM (CONT'D)
I can't find the interest to do
anything.
எனக்கு இப்ப எதுவுமே பிடீக்கேல்லை.
He continues to eat the noodle slowly. As he eats, his eyes
fill with tears. He forcefully swallows the mouthful.
SHADOW
(softly, with agr?ement)
Yes, I know, there is only one
solution to this.
ஓ எனக்குத் தெரியும் இதுக்கெல்லாம்
ஒரேஒரு முடீவுதான் இருக்கு.
Ram puts down the noodle on the table. He begins to cry
loud.