Ciné-roman project report

Ciné-roman report A book based on the film ‘Kahaani’ Vidhushri Ladha Masters Book Design 2014 University of Reading

The brief for this project, with John Morgan as the tutor, was to translate a film into a book.

The sequence and complete layout of the book, actual size dummy, specification, exploring paper samples and materials, is what was expected out of the project. A book was made on an Indian film called Kahaani. This is a suspense thriller written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh, in 2012. The book explores narrating the story using a combination of image spreads along with the script of the movie.

The design process for this project has been documented under the following headings — Discovery 2 Transformation 10 Design and making 22

discovery Exploring ciné-roman Ciné-roman was a new word to me. I undersood the idea of making a book on a film but did not know much about the various famous ciné-roman titles and the design process. The discovery phase began with a discussion with John Morgan on cine-roman. We saw the film ‘La-Jetee’ by Chris Marker and a subsequent book made on the same. This gave me an idea of the kind of translation we were expected to make from screen to print. My research began with looking at some books around which were based on films. The idea was to observe how the pacing of the film was achieved in a book, image selection, the placement of images and how the script is integrated with the shots from the film.

Some spreads from La-Jetée ciné-roman.

Since I had just seen the film, it was a good exercise to relate the two and see how the pacing was achieved.

2 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

We watched La-Jetée by Chris Marker, on the first day of this project.

I came across this book by Fraser Muggeridge. It is based on a film called End of Love. The treatment of the script within the images is what I found interesting.

This is not a very well-designed example, but I was looking at this book on ‘Dirty Dancing’, for the way the script and dialogues have been set within it.

Discovery 3

Choosing a film The discovery phase began with the search for a film for this brief. I wanted to choose a film that had a strong visual output as well as a narrative. I started with considering both Indian as well as foreign films. The journey began with a weekend of watching films, analysing them and shortlisting. Films by Satyajit Ray attracted me, but I wanted to do something more recent on the timeline. The ones that topped the list were an Indian mystery thriller called Kahaani and a Hollywood fictional narrative, The fall.

Initial choice My first choice was to make a book on the movie ‘The Fall’.

The cinematography, richness of colours and overlap of the narrative is what I thought could be transferred to a beautiful book. I also made a quick dummy to illustrate the ‘story with a story’ aspect of this film. However, the imagery was too strong and overpowering and it was likely that this movie looked better as a film than as a book.

Some films that I considered for this project.

4 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

Specifications for a book on the movie ‘The Fall’ Title: ‘The Fall: A little blessing in disguise’ – Tarsem Singh The Idea: The concept of ‘book within a book’ is applied to this book. There are two stories within this film, one fiction and one reality. It is interesting how these overlap and merge at various points in the film. The idea is to visually depict the two stories simultaneously and project an interesting juxtaposition of the two. Hence one of the stories will be in a smaller book within the main book. The size of the smaller inserts could vary and increase as the two stories camouflage.

Since the visuals of the story within are an imagination of the girl child, interesting play with paper and kind of printing, superimposing images and using transparency shall help create a desired effect. The two stories would be bound together in a way that if the reader goes through just the smaller book, he still gets the story out of it.

Format & Size: A landscape format with landscape inserts is chosen for the book such that it provides sufficient space to compose screen captures of the film, bleed out images, and combine images and type. Also when one flips through the book, there is a clear difference between the two books combined in one.

Size variations: 254mm x 203mm, 228.6mm x 177.8mm Binding: Perfect bound. With around 90 pages and the chosen paper it should be able to open completely. Also this will be suitable to bind together papers of varying trim sizes.

Fabrication: Die cut and emboss for cover Paper & Materials: Cover: Matt Card 130 gsm Inner Pages: Matt coated paper 100gsm One story has warmer images and a colour palette of browns and creams whereas the other has rich, bright colours. Hence different kind of paper can be used to highlight these features of each of them.

Printing: Four colour lithography for best reproduction of images. Silkscreen printing for superimposing images/text on the photographs. Printing on translucent paper.

A quick exercise One of the first exercises included writing a textual description of the book that we were planning to make with the movie chosen. This had to be a more literal description along with a a single image that according to me described my book the best. This task helped me imagine, question and get my first thoughts about the image of the book that I thought would be the outcome of this project. As a visual image I presented a miniature dummy with printed images that were screen grabs from the film.

Discovery 5

Final choice – Kahaani My final choice of film for this project was an Indian film called Kahaani, which means story in Hindi. This film has a very interesting narrative, projects the old city of ‘Kolkata’ and has an effective climax. It is one of the movies I enjoyed watching and believe it would be a good exercise to make a book on it.

Research Kahaani is a 2012 Indian thriller film directed and co-produced by Sujoy Ghosh. It stars Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband in Kolkata during the festival of Durga Puja. Made on a shoestring budget and shot in 64 days, Kahaani was conceived and developed by Sujoy Ghosh, who co-wrote the film with Advaita Kala. Shot in Kolkata, the crew often employed guerrilla-filmmaking techniques on the city’s streets to avoid attracting attention. The film was noted for its deft portrayal of the city and for making use of many local crew and cast members. It captured several tourist attractions of the city, at the sametime was successful in making it look dangerous.

Kahaani explores themes of feminism and motherhood in male-dominated Indian society. It shows an influence from Satyajit Ray films. The colour scheme is inspired by the painting Pratima Visarjan by Gaganindranath Tagore.

Synopsis Vidya Bagchi arrives in Kolkata from London to find her missing husband. Seven months pregnant and alone in a festive city she begins a relentless search for her husband.

With nothing to reply on except fragments from her memories about him, all clues seem to reach a dead end when everyone tries to convince Vidya that her husband does not exist. She slowly realises that nothing is what it seems like.

In a city soaked in lies, Vidya is determined to unravel the truth about her husband, for herself and for her unborn child, even at the cost of her life. Her Journey in this city, is what makes it a very interesting film.

6 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

A poster of the film Kahaani. Depicts the vibrance of the colours in the film.

A list of words which I could think of while watching the film and reading about it.

Break down of the story One of the first steps I took towards understanding the narrative of the movie was to make a storyboard.I was clear on the fact that I wanted to capture the storyline of the movie in this book. So I broke down the movie into the turning points, important parts, the characters introduced, the dialogues to be highlighted within each segment, the clues of the mystery at every stage, and other useful factors like the voice-overs and the background scores. This also finally helped me break down the book into sections while designing.

Kolkata Shots Aami sochi Bolchi - song Title Sequence

Two years later

Kolkata Shots Aami sochi Bolchi - song Title Sequence

Vidya arrives from london Boards change to arrived Taxi Ride images Taxi driver’s question Radio playing in taxt

Mona Lisa Guest House Argument with manager Vidya’s Room View from Window Cries

The scenes from morning in Kolkata Hot water joke Character: Bishnu

Vidya files a missing report Characters: Rana & Chatterjee Atmosphere at Police station V & B in Kolkata Faints when asked to sign Flashback: Marriage Rana drops her home Two names in Bengal

Meeting Agnes at NDC , morgue, school Character: Agnes D’mello Flashback: Sending Arnab to India Second meeting with Agnes 1st Clue: Milan damji 2nd Clue: Bombay blood group

Discovery 7

Agnes murder Character: Bob Biswas 1st Murder: Agnes Dmello Bob’s smirk

Khan’s entry Character: A. Khan, IB agent Milan does not exist Vidya’s observation regarding Khan

Old NDC office 3rd Clue: Milan Damji’s identity revealed Bob’s second job : Milan Damji’s file Vidya confronts Khan Khan reveals truth about Milan Damji Flashback: Red border saree Joke about policeman picking locks

Bob pushes vidya over Mid-movie climax: Bob tries to scare Vidya by pushing her over the platform Show sequence Voice over: Vidya remembering Khan’s words while walking

Bhaskaran meets Bajpayee Characters introduced Importance in the storyline?

Milan’s house Character: Poltu Fourth Clue: tea glasses from tea stall outside.

Boy at tea stall remembers man with brass corners briefcase.

Fifth Clue: Ikbalpur ursing Home Bengali: Rana calls out to woman

Informer Information regarding the meeting in 2008, by informer Sixth Clue: Dr. Ganguly Bob’s 3rd job: Dr. Ganguly dead Vidya finds information regarding Dinesh Raut

Shridhar recognised Character: Shridhar, Poltu recognises shridhar Bob asked to kill Vidya Bob dead in accident Seventh Clue: Messages on Bob’s phone Vidya recovers IP address of sender

Sneak into ndc Break into Shridhar’s office Shridhar discovers music in car Run’s after

Vidya kills Shridhar The sequence

Khan’s plan Khan reveals that they were using Vidya No one doubts a pregnant woman Final Clue: Vidya finds a code in shridhar’s computer, turns out to be Bhaskaran’s number.

Vidya looks out of her window, ‘ekla cholo re’

Vidya calls Bhaskaran Khan requests Vidya to call Bhaskaran Vidya gets a call from Milan Damji.

Rana realises Vidya is in danger

8 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

Triangular Park, Milan Damji Sindoor Khela festival Vidya meets Milan The climax Vidya kills Milan ‘Who are you?

How does it matter.’

Vidya Leaves envelope for Rana

Both Durga and Vidya gone Vidya mixes in the crowd Khan wonders who was Vidya She was a ‘kahaani’ - Rana Voice over - just like Maa Durga removes evil every year and goes back so did Vidya.

Last image imp.

Truth about Vidya The story explained

A study of the characters Alongside the story board, I did a quick review of the characters, their role plays in the story the points on the timeline when they are introduced. This was important as this film has a lot of characters and it was a design challenge to make sure that the reader does not get confused at any point in the narrative.

A quick look at the various characters in the film.

Discovery 9

transformation With the background research and the storyboard laid down, the design process now involved developing and presenting ideas every week. The feedback and discussion helped in shortlisting and choosing from alternatives.

Stage 1 For the first presentation, I worked on the narrative using screen grabs and some text from the story. At this stage I was working with a square format. The feedback helped me realise that such a direct use of screen grabs was not coming across as an effective way to depict this film. May be it was a good idea to have the text and the image sections separate and use materials to highlight this difference. The text pages should appear consciously inserted into the image spreads.

One of the spreads from this presentation formed the basis of my direction ahead.

‘MY HUSBAND IS MISSING’ Itaerat landa dentius. Alibus apis et re volessedit quatur, vellabo restinc iendae. At facerundae quis eum que repe maxim volupta nonsecae rent alis solecabo. Ommolum sequo de vero deniam et est apelicab idus sae minctati sum fugiati anditis exceatur aut que ni ut parumquas reiusa dunt earum dolenim inullatia volum, tem et la volor assimus, soluptat volorem porpor aut maximen daeperum quia aut escium as volorib erovit volor ario. Otatem que et eaquati dolectotam vellent offictur minum quistiae vit hitinum es dic tem susdam faccullit, con ratiunt umquati atiatem erum et acienis essed et dolenientin corepe dolut ent harundi quibus eatibus sae volupic iisciunda volupta temquoditas as con erum, odi con con consendae pelitiis ma nobist, si berum sin porem volorit provitis dolendita

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the poilce station directly from the airport!’

This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history...

Who is reponsible for all

In Calcutta more than 100 people died due to poisonous gas attack.

When did this happen?

Aami, come here and have a look at this!

BOB BISWAS INSURANCE AGENT NATIONAL INSURANCE

Jodi tor ak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla cholo re Open thy mind, walk alone Be not afraid, walk alone

Spreads from the first layout.

10 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

Idea for the ‘scene spreads’ At several instances, the director in this movie uses several shots to describe a scene. The idea in the spreads above is to put together images of these scene settings as repeating spreads within the book. At this stage I hadn’t decided whether to use them as section separators, or the start of scenes or just as they come in the story line. These spreads then led to the discussion of having a large format book, which justifies this setting of images and may be giving the book a magazine-like feel.

Transformation 11

Stage 2 With this feedback, I now asked myself the question, what did I want this book to feel like. I was sure about including the narrative, but how? Should I use the script of the film, or just a few dialogues, or say the story through images? The idea of a large format book was interesting especially for the kind of image setting I was looking at. However, sure about giving it the feel of a magazine, yet. The integration of text within image was the challenge at hand.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation. my husband is missing.

Chatterjee Sub Inspector Kalighat Police Station

Satyoki Sinha (Rana) Asst. Sub Inspector Kalighat Police Station

chatterjee Your husband Madam? vidya Yes. Chatterjee pulls out a form. chatterjee Madam I would need some details..

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first 2 weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing.. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do... chatterjee Whoa Madam, slow down...

Vidya Sorry. chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi chatterjee Bidya Bagchi vidya No... Vidya... V not B chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key.

He is embarrassed. chatterjee Your husband’s name? vidya Arnab Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Bagchi?

Vidya nods. chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab on their wedding day. vidya That’s our wedding day. chatterjee What does your husband do? vidya He is a software engineer. We are both software engineers by profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat ‘Fire wall’ experts. chatterjee Fire wall’?

Vidya realizes that Chatterjee is not very computer savvy. vidya Its like writing programs toprotect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy. chatterjee Aahh...like police for the society? vidya Perfectly explained!

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly. The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Vidya continues. vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those 2 weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

AAMI SHOTTI BOLCHI

AAMI SHOTTI BOLCHI

SHOTTI SHOTTI

SHOTTI BOLCHI

This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history.

105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot.

Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history.

105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot.

Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history. 105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong. This is one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history.

105 passengers died on spot. Remote detonating device found in handbag. Attack which went wrong. It seemed that plan was to detonate the gas device from outside. Nobody knows what went wrong.

2 years have passed and police are still clueless.

Examples of some spreads from this stage where I am looking at how to integrate text and image.

12 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the poilce station directly from the airport!’

vidya bagchi Software engineer Just arrived from London

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation. vidya My husband is missing. chatterjee Your husband Madam? vidya Yes. Rana comes back with two glasses of tea. Rana places one glass for Chatterjee, offers the other to Vidya, who takes a look at the glass and decides against it. She smiles politely, refusing. Rana goes and sits on his desk. Trying to work the computer while listening. Chatterjee pulls out a form.

satyoki sinha (rana)

chatterjee

Asst. Sub-Inspector Kalighat Police Station

Sub-inspector Kalighat Police Station

Stage 3 For the next presentation, I worked with a taller format, separated the text and image sections and used the script of the movie as the main textual element. Some ideas which became clear at this stage included the highlight of the characters introduced, to pull out some important dialogues, to have alternating text and image sections in a way that it helps in making the story interesting. I also explored several typefaces and layouts for the text and started looking at what paper should be used.

Trying out paper types I tried different papers for both the sections, judging what two shades and textures of paper would go along together.

I was looking at using a white coated stock for the images which brings out the colours in the film and a shade of cream or yellow uncoated paper for the text pages to compliment the white sections. Munken Pure, Munken Print White, Claro Range, Popset papers, were some of the samples I started trying out.

chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do. chatterjee Whoa Madam, slow down. vidya Sorry. chatterjee Madam your full name? vidya Vidya Bagchi. chatterjee Bidya Bagchi. vidya No, Vidya, V not B. chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya.

Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed. chatterjee Your husband’s name? vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name. chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods. chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day. vidya That’s our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again.

The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana. chatterjee What does your husband do? vidya He is a software engineer. We are both software engineers by profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat ‘Firewall’ experts. chatterjee ‘Firewall’? vidya Its like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses.

Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy. chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society? vidya Perfectly explained!

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Transformation 13

Working out the page plan Once I had decided that I am going to work with the narrative, it became essential to read the script, dissect it and undertand it completely in order to translate it into a book.

This was the start to putting together a page plan for the book. Using the break down of the story, the image spreads and the script, I tried several ways in which the narrative could be delivered with convincing transformations and pauses. Working of the text and image sections was explored through several page plans.

The script of the film played an imporatnt role in understanding the narrative better.

One of the initial page plans depicting how the arrangement of text and image sections was explored.

14 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

SPECIFICATIONS: PUREPRINT

Title of Job Kahaani: Mother of a story Format 228.6mm by 355.6mm(Portrait) Number of pages 88 Materials and paper Cover: Accent Smooth Natural 160gsm Image sections: Munken Premium White 80gsm Text sections: Munken Print Cream 80gsm Binding Alternating sections (4 pages) of the two kinds of paper.

Perfect bound Printing CMYK 4 colour digital for image sections Black for text sections Proofs Wet proof for one image sections on specified paper Digital proofs for twenty spreads including text sections Delivery Shrink wrapped. Barcode to be put as a sticker on the shrink wrap.

Notes 3 dummy books required Image files need to be retouched, colour corrected and converted into CMYK. Indesign files will be provided.

A visit to the Pureprint press We spent one of the project thursdays visiting the Pureprint press. This was an enlightening and informative experience.

We had a discussion on our books, various printing techniques and the norms of the industry, with some experienced people at the press. At this stage I also made a specification to be discussed it with the printers. Even though several details were missing from the specification, it was indeed helpful to study it and realise what was working and what needed re-thinking.

Analysing the specification The format that I was working with was a little short of one in which the paper use is optimum and it is cost effective.

Hence with this suggestion from Pureprint I altered my format further. I also realised that the alternating sections of four pages of different paper that I was planning was expensive when compared to a section of eight. I kept this in mind.

But for this exercise to explore a particular style, I stuck to the alternating sections of four pages per paper. Apart from these discussions, I got a list of things I had missed out on while writing the specification, something as basic as the number of copies! Hence, I believe this was a good exercise to help imagine the project in the real world.

Transformation 15

Vidya files a missing report.

[Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely takena back with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.]

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes.

satyoki sinha (rana)

chatterjee

Asst. Sub-Inspector Kalighat Police Station

Sub-inspector Kalighat Police Station

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared? vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National DataCentre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks to Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did! I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came!

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That’s all. Now it will work fine.

[Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.]

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

[Chatterjee intervenes.]

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa Madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, V not B. Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya.

Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That’s our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again.

The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both software engineers by profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat ‘Firewall’ experts.

Chatterjee ‘Firewall’?

Vidya Its like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses.

Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Rana drops Vidya back.

[Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.]

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. [She looks out of the window.]

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja’s.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name.. Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you ‘Rana’? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has 2 names. A ‘daaknaam’.

Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘ bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The Charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favorite book. And he made sure it became my favorite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

[Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.]

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

[Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.]

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

[Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.]

Rana I am not sure if its a hotel Mrs. Bagchi?

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the police station directly from the airport.’

Vidya Bagchi Just arrived from London.

Stage 4 From the discussions at Pureprint press and John’s feedback on the progess, I started developing a style and put together one section of the book to analyse how the layout was working. I had introduced the shade of yellow taking reference from the yellow taxis in Kolkata and their repetitive appearence in the film. However, together it felt like an overdose. Secondly, John made a suggestion of working with a diagonal grid rather than a vertical one. At the moment, I was stuck with the grid and hence the layout came through as being rigid. I was struggling between the magazine and the book zone. The image pages came across very well but along witht the script it was getting difficult to make it look more like a magazine on a movie. Also, I printed out the text pages in black and white on different shades of paper and realised that this arrangement works better where the image is a part of the text and blends into the texture rather than in four colour.

16 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

[The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from UK would choose to stay in.]

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

[Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.]

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the police station directly from the airport.’

Vidya Bagchi Just arrived from London.

Vidya Bagchi Just arrived from London.

Refining the design At this stage, I was clear of what I wanted the book to look like. I had finalised my format as well. I was now exploring further to make the layout interesting and less rigid. Several levels of explorations led to further improvements. Some of the main elements that decisions were being taken on – Margin or bleed?

Integrating text within images Exploring grids Details of the text pages Spacing between the images Spacing within the text

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the police station directly from the airport.’

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the police station directly from the airport.’

Vidya Bagchi. Just arrived from London.

Transformation 17

Choice of typeface Since this film is based in Kolkata, the idea behind the selection of typeface for this project was to choose one thatis compatible with the look and feel of the characters of the Bengali script and supports the content and the genre of the movie at the same time. In addition to this, I wanted to use a typeface that is convenient to read when set as a script.

Bengali script

Warnock Pro The typeface that I have finally used is Warnock Pro. I chose this because of its strokes and similarity to the Bengali script. Warnock also works well as body type, hence making the script look clean. Moreover the options in weights help in achieving the desired hierarchy.

Details within the text pages From the point where I decided to have seperate text and image sections, the explorations with type began. Since I was working with the script of the film, there qere several details to be looked into while setting type. The relationship between the speaker and the dialogue was important. I explored several ways of achieving hierarchy between the two. Also the script hasn’t been treated in a linear fashion.

A step is introduced as a break between the stage directions and dialogues. Where to introduce this step and how many maximum to have on a single page, were decisions being taken in the process. The relationship of the title on everypage with the body text was another requirement of the text pages.

Warnock Constantia Bulmer MT Std Adobe Jenson Pro ITC Cheltenham Bodoni Typefaces explored for the text pages.

18 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen [The manager reboots.]

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

manager Your majesty, I told you, vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen [The manager reboots.] manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

manager Your majesty, I told you, vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen

The manager reboots. manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

These are some of the explorations with the details within text. The treatment of the name of the speaker and the stage directions is being explored here.

Transformation 19

Explorations with the cover Throughout the various stages, I doodled several ideas for the cover. As the book evolved, my perception of the cover also changed. These are some of the explorations that led to the final design. I wanted the cover to give a magazine-like feel, but a special magazine, and hence the trial with the masthead didn’t appeal to me.

20 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

KAHAANI KAHAANI

KAHAANI

KAHAANI

KAHAANI

KAHAANI

Some explorations with the cover design.

Transformation 21

design and making Flat plan The initial step towards making the first draft was laying out the final pagination. When I saw the spreads as a plan, the requirements of the style, what was working and what stood out oddly, became more clear. Moreoever this was a very important exercise in order to decide on the kind of binding and paper.

Scene spread – Metro station Kalighat Metro Station, Kolkata

Two years later

Kahaani Kahaani, which means ‘story’, is an Indian thriller film written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh in 2012. It stars Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi.

A women-centric film, it was applauded for its deft portrayal of the city of Kolkata. This book brings together the narrative, making use of images and dialogues from the film.

Vidya Bagchi arrives in Kolkata from London to find her missing husband. Seven months pregnant and alone in a festive city, she begins a relentless search for her husband. With nothing to rely on except fragments from her memories about him, all clues seem to reach a dead end when everyone tries to convince Vidya that her husband does not exist. She slowly realises that nothing is what it seems like. In a city soaked in lies, Vidya is determined to unravel the truth about her husband, for herself and for her unborn child, even at the cost of her life.

Title page

The prologue is set in images only and introduces the background to the story of the film.

Spreads with a yellow page depict time or a pause

Kolkata, 2 years later

Vidya files a missing report

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared?

Vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National Data Centre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks at Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did. I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came.

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That is all. Now it will work fine.

Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

Chatterjee intervenes.

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya Bagchi. Just arrived from London

Chatterjee. Inspector, Kalighat Police Station

‘You are the first passenger who wants to go to the police station directly from the airport.’

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Satyoki Sinha. Sub-inspector, Kalighat Police Station

Rana drops Vidya back Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. She looks out of the window.

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name, Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you Rana? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has two names. A ‘daaknaam’. Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh, you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favourite book. And he made sure it became my favourite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.

Rana I am not sure if it is a hotel Mrs. Bagchi.

The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from the United Kingdom would choose to stay in.

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

14 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 15

Scene spread – Kolkata shots Manager. MonaLisa Guest House

A morning in Kolkata

Mona Lisa Guest House

Meeting with Agnes D’Mello

Search for Arnab continues

Vidya meets Agnes D’Mello who is an elderly Anglo-Indian lady in her sixties. who is the human resources manager, at the National Data Centre. Agnes repeats what she has already told Vidya.

Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

Agnes Darling I told you this when you called from London. Your husband never came for an assignment to our company. I am the manager.

Any assignment goes through me and I have not sanctioned any consulting work for any Arnab Bagchi.

Vidya brings out a photo of Arnab.

Vidya This is Arnab. Surely you must know him. He came here, I sent him.

Suddenly Vidya goes quiet. Something hits her. She tries to hold back the tears that fills up her eyes.

Computers? This is a guest house, zero stars.

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

Vidya sits silently as Rana drives her. He too is silent. The van stops in front of the morgue. Vidya tries to keep calm as the stark reality represented by the building hits her. She grabs the car door and pauses to get her balance back. Rana apologises to Vidya, but they had to do this.

Vidya manages a smile in despair. Her whole face saying, how can she possibly be okay? She did not come to Kolkata to find Arnab like this.

A silent and petrified Vidya, accompanied by Rana, drags herself to the room where the body is kept. This was not the experience Vidya was wanting. Vidya is shown a body which matches Arnab’s description but thankfully is not Arnab. Vidya cannot handle it any more. She rushes out of the room. Rana follows. Vidya runs out of the morgue. She is shattered from the experience of identifying. She is not able to hold back any more. She throws up on the side of the road and starts crying profusely. Rana does not know what to do. Vidya cries but at the same time is angry with herself for believing that the dead man could have been Arnab. Her breathing slowly coming back to normal. But tears keep coming out. She keeps muttering to herself, crying. Rana asks if Arnab had any relatives. Vidya mentions his uncle who she says lives in Thakurpukur.

[Flashback]Vidya’s residence. We see Arnab, with his head neatly tucked in Vidya’s lap, getting a head massage from Vidya. He does not to leave Vidya and go to Kolkata. A pregnant Vidya convinces Arnab to go to Kolkata, Arnab is reluctant.

Arnab I am on holiday. I don’t need an assignment right now. And who wants to go to Kolkata?

Vidya Go. Nothing will happen to me. I’m only five months pregnant. Four to go. They must be needing you.

Arnab They can get somebody else.

Vidya But they can’t get anyone better than you.As much as she tries to hold back a small line of tear forces itself out of Vidya’s eyes as she tells Agnes.

Vidya I’m responsible. I forced him to take the assignment, it is my fault.

Please help me didi.

Agnes feels sorry for Vidya but does not know how to react.

She is saved by Sapna, her assistant, who comes into her office looking for Vidya.

Sapna Sorry to interrupt, but Ma’am there is a police officer who is looking for you.

Agnes D’Mello. HR Manager, National Data Centre

On their way they cross a rural school. The police van screeches to a stop in front of the school as Vidya screams for it to stop.

Vidya [in tamil] Here, here. Stop, stop.

Rana looks at the board, reads it.

Rana Kalagachia Kailash Kamini High School?

Seeing the school Vidya bursts into excitement.

Vidya Rana, this is Arnab’s school. He told me so many stories about this school. That means his uncle lives a little ahead. Oh, thank god!

A look of relief comes on Vidya’s face. Finally something was going right. Vidya requests Rana to stop for a minute so she can tidy her self up before meeting the Uncle.

Vidya Rana, will you please give a minute Rana sees the happiness in Vidya’s face as she tidy herself to meet the uncle. Suddenly a thought hits Vidya. She is wearing an western outfit.

She voices her worry to Rana who is quite surprised.

Vidya Maybe I should have worn a saree.

Rana You have a saree?

Vidya shakes her head innocently. Now she is really worried. There is something about the innocence which makes Rana smile. He tells her not to worry.

Rana Don’t worry. You look okay Mrs. Bagchi.

Vidya excitedly goes up to the door step of Arnab’s uncle’s house only to find an elderly Sikh couple who has been living there for 25 years.

They cannot recollect any Arnab.

Mr Singh I have been here 30 years now, I don’t know of any Bagchi family.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

16 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 21

Rana and Vidya next visit Arnab’s school. They wade through kids playing in the playground. The school has an unique emblem which catches Rana’s eyes. He calls out to a kid who is standing punished outside a class.

Rana What is that?

Student It is a flying swan.

Rana cracks up.

Rana What! Are you serious? Looks like a dead duck to me.

Rana looks to see Vidya has moved ahead. He rushes. The Headmaster of the school raises his head, after having looked a few old registers.

Headmaster No dear, there doesn’t seem to be any student called Arnab Bagchi.

22 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 23

Scene spread – Morning shots

Agnes calls Vidya to meet her again

Vidya files a missing report

Rana Mrs. Bagchi I have some news. We have now checked with immigration of both London and Kolkata. No one by the Arnab Bagchi left London on the date you mentioned and no one landed in Kolkata.

Vidya There has to be some mistake.

Rana I have double and triple checked. The facts are correct.

Vidya ignores the remark and sits in the taxi. The yellow taxi enters Park Street and stops in front of Mocambo Cafe.

Agnes Darling you know you came yesterday and you told me about Arnab and showed me the photo, I felt so bad, you called me didi and you are like my sister but at that point I really had no clue. But after you left, I looked at the photo again and you know your husband looks very much similar to one employee we had a couple of years back called Milan Damji.

Vidya Who? Agnes Milan Damji.

Vidya Who is Milan Damji?

Agnes Oh he was a funny one that one. He joined us suddenly and he left suddenly one day, I remember the day he left lot of people came looking for him, but he had just vanished.

All this makes no sense to Vidya.

Vidya But what has this got to Arnab?

Agnes No but he looked very similar. And then I tried accessing his files on the computer and I kept getting restricted data. God knows how to work these computers. So when Tyagi comes back today, Vidya Tyagi?

Agnes He is systems chap who has to authorize the request. He was on leave yesterday. But you don’t worry darling, we also have handwritten files in the old office. Incase this computer does not work, I will get that file and check. I tell you. That Milan had a rare blood group. You know Bombay blood group?

Vidya shakes her head.

Agnes He had that. I remember I had been his emergency contact for this blood bank.

Vidya politely interrupts Agnes.

Vidya Thanks Agnes, but that won’t be necessary. Arnab was in London two years ago. He has nothing to do with Milan.

Agnes See Milan’s photograph once and then decide.

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared?

Vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National Data Centre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks at Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did. I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came.

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That is all. Now it will work fine.

Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

Chatterjee intervenes.

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

That night Vidya gets a call. Agnes wants to meet her. next morning, Bimal who is waiting in his taxi, lights up as he sees Vidya coming out with Rana.He gets out all ready to open the door for Vidya.

Rasik Tyagi. Systems Head, National Data Centre

Bob Biswas. Insurance agent, India Insurance Company

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Your husband looks very much like a former employee, Milan Damji.

A contract killer

Agnes D’Mello killed

Rana drops Vidya back Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. She looks out of the window.

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name, Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you Rana? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has two names. A ‘daaknaam’. Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh, you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favourite book. And he made sure it became my favourite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.

Rana I am not sure if it is a hotel Mrs. Bagchi.

The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from the United Kingdom would choose to stay in.

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Vidya is quiet on the drive back home. She was really hoping that Agnes was going to give her some good news about Arnab.

24 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 13

14 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 15

Sequence spread – Agnes murder

Mona Lisa Guest House

Vidya files a missing report

Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared?

Vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National Data Centre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks at Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did. I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came.

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That is all. Now it will work fine.

Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

Chatterjee intervenes.

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

Rana drops Vidya back Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. She looks out of the window.

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name, Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you Rana? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has two names. A ‘daaknaam’. Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh, you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favourite book. And he made sure it became my favourite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.

Rana I am not sure if it is a hotel Mrs. Bagchi.

The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from the United Kingdom would choose to stay in.

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

16 / Kahaani

Sequence spread – Bob pushes Vidya

22 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

14 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 15

Mona Lisa Guest House

Vidya files a missing report

Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared?

Vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National Data Centre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks at Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did. I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came.

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That is all. Now it will work fine.

Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

Chatterjee intervenes.

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

Rana drops Vidya back Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. She looks out of the window.

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name, Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you Rana? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has two names. A ‘daaknaam’. Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh, you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favourite book. And he made sure it became my favourite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.

Rana I am not sure if it is a hotel Mrs. Bagchi.

The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from the United Kingdom would choose to stay in.

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

16 / Kahaani

14 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 15

Sequence spread – Meeting with informer

Mona Lisa Guest House

Vidya files a missing report

Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya Arnab came her for a two week assignment. I spoke to him regularly for those weeks and then he just disappeared. There was no call, nothing.

Chatterjee Disappeared?

Vidya Yes. Missing. I can’t find him anywhere. And I know Arnab. It is just not like him.

Chatterjee Did you call the National Data Centre?

Vidya Yes. But they are saying Arnab never came to work for them.

Chatterjee is stumped. He looks at Rana.

Vidya [continues] But he did. I know he did. What I don’t know is why they are saying Arnab never came.

Chatterjee You say Arnab is Bengali. Does he have any relatives in Kolkata?

His parents?

Vidya No Arnab did not have any parents. He was brought up by his uncle who stays in Kolkata but I couldn’t contact him because he does not have a mobile and his house phone is not working.

Chatterjee Are you meeting this uncle? Will you be staying with him?

Vidya Yes. But not today. I have not been able to get in touch with him. So today I will probably stay in the hotel Arnab stayed in.

Chatterjee And which hotel is that?

Vidya Hotel Mona Lisa on Sarat Bose Road.

Chatterjee Have you called them?

Vidya Yes. But they are also saying that Arnab never stayed with them.

Chatterjee once again is clueless. He turns to Rana. Who is equally baffled. Vidya too looks at Rana who immediately pretends to be busy.

Chatterjee Mrs. Bagchi you will have to give me some time.

Rana presses some wrong key and the computer makes a really loud buzz noise. Rana does not know what has happened. He tries pressing some keys but it only makes it worse. The buzz becomes continuous.

Chatterjee [continues] Rana why are you trying to rape that computer?

Vidya walks over and sees what’s going on. She presses a few keys and the buzz stops.

Vidya You needed to free some memory. That is all. Now it will work fine.

Rana is grateful. So is Chatterjee.

Chatterjee Madam you will have to sign the complaint.

As Vidya gets up, she feels a little weak. It has been a long day.

Vidya Please could you help me to call a taxi.

Chatterjee intervenes.

Chatterjee Rana take the police car and drop her.

Vidya Thank you.

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

Rana drops Vidya back Rana drives Vidya to her hotel. Vidya looks out of the window. Kolkata continues to gear up for the Puja. Vidya smiles and turns to Rana.

Rana Is this your first time in Kolkata Mrs. Bagchi?

Vidya Yes. She looks out of the window.

Vidya I see Kolkata is putting her make up on for the Puja.

Rana Oh you know about the Puja.

Vidya I have a Bengali husband remember?

Rana Oh yes. And actually your name, Vidya, is also a very common Bengali name, Bidya.

Vidya I know. But why was Chatterjee calling you Rana? Your name tag says Satyoki.

Rana In Kolkata its like that Mrs. Bagchi. Everyone has two names. A ‘daaknaam’. Like I have Rana, which everyone calls you by and then you have the ‘bhalonaam’ which is Satyoki. A more proper name meant for school, work etc. But more than often the colloquial name takes over the proper name in Kolkata.

Vidya But Satyoki is a nice name. Another name for Krishna. The charioteer of Arjun. He drove Arjun in all the battles. He was always there by his side.

Rana [impressed] Oh, you know the Mahabharata?

Vidya Inside out. Arnab’s favourite book. And he made sure it became my favourite book too, [pauses] What does Rana mean?

Rana gropes in the dark for a while and turns to Vidya.

Rana Er, don’t know. Nothing I guess.

Vidya gives Rana a knowing smile through her tired face. Rana slows down the car. Vidya looks out of the window.

Vidya Have we reached the hotel?

Rana looks to a building to the right of him. He is a little unsure.

Rana I am not sure if it is a hotel Mrs. Bagchi.

The dimly lit board of ‘Mona Lisa Guest House’ inviting travellers to a very average middle class looking building. Vidya is also a little baffled.

Mona Lisa definitely does not look like a place someone from the United Kingdom would choose to stay in.

Rana This is a guest house Mrs. Bagchi. Not a hotel. Are you sure this is the place?

Vidya checks the address printed on the sign board with her own.

Vidya The address matches. But I thought it was a proper hotel.

Rana Why would your husband stay in a place like this?

Vidya I don’t know.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

16 / Kahaani

14 / Kahaani

Kahaani / 15

Sequence spread – Vidya kills Shridhar

Mona Lisa Guest House Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

16 / Kahaani

Sequence spread – Vidya gets ready

Ending sequence This section brings out the climax in the story and is treated differently in terms of paper and sections to the rest of the book. The entire section is printed on silk and does not follow the alternating text and image sections anymore. It brings out the climax through images with text inserts where required. The underlying grid for the treatment of the images remains the same.

Who are you?

Sindhur Khela festival, Triangular Park

How does it matter?

Milan Damji

Vidya files a missing report

Vidya gets out of the taxi, dressed in the white saree with red border.

Vidya moves through the crowd. Suddenly she hears a voice behind her giving her directions to walk straight and not to look back. The voice tells her to walk straight towards a bill board and the turn left. Vidya turns back and sees no one. For a minute she feels she heard the voice in her head but then she looks and sees the bill board the voice told her to walk towards and then turn left. Simultaneously Khan and his men move in. Rana arrives panting. He moves on his own trying to find Vidya but is very uncomfortable with the Dhak players. Vidya enters the alley which is empty and dark. Like it had just rained Milan appears.

Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya Who are you?

Milan How does it matter? Just give me the file.

Vidya Milan Damji. But they said you don’t exist. You are just a story.

Milan Give me the file.

Vidya Where is my husband? Will you be able to give my husband back if I gave you the files?

Milan Yes. Vidya Sure?

Milan Damji killed

Milan realizes that Vidya has lied. He has to leave. Vidya tries to stop him. In a moment of anger Milan hits her in the stomach. Vidya goes down on her knees. Milan hesitates but he has to take care of Vidya. He reaches for his gun, when. Vidya takes out her false stomach and uses it to knock the gun off Milan’s hand. In that moment of surprise, Vidya, with precision, brings Milan down. We realise she is an expert in combat. Milan runs. Vidya picks up the gun and without any hesitation shoots him.

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

62 / Kahaani

Scene spread – Durga puja The mystery unfolds

Vidya files a missing report Vidya files her complaint with Chatterjee who is completely taken aback with Vidya. He gropes hard in the dark to find the right English to construct his conversation.

Vidya My husband is missing.

Chatterjee Your husband Madam?

Vidya Yes. Chatterjee Madam I would need some details.

Vidya speaks in a flow, without pausing for breath.

Vidya He came to Kolkata 1 month ago. He had a two week assignment with the National Data Centre. For the first two weeks he was in touch with me. And then he just went missing. No calls nothing. Almost as if he has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.

Chatterjee Whoa madam, slow down.

Vidya Sorry.

Chatterjee Madam your full name?

Vidya Vidya Bagchi.

Chatterjee Bidya Bagchi.

Vidya No, Vidya, v not b.

Chatterjee In Kolkata madam whoever is Vidya is also Bidya. Huh Rana?

Rana smiles and nods his head in agreement. His computer suddenly buzzes as he presses a wrong key. He is embarrassed.

Chatterjee Your husband’s name?

Vidya Arnab.

Chatterjee looks to her, waiting for the full name.

Chatterjee Bagchi?

Vidya nods.

Chatterjee Do you have a photo of your husband?

Vidya gives a photo of her and Arnab of their wedding day.

Vidya That is our wedding day.

Vidya is quiet for a moment. Rana presses the wrong key again. The buzzer of the computer breaks the silence. An irritated Chatterjee looks at Rana.

Chatterjee What does your husband do?

Vidya He is a software engineer. We are both in the same profession. That is how we met. We are both somewhat firewall experts.

Chatterjee Firewall?

Vidya It is like writing programs to protect your computer from viruses. Like those big walls around old forts to stop the enemy.

Chatterjee Aahh, like police for the society?

Vidya Perfectly explained!

Jodi tor ak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla cholo re Open thy mind, walk alone Be not afraid, walk alone

Final spread The book ends with the image of goddess Durga being lowered into the sea at the end of the festival, along with the chorus of the song that plays at the end of the movie. This is the only place a song has been brought into this book.

Chatterjee is pleased with himself. He looks to Rana smugly.

The computer buzzes again. Rana is apologetic.

Kahaani / 13

Design and making 23

Typical pages in a section As the flat plan illustrates, one section is made up of four text pages and four supporting image pages. The following spreads illustrate the typical kinds of pages in the book.

A morning in Kolkata

Meeting with Agnes D’Mello Vidya meets Agnes D’Mello who is an elderly Anglo-Indian lady in her sixties. who is the human resources manager, at the National Data Centre. Agnes repeats what she has already told Vidya.

Agnes Darling I told you this when you called from London. Your husband never came for an assignment to our company. I am the manager.

Any assignment goes through me and I have not sanctioned any consulting work for any Arnab Bagchi.

Vidya brings out a photo of Arnab.

Vidya This is Arnab. Surely you must know him. He came here, I sent him.

Suddenly Vidya goes quiet. Something hits her. She tries to hold back the tears that fills up her eyes.

[Flashback]Vidya’s residence. We see Arnab, with his head neatly tucked in Vidya’s lap, getting a head massage from Vidya. He does not to leave Vidya and go to Kolkata. A pregnant Vidya convinces Arnab to go to Kolkata, Arnab is reluctant.

Arnab I am on holiday. I don’t need an assignment right now. And who wants to go to Kolkata?

Vidya Go. Nothing will happen to me. I’m only five months pregnant. Four to go. They must be needing you.

Arnab They can get somebody else.

Vidya But they can’t get anyone better than you.As much as she tries to hold back a small line of tear forces itself out of Vidya’s eyes as she tells Agnes.

Vidya I’m responsible. I forced him to take the assignment, it is my fault.

Please help me didi.

Agnes feels sorry for Vidya but does not know how to react.

She is saved by Sapna, her assistant, who comes into her office looking for Vidya.

Sapna Sorry to interrupt, but Ma’am there is a police officer who is looking for you.

Agnes D’Mello. HR Manager, National Data Centre

Kahaani / 21

Scene spreads I call these spreads the ‘scene spreads’. A collarge of images runs accross the spread.

Around 5-6 within the entire book, and they mark the start of a new section in the story.

Image-text spread The most common spread within the sections is the one which has images on one side and text on the other. I have laid these out in a way that the images either are an introduction to the text or support the text.

Search for Arnab continues Vidya sits silently as Rana drives her. He too is silent. The van stops in front of the morgue. Vidya tries to keep calm as the stark reality represented by the building hits her. She grabs the car door and pauses to get her balance back. Rana apologises to Vidya, but they had to do this.

Vidya manages a smile in despair. Her whole face saying, how can she possibly be okay? She did not come to Kolkata to find Arnab like this.

A silent and petrified Vidya, accompanied by Rana, drags herself to the room where the body is kept. This was not the experience Vidya was wanting. Vidya is shown a body which matches Arnab’s description but thankfully is not Arnab. Vidya cannot handle it any more. She rushes out of the room. Rana follows. Vidya runs out of the morgue. She is shattered from the experience of identifying. She is not able to hold back any more. She throws up on the side of the road and starts crying profusely. Rana does not know what to do. Vidya cries but at the same time is angry with herself for believing that the dead man could have been Arnab. Her breathing slowly coming back to normal. But tears keep coming out. She keeps muttering to herself, crying. Rana asks if Arnab had any relatives. Vidya mentions his uncle who she says lives in Thakurpukur.

Bob Biswas. Insurance agent, India Insurance Company

Rana and Vidya next visit Arnab’s school. They wade through kids playing in the playground. The school has an unique emblem which catches Rana’s eyes. He calls out to a kid who is standing punished outside a class.

Rana What is that?

Student It is a flying swan.

Rana cracks up.

Rana What! Are you serious? Looks like a dead duck to me.

Rana looks to see Vidya has moved ahead. He rushes. The Headmaster of the school raises his head, after having looked a few old registers.

Headmaster No dear, there doesn’t seem to be any student called Arnab Bagchi.

On their way they cross a rural school. The police van screeches to a stop in front of the school as Vidya screams for it to stop.

Vidya [in tamil] Here, here. Stop, stop.

Rana looks at the board, reads it.

Rana Kalagachia Kailash Kamini High School?

Seeing the school Vidya bursts into excitement.

Vidya Rana, this is Arnab’s school. He told me so many stories about this school. That means his uncle lives a little ahead. Oh, thank god!

A look of relief comes on Vidya’s face. Finally something was going right. Vidya requests Rana to stop for a minute so she can tidy her self up before meeting the Uncle.

Vidya Rana, will you please give a minute Rana sees the happiness in Vidya’s face as she tidy herself to meet the uncle. Suddenly a thought hits Vidya. She is wearing an western outfit.

She voices her worry to Rana who is quite surprised.

Vidya Maybe I should have worn a saree.

Rana You have a saree?

Vidya shakes her head innocently. Now she is really worried. There is something about the innocence which makes Rana smile. He tells her not to worry.

Rana Don’t worry. You look okay Mrs. Bagchi.

Vidya excitedly goes up to the door step of Arnab’s uncle’s house only to find an elderly Sikh couple who has been living there for 25 years.

They cannot recollect any Arnab.

Mr Singh I have been here 30 years now, I don’t know of any Bagchi family.

22 / Kahaani

Text-text spread When text pages face each other, the layout has been handled in a way that the reader gets the desired flow through the spread.

24 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

A contract killer

Kahaani / 23

Sequence spread Every section will have either a scene spread or one in which there are images on either side. Such spreads are treated keeping in mind the fact that they lack dialogue and should be effective in showing the sequence.

Agnes D’Mello killed

A flexible grid for the image spreads To have a regulating pattern and visual structure for the image pages, I formed a simple grid which could then be applied to each page, according to the requirements of the story, pace and the images.

The page is divided into 10 sections, seperated by a gap of 2mm.

Diagonals at 70 degrees are used in varying ways to make every page look different and yet have an underlying similarity.

Design and making 25

Kolkata, 2 years later

Scene spread template This is how a typical scene spread looks. These are some key spreads with rich colours and visual language. I have varied the sizes of the images while following the same underlying grid as the main image pages. The use of diagonals helps in making these spreads more dynamic.

26 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

A 7mm margin runs on all four sides on these spreads. These are the only spreads that bleed through the centre, to help

The grid used is the same. It is applied in a more dynamic fashion to get varied sizes of images.

Template shown at 50 percent

Design and making 27

The margins for the text pages are 25mm top, 25mm inside, 20mm outside and 30mm bottom.

The headings are in 18pt Warnock Pro Regular.

Mona Lisa Guest House Bearing a strong resemblance to a human version of a crane, with a neat comb over hiding his bald patch, the manager of the guest house does his level best to explain to Vidya. Seeing Vidya, clearly from abroad, he clears his throat, composes himself, and puts on his best English.

A style has been created such that a step is introduced after some initial introduction, or when the conversation changes.

Images have been inserted into the text to support the reader through the story. However they have been kept in black and white so that they blend within the texture of the text and look like a

Manager Your majesty, I told you, Vidya [stops him]You can call me Vidya, I am not the queen.

The manager reboots.

Manager Bidya madam, I told you when you called me from London, your husband never stayed with us. Look at the records, no Arnab Bagchi stayed with us.

Vidya How is that possible? He stayed here. I spoke to him while he stayed here. Everyday when he walked from that door to his Room 15 he spoke to me.

Rana who has been observing decides to step in.

Rana Mrs. Bagchi maybe there is some mistake.

Vidya No. There is no mistake. He is lying to me. Arnab stayed here. Show me your records.

The manager reluctantly brings out a tattered exercise book in which travellers have scribbled their details.

Vidya That? That is your records? That book? Don’t you have a computer?

Manager Bidya madam computers are in five stars. This is a guest house.

Zero stars.

Vidya I’ll prove it to you. If you walk towards the lift you will see a statue of a peacock.

Rana looks and there is a statue of a peacock.

Rana How did you know?

Vidya I don’t. Arnab told me. That is how I know. But nobody believes me.

Manager [turning to Rana]Sir? Vidya explodes.

Vidya Why do you keep talking to him? Is his husband missing? Talk to me.

Vidya turns to the manager.

Vidya I want to check in. I want room 15 where my husband stayed.

The manager is petrified at the thought.

Rana Are you sure?

Manager Yes, are you sure?

Vidya I am sure.

The manager is about to give Vidya the tattered book for signing in when he sees Vidya looking sternly at him. He gulps, shuts the book and gives her the key instead.

The folios are only present on the text pages. Since it is a short book, the absence on the rest of the pages shall not affect the navigation.

16 / Kahaani

Text-image spread template These spreads have various considerations and a dynamic layout. The margins are and the typeface used are different on either side.

28 Ciné-roman / Kahaani

These yellow strips are used for three major reasons – character introduction, pull out of an important dialogue and to mark an important happening. Univers is used for these, giving them a clean look at a smaller point size.

Manager. MonaLisa Guest House

The margins for the image pages are 9.5mm for the inside and 7mm on all three sides.

Computers? This is a guest house, zero stars.

Template shown at 50 percent

Design and making 29

Paper and collation In order to highlight the difference between the text and image sections, I decided to use a different stock for each section. The process of making the choice was difficult. For the image section I was looking for a paper that brought out the vibrant colours of the film and for the text sections a paper that complimented the monotone of the page. Together these two stocks should make it easy to flip-through .

Image sections I tried several stocks for this section and decided to go with a silk or gloss range. This added to the look and feel of the book and complimented the bold layout of these pages.

Text pages For the text pages I tried paper of a slightly different shade of white to the paper of the image section. This would make the difference between the two sections more evident. Also, since this section was to be printed in black, I tried coloured sheets of paper as well. The intensity of black was important in these pages.

Two different papers used for the image and text sections to highlight each.

Binding The final page plan made it clear that I could not section-sew this book, nor saddle stitch it. The alternating nature of the text and image section demanded for a binding that would allow me to put them together inspite of not designing them in regid sections. Perfect binding is what I decided to go for.

This seemed the right decision for the format, the number of pages and the design of the page plan.

Proof prints on each paper.

Perfect bound spine for the book.

30 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

These images show how the printed pages were then arranged in order and collated.

Design and making 31

32 CinĂŠ-roman / Kahaani

Print specification Trim size: 260 W x 350 H Binding: Softcover, perfect bound Pages: 80 Text stock: Olin Natural White 90gsm Image stock: Claro silk 100gsm Cover stock: Claro silk 130 gsm Has alternating sections of four pages of the two kinds of paper, with the introduction and the ending in the Claro Silk.

Printing: Litho four colour for cover and image spreads.

Mono printing for text spreads.

Conclusion The design process for this project has had several decision changes at several points. I look at this book as an experimental approach compared to what I had expected out of a project like this. The fact that I was working with such a large format for the first time made it quite challenging. Moreover, how to bring out the story, and yet not make it look like every other book out there was a challenge as well. This project required handling images that were screen grabs from the film. Hence, they had their own limitations. To develop a structure to present these images and also integrate it with the text took sometime to explore and decipher. I worked quite hard throughout the project in developing the page plan for this book. Decisions regarding what to include, what part of the story to leave out, what to highlight, every little thing made a big difference. When I started off, I felt every part of the movie was important and should be represented in the book. The process of selection and editing taught me how to make the choice.

The typography within the text pages has several details that had to be considered. Though it was the script of the film, I wanted it to add a contemporary touch to it rather than setting it entirely in the convention way. I tried to make the script interesting by inserting images within the text.

The decision that took a lot of thinking and exploring was how to bring the text and image pages together. I wanted the book to look like an interesting amalgamation of two kinds of spreads. I decided to highlight this difference with the use of two different stocks of paper. This choice had to be made keeping in mind the feel that I was to impart while flipping through the pages of the book. The stocks had to work together in harmony.

Overall, this project has been a great experience and a good chance to explore and experiment. I worked outside my comfort zone and hence feel the learning has been immense.

Opposite Spreads from the final book.

Design and making 33