STALEMATE
PRANNAY JHA
INT: Jail Cell
Fade into a man sitting behind bars with a new chess board set up. The person is in civilian clothes sitting on a chair near the bars. Pan to another person sitting on the other side dressed as a COP. He is sitting as well, staring at the chess board. The COP’s side is dark. He looks up.
COP
So Mr. Sehgal, here we are. I am told that you love this game. Mind playing one game with me?
Mr. Sehgal is young, in his late twenties. He looks up, smiles and replies.
MR. SEHGAL
Since I have nothing to do… Why not???
He looks down and starts the game.
COP
So tell me; how did it all start? Your company???
Mr. Sehgal looks up and stares at the COP’s badge (Zoom in) that read ‘Gwaikar Shinde’. He replies….
Mr. Sehgal
Well, Mr Shinde, it started three years back. I had just quit my job and had saved enough money to start an online website. I love cooking you see…. I’d put articles on
(Fade to black as voice over of Mr. Sehgal continues faintly)
Various recipes and review the restaurants around the city. It took off and in two years we became very well known….
INT: BOARDROOM
Transition into a board room with Mr. Sehgal sitting at one end of the table with people looking up to him. A white board with BeefLovers.Com is written on top central aligned, while ‘Ideas’ is written below it, left aligned.
MR SEHGAL
So guys!!! What do we do this weekend? What’s going to be our headline…?
INTERN 1
Sir, we have very less to write about these days. With the ban on beef we have to expand to other food types. Or we at least have to expand to other cities!!!!
MR. SEHGAL
Yes, I have been planning to expand as well. In fact Bangalore seems liberal enough. But it’ll take some time. Till then we need to keep the traction up… So think hard guys, I need ideas!!!
INTERN 2
(Nervously)
Umm…. Sir… I know this is not our forte but why not give our views on the ban itself.
MR. SEHGAL
Being too brave are we??? You know it’s an unnecessary risk!!
INTERN 2
Yes, but we are pretty big now. Not only will people listen to us, it would be difficult to easily undermine us. Plus, think about the traction and virality.
MR. SEHGAL
(In thought)
Hmmm….. That actually seems feasible. Okay… why don’t you guys develop the initial draft. I’ll go through it and then we’ll see. Remember subtlety is the key to writing such truculent articles.
Cut to Jail scene. The COP makes a move and looks up.
INT: Jail Cell
COP
So… you did go through the article?
Mr. Sehgal just nodded
COP
Then why did you not edit it! Could’ve helped you not cause this entire scene. We wouldn’t be here!!!
MR. SEHGAL
Mr. Shinde, No matter how trivial you think my job is, I do consider myself a journalist. It’s my duty to put opinions forward.
Mr Sehgal makes another move.
The COP cuts his knight and looks up.
COP
Even if it is public defamation of a minister???
MR. SEHGAL
If that’s the price, so be it.
COP
(Cutting his Bishop)
You are losing Mr. Sehgal. I thought you were good at this.
Mr. Sehgal laughs
MR. SEHGAL
Oh! I like this game. But I am really not good at it. Hence I play it!
The COP nods and moves his Queen.
COP
So what happened after the article was published?
MR. SEHGAL
Well… It was crazy… We had never gotten so many views……
(His voice fades as the screen fades to black)
Cut to the same people from the boardroom sitting on bean bags.
INT: OFFICE
INTERN 1
Sir, the article has become our most viewed one. We have had some rave reviews while we also have some strong hate messages. The Hindutva group isn’t taking us lightly. There might be some repercussions.
INTERN 2
In fact they have made a FB page against us. And… they sure aren’t subtle. It’s named Slay the Slayers!!!
MR. SEHGAL
Hmmm…. Who owns it?
INTERN 2
I don’t know it’s the same guy who owns TheHolyCow.Com. I am assuming it’s some political party’s page!!!
Mr. Sehgal ignores it as he works on his laptop. He shuts it after a few seconds.
MR. SEHGAL
Well… any publicity is good publicity isn’t it?
INTERN 1
(Concerned)
Sir, the page just started an event. To gather around our office by evening. Things can get nasty!!!
Intern 2 picks up the guitar and starts playing Imagine by John Lennon…. Imagine all the people… living life in peace!!!
Mr. Sehgal smiles at intern 2 and then looks at intern 1.
MR. SEHGAL
Let’s hope they are all Lennon fans!!!
Fade out to transition to Jail.
INT: JAIL CELL
Establishment from the chess board. The white king is cornered at one end of the board. A white knight is in front stranded by the black rook in front of it. The white Queen is beside the king and a black pawn is diagonal to the white knight.
COP
I think it’s wrong. It’s disgusting that people can eat an animal so holy to another. You deserved what happened. Oh!!! And oh! You are about to lose Mr. Sehgal.
MR. SEHGAL
Well it’s important to know when you are losing isn’t it. Might as well go down swinging.
Mr Sehgal takes the black pawn with his queen as a suicide. The black queen is just in front of it.
The COP looks up at Mr. Sehgal
COP
Even if it’s suicide??? Hmmm…. Tell me one thing Mr. Sehgal, why did you give your password? You know it would’ve taken us a lot of time to crack into your Mac. You could’ve vindicated yourself by then.
MR. SEHGAL
Mr. Shinde, why do you think you are here?
The COP looks up confused.
Cut to two COPs opening a Mac.
The page open was of Slay the Slayer, FB page. A pop-up comes up.
‘There is a lot of traffic on your FB page in the past hour. Post to your fans’
Show to and fro of chess moves as a news anchor has a voice over, with images.
‘Violence erupts in the office of BeefLovers.Com. Owner Arrested for public defamation of Minister’
Fade out back to the Jail with the COP staring at Mr. Sehgal.
INT: JAIL CELL
MR. SEHGAL
You see, I created that page. I own the website as well!!! You know those don’t you???
COP
But… but… isn’t that hypocrisy???
MR. SEHGAL
Sir, I don’t care if beef is banned or not. I am a vegetarian and an atheist. But in one day, both my websites had cumulative views more than their lifetime. As a journalist I understood, that opinions matter only when the counter is strong. There is love for there is hatred, and vice-versa. Everything is related to everything it’s not.
COP
So what? This was just a sick plan to teach me a lesson and watch the world burn???
MR. SEHGAL
No…You know why democracy works? Why almost inevitably every country has two major parties??? It’s because people want the illusion of control but don’t want to put the effort of making opinions. They want others to do that for them. Hence, you get extremes. The world needs balance, but it doesn’t like it! I just wanted to get the balance.
Fade to a news anchor speaking.
“A top Mumbai COP arrested on charges of abetting violence found via Facebook messages”
Video of the same two cops staring at Mr. Sehgal’s laptop. Zoom in to the screen to find the secret page Slay the Slayers’ Messenger come up.
Slay the Slayers FB Messenger
‘Random guy 1: What time then?
Random guy 2: Five. What if the COPs show up?
Gwaikar Shinde: Don’t worry I’ll take care of that.’
Cut to Jail
INT: JAIL CELL
MR. SEHGAL
By the way!!! It’s a stalemate!
The COP looks down on the board and looks at him in surprise. Pan out to show that both Mr. Sehgal and the COP are in a cell. Fade out to Imagine playing in the background.