STORYTIME TAPESTRY

Deepak Morris??™s Weekly Column

 East Meets West

June 2, 2005

To continue with my vision of a world tapestry of love and understanding of cultural values through the world, every Thursday we will be graced by the Artist vision of Mr. Deepak Morris, a wonderful playwright and friend from Prune, India. 

Karmic Konversations

By Deepak Morris

Copyright ?© Deepak Morris 2005

(The stage is divided into two sections. R is a table and two chairs, such as one may see on a TV talk show like Larry King Live. The table has a huge sign reading ???Karmic Konversations*???. Stage L is the living room of a middle class family, with a plain sofa set and a simple coffee table. The introduction music swells, then Spot comes gradually on R, to reveal KARMA the talk show host, in conversation with MR DESHMUKH, who is dressed in a pale shirt and dark trousers. Stage L should remain in darkness)

KARMA                     (As the introduction music starts to fade down) Welcome back. For those who tuned in late, we??™re in conversation with Hemant Deshmukh, the father of well-known model Priya Deshmukh, who tragically took her own life last month (turns to MR DESHMUKH) Mr. Deshmukh, is there any particular memory of Priya that you would like to share with our audience?

MR DESHMUKH     (Pauses and looks up and to his left for a brief moment, then speaks) I can never forget my little Priya coming running in one day from school, crying because she hadn??™t got the part of the Princess in the play (As he speaks, the Spot R fades down and the Spot L fades up to reveal a man and a girl of around six or seven. She is sitting on his lap and crying while he tries to pacify her) It took me a whole bar of chocolate to get her to even tell me what was wrong (laughs sadly)

GIRL                          (Between sobs) Daddy??¦ why didn??™t the teacher make me the Princess?

MAN                          Life is like that, baby. Sometimes we don??™t get what we want

GIRL                          But I want to be a Princess

MAN                          But you already are a Princess. You don??™t need a teacher to make you a Princess

GIRL                          I??™m already a Princess?

MAN                          Yes, my pretty Priya. You??™re daddy??™s Princess and I would give my whole kingdom for just one smile from you

GIRL                          (Looks very seriously into the MAN??™s face) You would, daddy? All your money too?

MAN                          (Tenderly) Princess, one smile from you lights up everything and everyone around you. That??™s your greatest treasure. And what is money compared to such a wonderful treasure? (The GIRL smiles) Ahhh! See? I??™m the richest man in the whole world now because my Princess smiles at me

(The Spot starts to fade out as Spot R fades up)

MR DESHMUKH     She was my Princess you know. And everyone loved her smile

KARMA                     Yes. I believe the newspapers called her The Girl with the Magical Smile

MR DESHMUKH     Yes??¦ yes they did??¦ in fact, it was her smile that won her that first beauty competition??¦ The Pune Princess??¦ (smiles) Although she never did answer that last question in the personality round, the judges were unanimous that her smile was worth a thousand words??¦ her smile and her silence??¦

(Spot starts to fade out as Spot L fades up. PRIYA, a pretty teenager sits in the centre of the arrangement. Her MOTHER sits next to her. L sits SANKY, a model co-ordinator)

MOTHER                  I don??™t know, Mr. Shanker ??“

SANKY                       Please, Auntie, call me Sanky

MOTHER                  Sanky??¦ we??™ll have to ask her father??¦ we??™re a simple middle class family, you know

(MR DESHMUKH crosses from the dark portion to L. SANKY stands up immediately and MR DESHMUKH shakes hands with SANKY silently, both mouthing ???hello???. MR DESHMUKH motions SANKY to sit and then sits down opposite him)

SANKY                       Thank you for agreeing to see me Mr. Deshmukh. As I was saying on the phone, Miss Priya has tremendous potential. She can easily become the top model in Pune

MR DESHMUKH     I don??™t know??¦ I mean, we are very conservative people??¦ we have to face our community, you know

SANKY                       Yes, Sir, I understand that. But modelling is a very respectable profession now. Almost all the girls in Miss Priya??™s class have done some modelling or have entered Beauty Pageants. Think about it, Mr. Deshmukh. Once she becomes a top model, she??™ll be getting modelling contracts, maybe ramp shows abroad

MOTHER                  But I??™ve heard the modelling world is very bad ??“

SANKY                       (Cuts her off) You have nothing to fear, Auntie. I shall take care of her just as if she were my little sister. I will personally pick her up and drop her back after her training sessions. You will be her chaperone at the competition. Nothing can harm her

PRIYA                        Don??™t worry so much, Mummy. Sanky really takes care of his models. My friend Megha says he??™s the best model co-ordinator there is, and she should know. She??™s modelling for Ajinkya Diamonds now, all thanks to him

MR DESHMUKH     (Looking at SANKY) What does she have to do?

SANKY                       The first step is to enter the Pune Princess competition. Don??™t worry, she??™ll win hands down. She??™ll be trained by the best resource persons in Pune and even if she isn??™t, that killer smile will wow the judges

MOTHER                  But??¦ doesn??™t she have to be 18 to enter? She??™s only 16

SANKY                       (Smoothly) She looks 18, doesn??™t she? That??™s all that matters

MOTHER                  But don??™t they ask for proof of age?

SANKY                       (Smiles broadly) I??™ll take care of that, Auntie. I know some people who can make her the most authentic Birth Certificate. Even the PMC officials will accept it as genuine

MOTHER                  I don??™t know??¦

SANKY                       Modelling is a short-term career, Auntie. By the time a girl is 25, she??™s out of the business. This way, Priya gets two more years in the business. (Pauses significantly) Two more EARNING years

MR DESHMUKH     We??™re not interested in money. We are middle class people and we??™re happy this way. I don??™t want my daughter prancing around half nude

PRIYA                        Oh Daddy??¦ it??™s not like that at all??¦

SANKY                       (Seeing that MR DESHMUKH is about to put his foot down and refuse outright) I??™ll tell you what Sir. Please permit her to just enter this competition. That??™s all. Let her enter just this once. There isn??™t even a swimsuit round, so there can be no fears on that account

MR DESHMUKH     We don??™t have money for all that training and her costumes

SANKY                       (Puts his hand over his heart) Leave that to me, Sir

MR DESHMUKH     Why would you spend money for her? Even if she wins the competition, I won??™t let her model. You??™ll lose your investment

SANKY                       Call it a gift from an older brother. I??™ve always looked upon Priya as the sister I never had. She??™s dying to enter this competition. As for modelling, surely you won??™t have a problem if she gets an offer for a lipstick ad or just her hand for a nail polish ad. But even if you do, it??™s not a problem. I??™ll be glad to do it just to see Priya??™s smile as she accepts the crown

MR DESHMUKH     (Thoughtfully) Crown eh? (Smiles) Well, okay, every Princess deserves a crown

PRIYA                        (Excitedly kisses his cheek) Oh Daddy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

MR DESHMUKH     But mind! Only the competition. I??™m not saying you can do any modelling. (Looks at SANKY) You??™ll have to excuse me, I have some work to do (stands)

SANKY                       (Also standing) Thank you for giving her permission, Sir. You won??™t regret it

(Spot begins to fade out and SPOT R begins to fade up. In front of the ???Karmic Konversations??? set we see a photographer, his assistant and a pretty model in a short dress)

PHOTOGRAPHER   Yeah baby! (Clicks) That??™s it, pretty baby! The camera loves you??¦ blow a kiss to the camera, princess??¦ (Clicks as she does so) Ohhh baby??¦ show Mr. Camera how much you want him, baby??¦ (clicks) all the men in India want you, princess??¦ show them what they??™re missing??¦ (Clicks, then hands the camera to the assistant, becomes very businesslike) Okay, Miss, the next shot has to be a profile (the model turns to face the audience) That??™s it, Miss. Can you raise the hem of your skirt a bit? (The model holds the skirt about midway, at the side of her thigh and raises it) No, from the hem??¦ hold the hem (silently reaches out his hand and the assistant places the camera into it) The hem, Miss??¦ (She does so) Good! Now raise it about two inches, please, not too much??¦ bunch it in your hand (She complies) Oh yeah??¦ there??™s a guy looking at you from the side, baby??¦ he loves what you??™re showing him??¦ bust forward, please (Clicks as the model complies) head back, please, toss your hair (as the model complies) Ohhhh yeahhh??¦ that??™s the style??¦ now, LOOK AT ME and... POUT! (Clicks rapidly as the model turns her head and pouts at the camera) Brilliant! Thank you, Miss. That was excellent!

(Spot begins to fade out and SPOT R fades up to show MR DESHMUKH walking up and down in a rich dressing gown [robe]. The furniture is richer too. The earlier, drab sofa set has been replaced with a leather one. There is an ornate coffee table with perhaps a carved chess set on it. There is a sound of a car door slamming, then PRIYA enters in a mini skirt)

PRIYA                        Hello Daddy! I??™ve told you not to wait up for me. These shoots take so long sometimes

MR DESHMUKH     I worry about you, princess. I don??™t want you to strain yourself

PRIYA                        Relax, Daddy. I??™m young, I can take it. By the way, remember that Opel Corsa you??™re always talking about?

MR DESHMUKH     (After a stunned pause) You??¦ you didn??™t!

PRIYA                        (Throwing him a key on an ornate keychain) Happy Birthday, Daddy

MR DESHMUKH     Princess! (Opening his arms) You shouldn??™t have!

PRIYA                        (Hugging him and kissing his cheek) Are you proud of me, Daddy?

MR DESHMUKH     Very proud, princess. You??™re better than any son I could have had

PRIYA                        Come daddy! Look at your new car

(They cross to the unlit part of the stage. PRIYA exits, taking MR DESHMUKH??™s dressing gown and he sits in the chair again. Spot begins to fade down and SPOT L fades up to reveal KARMA and MR DESHMUKH again)

KARMA                     Then came the investigation into the pornographic video. What were your feelings at the time?

MR DESHMUKH     (Quite emotionally) When the inspector came to the house, it was a shock for all of us. He told us??¦ (almost breaks down) he??¦ he told us that our daughter had acted in that??¦ that video??¦ then the reporters.. the photographers??¦ my Princess took it bravely. She told me the girl in the video wasn??™t her??¦ couldn??™t be her

KARMA                     What did you think? I know this must be hard for you

MR DESHMUKH     I knew she was telling the truth. We were brought up on middle class values, Mr. Karma

KARMA                     Please??¦ just Karma

MR DESHMUKH     What? Oh??¦ Karma??¦ we were brought up on middle class values, and I know we had brought up our daughter the right way??¦

KARMA                     Do you think the money could have gone to her head?

MR DESHMUKH     No way! My Princess knew right from wrong. She would never do something like that. But the pressure on her was too much. The newspaper reports, the looks from friends and neighbours. We tried to take her away from it all??¦ to our farmhouse??¦ but they followed us there too??¦ the reporters??¦ Priya had always been a sensitive child and one day??¦ one day??¦ (buries his face in his hands)

KARMA                     (Reaches out and pats MR DESHMUKH??™s hand) Media glare can be a cruel thing (faces front) and now, Priya Deshmukh has been proved right. The forensic lab has stated emphatically that the girl in the video was NOT Priya Deshmukh. (As MR DESHMUKH continues to sob silently into his hands) Was there any way to prevent Priya??™s tragic suicide? Would it have helped if she had agreed to undergo counselling? We shall never know. The strobe lights of the camera and the harsh glare of the public eye can push a person so far into themselves, that not even a loving family can hope to provide support. Support that the victim herself often rejects. Should models have to undergo compulsory counselling? All this and more, tackled after the break. Stay tuned.

(Spot fades down as Spot R fades up to reveal MOTHER sitting where PRIYA had sat. She is looking off into the distance, her face frozen. MR DESHMUKH comes into the light)

MR DESHMUKH     Swati?

MOTHER                  (Singing) Clap hands baby girl, when Daddy comes home / Daddy brings sweetie for baby alone

MR DESHMUKH     Swati??¦ stop that (reaches out to touch MOTHER)

MOTHER                  (Reacts violently) Don??™t touch me!

MR DESHMUKH     Swati ??“

MOTHER                  (Looks at him) You??¦ you monster! You never believed her. You talk on TV as if you were her rock of support, but you were the first to point a finger at her in private??¦ to tell her she had shamed you

MR DESHMUKH     (Sharply) Swati, shut up!

MOTHER                  I can shut up??¦ but who will shut up the voice in my head? (The spot begins to fade slowly) The voice of my baby??¦ crying??¦ pleading with you to believe her??¦ looking at you in terror as you knotted the rope at the farmhouse she bought you??¦ (Spot fades almost completely and MOTHER??™s voice becomes a stage whisper) Monster!

* Most Indian serials start with the letter K, after one producer began to deliver success after success with films and TV shows with names beginning with that letter

Deepak Morris

rhapword@yahoo.com

* * *

Founder of Rhapsody Theatre, author, playwright,
actor and director Deepak Morris has been
associated with Theatre and Communication all
his life. A Master of Commerce from Pune
University, Master's Diploma holder in
Management from The Institute of Management
Development and Research (IMDR), Pune, and
Diploma holder in Computer Studies from the
National Computing Centre, UK, Deepak
combines a passion for theatre with professional management techniques
to deliver consistently well staged theatrical
performances. An accomplished actor himself,
Deepak has won numerous awards for acting and
debating, including the "Best Actor" award at
the International Year of the Youth Drama
Festival in Pune and the "Best Male Newcomer
Award" in 1997 in Dubai, U.A.E. Having acted
in numerous productions in India and Dubai,
Deepak began writing and directing his own
plays on a regular basis in March 2001. To
date, he has written several one-act plays
and skits and his group, Rhapsody Theatre,
has staged no less than 13 plays in three
years, a record of sorts.