Onto the Stage - Slighted Souls and other stage and radio plays by BS Murthy (ebook reader web TXT) 📖

of her stupor.]

[Enter: Nayak. He goes into his chamber and calls Nritya on the intercom (mime). Nritya picks up a bunch of letters and goes up to him. Having placed them on the table she turns to go back to her seat.]

Nayak: Nritya.

Nritya: [Stops and turns towards Nayak.] Yes Sir.

Nayak: Have you thought of any movie?

Nritya: I thought you were only testing me Sir.

Nayak: Sit down.

Nritya: [Takes her seat.]

Nayak: Don’t you know that you should always carry your notebook and pencil when I call you.

Nritya: I’m sorry sir.

[Nayak pushes a paper and pencil towards Nritya that she takes and awaits his dictation.]

Nayak: Would you like me to dictate your termination letter?

Nritya: But why Sir.

Nayak: Do you know how a corrupt cop behaves?

Nritya: I don’t know Sir?

Nayak: Why he harasses before he obliges that too if bribed. And that bugs you, won’t it?

Nritya: [Keeps quiet.]

Nayak: And it bugs man if a woman grants only after tormenting him. I’m no teen to be contented with pushes and prods on the sly. It’s neither here nor there either for me or for you. What’s worse; I might make a nuisance of myself.

Nritya: That’s true Sir.

Nayak: I don’t believe in seduction for it is uncertain besides being time consuming. I don’t have time on my side any way. Let it be quid pro quo, you give me what you have and I will get you where you want to reach. If you are not willing so be it. But I have to fire you to hire a willing YPT.

Nritya: It’s unfair Sir.

Nayak: You will know by and by that life is not all that fair. If you can’t, you have to make way for someone willing. The choice is yours, hit out or get out.

[Exit: Nritya slowly as Nayak watches her hopefully.]

[Curtains down.]

 

Scene - 4 

[Curtains Up: The conference hall of Hares & Hounds Ltd. The clock (not in the scene) strikes eleven times.]

Voice Over: As Nritya had complained about Nayak’s sexual harassment of her, the Complaints Committee of Hounds & Hares Ltd., is about to meet to take up her case. The committee is headed by Rekha, the Company Secretary [Enter: Rekha.] and comprises of Margaret, Manager Personnel [Enter: Margaret.], Ramya, Deputy Manager, Finance [Enter: Ramya.], Sunil, Assistant Manager, Personnel [Enter: Sunil] and Gopal, Assistant, Marketing [Enter: Gopal]. Preeti, Personal Secretary to the Managing Director, [Enter: Preeti] would assist the committee.

[All except Preeti take their seats on the table on which pads and pens are placed for their use. Preeti stands next to Rekha with a bunch of papers.]

Rekha: Miss. Preeti, I don’t see any from NGO in the committee. Didn’t I say someone familiar with sexual harassment should be associated with this case?

Preeti: Sorry madam, we couldn’t find any.

Rekha: What a shame.

Ramya: Why not start a forum of your own after retirement. I shall follow suit when my time comes.

Rekha: Why, won’t I welcome you?

Gopal: What about taking me on board madam.

Rekha: Maybe it’s an idea to court the devil in the fight against the devil.

Sunil: Why tar all men with the same brush even before the complaint is tabled.

Rekha: Miss. Preeti, place the material before the committee.

[Preeti distributes the copies of Nritya’s complaint that they go through in silence.]

Rekha: Let’s first examine the complainant.

[Exit: Preeti.]

[Enter: Nritya followed by Preeti.]

Rekha: Are you Miss. Nritya?

Nritya: Yes, madam.

Rekha: Are you married?

Nritya: No, I’m single.

Rekha: When did you join the company?

Nritya: On 14 March.

Gopal: Oh, it’s hardly a week.

Rekha: In which department are you?

Nritya: In the HRD.

Ramya: What’s your designation?

Nritya: Stenographer.

Ramya: Is it your complaint that Mr. Nayak sought sexual favours from you not to terminate your services.

Nritya: That’s true madam.

Rekha: Was he forthright in his demand?

Nritya: Quite so madam.

Gopal: Is there anyone you can vouch for your allegation.

Nritya: There is no one as he said what he said in his chambers on the day I reported to him. On my complaint I was moved out of the department the next day.

Rekha: Preeti, please ask Mr. Nayak to come in.

[Exit: Preeti.]

[Enter: Nayak followed by Preeti.]

Rekha: Are you Mr. Nayak?

Nayak: Yes, Mrs. Rekha.

Rekha: What are you in the organization?

Nayak: I’m the Head of the HRD.

Ramya: Had Ms. Nritya ever reported to you?

Nayak: Yes, she did.

Ramya: And for how long.

Nayak: Luckily it was a one day ordeal for me.

Margaret: What do you mean by that?

Nayak: Why she was such a pain in the neck.

Rekha: Ms. Nritya complained that you threatened to fire her if she failed to grant you sexual favours. What have you got to say on that?

Nayak: Actually it was she who was warming up to me.

Nritya: He’s lying, the old lecher.

Rekha: Mind your language Miss. Nritya.

Margaret: Mr. Nayak, what was your response to her alleged advances?

Nayak: I didn’t fall for her as she is not my kind of girl.

Nritya: Oh God, he’s adding insult to injury.

Nayak: Miss. Nritya, what was your complaint but a character assassination.

Rekha: Mr. Nayak, the agenda is to go into Nritya’s complaint and not to get into a debate about her appeal to you.

Nayak: I say her devious complaint is devoid of truth.

Rekha: Mr. Nayak, why should Nritya scandalize herself by making a baseless allegation against you?

Nayak: That’s the crux of the matter and the malady of the times. It’s all about overriding ambition to make it big by hook or crook. Miss. Nritya wants to climb up the career ladder fast and furious never mind a slip or two on the moral line. Why in someone so fresh and young, this attitude is quite amazing. Well, I didn’t want to play ball with her as that would have lowered our Hares & Hounds. Worried that I would report against her, she scandalized me before hand. Now it is for the committee to consider the ill affects of having such a lose woman in the company rolls.

[Nritya rushes to a window and jumps out of it. Others too rush to the two windows (at the back of the stage] to peep down.]

Rekha: [Exiting in a hurry] My God, the poor thing could be dead.

Gopal: [Exiting behind Rekha.] It’s all Mr. Nayak’s making.

Nayak: Who expected this? [He sinks his head on the conference table.]

[Exit: Ramya, Preeti and Sunil, all sighing and Margaret, crossing herself.]

[Curtains down.]

 

Scene – 5

[Curtains up: Partially visible body of Nritya face down (not the head) is seen lying in a pool of blood on the ground. Rekha, Gopal, Ramya, Preeti, Sunil, Margaret are around it with their backs to the audience.]

[Enter: Rakesh hurriedly.]

Rakesh: [Examines Nritya] Oh, she’s dead. What went wrong?

Rekha: Sir, she was upset by Mr. Nayak’s character assassination.

Rakesh: Well, we will deal with that later.

[Rakesh signals to Preeti and as she goes to him, he whispers in her ears (mime)]

[Exit: Preeti.]

[Rakesh takes Rekha aside.]

Rakesh: Mrs. Rekha, I understand you know her sister.

Rekha: Yes Sir.

Rakesh: I know how it hurts you, but [He pauses]

Rekha: Our Company’s reputation is at stake.

Rakesh: I know you are part of it for thirty-five years now.

Rekha: It’s hard on my conscience Sir.

Rakesh: There is no way out for us but to keep quiet.

Rekha: [Keeps mum.]

Rakesh: Why don’t you call up her people?

Rekha: I’ve to shut up to save one and open up to hurt another.

Rakesh: Don’t think the irony is lost on me.

[Rekha moves away from Rakesh into a corner and talks to Navya on her mobile (mime).]

Rakesh: Sunil, why not you call up the cops.

Sunil: Yes Sir.

[Exit: Sunil.]

Rakesh: Gopal, let the guards take care till the cops come.

Gopal: Yes, Sir.
[Exit: All of them but Gopal.]

[Curtains down]

Scene - 6

[Curtains up: Split setting of the chambers of the Managing Director, Hares & Hounds Ltd. One third of the stage on the right is Managing Director’s office, in which sits a downcast Nayak. Preeti stands near the Managing Director’s chair with a bunch of papers pertaining to Nritya’s complaint and the related matters. Two thirds of the stage to the left is the visitors’ room with chairs and a centre table.]

[Enter: Rakesh followed by Rekha, Ramya and Margaret. Rakesh goes into his chamber as others sit in the visitors’ room. Preeti hands over the papers she was holding to Rakesh.]

Rakesh: Oh shit, what a mess this is.

Nayak: Sorry Sir, I was out of wits.

Rakesh: Why not own it up and be done with it.

Nayak: Its better I too jump to my death.

Rakesh: Why, to make it worse for us.

Nayak: If I confess, what face I will have to show to my children.

Rakesh: You should have thought about it when you brought it upon yourself.

Nayak: Sir, please Sir.

Rakesh: Preeti, go and shred them right now [He hands over the papers back to her.] No, no, why court trouble for destroying evidence should things go wrong [Takes back the papers and locks them in his drawer.]

[Enter: Sunil and Gopal and join the women in the visitors’ room. Preeti too joins them and Nayak is seen pleading with Rakesh (mime)]

Sunil: Inspector Balram is expected any time now.

Preeti: Boss is mad with Mr. Nayak.

Ramya: But will he go against him?

Rekha: But we will, won’t we?

Margaret: Come out clean and be fair to Nritya’s soul.

Sunil: Why wash our dirty linen in public? Won’t the stink reach your own homes?

Gopal: What if we get fired for spilling the beans?

Rekha: What self-serving arguments. If only some NGO was involved.

Margaret: Why that would’ve cooked Nayak’s’s goose for good.

[Nayak gets up from the chair and folds his hands in gratitude.]

Nayak: Thank you Sir.

Rakesh: But you’ve to put them in the silent mode.

[Nayak goes into the visitors’ room and Rakesh picks up the phone. While Rakesh makes a number of phone calls (mime), Nayak pleads with his colleagues (mime) and Rekha is seen resisting the most (mime).]

[Enter: Inspector Balram in uniform and all fell silent and Nayak retreats into a corner. As Balram takes a look at all those present, Preeti goes up to him]

Balram: I’m Inspector Balram.

Preeti: Please be seated Sir.

Balram: No need for that, I want to see your M.D.

Preeti: Mr. Rakesh is expecting you Sir. Please wait.

[Preeti goes up to Rakesh and announces Balram’s visit (mime) Rakesh goes up to Balram, greets him and leads him into his office (mime). And they take their seats.]

Rakesh: Sorry for the bother Mr. Balram

Balram: Why it’s my duty.

Rakesh: If only there are a few more like you, India would be on top of the world.

Balram: Any way, who pushed her out of the window?

Rakesh: Sir, how can you say that?

Balram: Well, if its suicide, what was the provocation?

Rakesh: We are at a loss ourselves Sir. I thought she had a great future. We’re upset that it should’ve ended that way that too in the office.

Balram: Has anyone witnessed it?

[Rakesh is seen talking to Balram and his gestures suggest that he knew the higher ups in the department. He rings up someone on phone and hands over the receiver to Balram. Balram talks reverentially and gives back the receiver to Rakesh who disconnects the line after expressing his gratitude (mime).]

Balram: I agree the D.I.G is your buddy but would he take the flak if things go wrong. Why not I register it as a case of suspected murder and then see how things shape up.

[Rakesh is seen desperately pleading with Balram to hush up the case while the latter is seen explaining the difficulties involved. Rakesh offers bribe and Balram raises the stakes. In the end Rakesh shakes Balram’s hands.]

Balram: Let me go through the motions.

Rakesh: Why not Sir.

Balram: May I talk to her female colleagues.

Rakesh: You are welcome.

Balram: One by one that is.

[Rakesh goes into the office portion and all flock to him. He talks to them (mime). Rekha goes into the M .D’s chamber. Balram and Rekha are seen talking to each other (mime) and in the end the latter gets up and goes into the visitors’ room. As the others mob Rekha, Ramya goes up to Balram, and the process is repeated with Margaret and Preeti (all in mime). Rakesh goes back into his chamber after Preeti comes out of it.}

Balram: I see you manage your people admirably. But it may