DISTURBANCE

A Film script
By
NISHANT VERMA
 SOHAIL (V.O.)

They say that fear makes you see things, but

I know they are around me, because
sometimes fear is the reality itself.

WHITE NOISE of RADIO against a BLACK SCREEN, TITLE appears and

gradually FADES AWAY and we;

FADE TO;

1. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

The CAMERA slowly FADE TO a CU of a RADIO lying on the floor, the

WHITE NOISE is still on. Suddenly, a HAMMER hits the RADIO.

ANGLE. Now we SEE that it is SOHAIL NASEEM (26, black hair, black
eyes) who hit the RADIO.

ANOTHER ANGLE. SOHAIL then hits the RADIO for the last time, and
straightens up. He is panting slightly. He stays there for few seconds and
then slowly moves away, TOWARDS THE CAMERA. As he leaves the
FRAME from the right, the CAMERA PANS AND STOPS ON his HAND
holding the hammer. He drops the hammer and continues moving.

2. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

CLOSE on SOHAIL’S HANDS. He opens the TAP, and begins washing his
hands furiously.

3. EXT. THE PAVEMENT. DAY.

SOHAIL is walking along a pavement. He is DIZZY and UNBALANCED.

His HAIR, FACE and upper part of his VEST are wet.
4. INT. A RESTAURANT. DAY.

SOHAIL is sharing a corner table with his friend JAI. They have just started
their lunch.

CLOSE ON SOHAIL. He is uncontrollably pouring the sauce over his dish.

JAI (O.S.)

Enough Sohail, what the hell is wrong with you?

SOHAIL stops and first stares at JAI and then at his dish. The CAMERA
TILTS DOWN and we see that his dish is flooded with sauce.

5. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

SOHAIL is conversing with someone on the phone. The room is quite DIM
so we can’t see the whole of him. His only one half is visible with a basic
phone receiver clinging to his ear.

SOHAIL

A disease? I hope it was.

6. INT. THE ROOM. DAY.

SOHAIL is sitting by the partly open door, peering through it.

SOHAIL (O.S.)

At first it was just a feeling. But soon it

materialized around me. Surrounding,
penetrating.
FADE OUT;

7. INT. THE BATHROOM. DUSK.

MCU of the COMMODE. It is FLUSHING.

8. INT. THE ROOM. DAY.

HEAD ON SHOT. SOHAIL suddenly stops moving and slowly looks

towards the LEFT of the FRAME. Through his POV we SEE he is staring at
a LIGHT BULB of the BATHROOM.

REVERSE ANGLE. He is silent and still.

9. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

SOHAIL approaches the LIGHT BULB. ANGLE. He then takes it out from
its socket and peers into the socket.

ANOTHER ANGLE. After few seconds he puts back the bulb into the
socket and moves out of the bathroom.

10. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

SOHAIL is once again on the telephone. Now he is sitting on a chair.

SOHAIL

Yes… I tried books. They consume you in

themselves.
11. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

The CAMERA opens CLOSE ON SOHAIL’S FACE. And as he throws the

cigarette smoke out of his mouth, the CAMERA slowly ZOOMS OUT to
the MEDIUM. Now, we see that he is reading a book, while holding a
burning cigarette in his left hand. A couple of books are lying around him.

SOHAIL (O.S.)

But the more I immersed into them the more

I drowned deeper.

12. INT. THE DIMLY LIGHTED ROOM. DUSK.

MS of SOHAIL roaming around, while conversing on the phone. The light

filtering through the curtains is falling on him, producing a grisly effect.

SOHAIL

Me!

ANGLE. He takes a turn and suddenly stops moving.

SOHAIL (Contd.)

Well, I’m a PhD in English literature.

13. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

The SCENE OPENS on the CU of the BASIN. We then SEE SOHAIL’S

HANDS entering the FRAME, holding a piece of cloth. He then chokes the
opening of the basin with it and then turns on the tap. The CAMERA
remains on a CLOSE UP throughout the SCENE.
14. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

The SCENE OPENS ON A PILE OF BOOKS. We then SEE a hand picking

up a couple of books together. The CAMERA FOLLOWS THE HAND
CLOSELY and we SEE that SOHAIL is throwing the books out of the
window.

SOHAIL (O.S.)

They say when nothing is in your use, don’t be

in their use. I followed the same.

CUT TO;

15. INT. THE BATHROOM. DUSK.

The scene THIS TIME opens ON A CU OF THE COMMODE,

FLUSHING.

16. INT. THE BATHROOM. DUSK.

MS of SOHAIL sitting on the floor. His legs are folded and arms are
wrapped around them. He is weeping. Further a cigarette is stuck in between
his fingers.

17. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

HIGH ANGLE SHOT of SOHAIL conversing on the phone.

SOHAIL

Did I ever try to get some help? Yes!

18. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

SOHAIL slowly approaches the window, he is breathing deep and slowly.

His lips are shaking, and voice trembling. All this time the camera is on his
CLOSE UP.

SOHAIL

Hello? Anyone there? Hel..

MUSIC TEASING, STRECTHED AND LOW.

SMASH CUT TO;

19. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

CLOSE ON SOHAIL’S HANDS. He is stuffing a folded paper into a

GLASS BOTTLE. He then grabs the bottle and moves out of the FRAME.
CAMERA stays still.

SOHAIL (O.S.)

They are too bothered to hear.

SOHAIL is slipping that BOTTLE through the window.

SOHAIL (O.S.) (Contd.)

So I showed them.
20. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY

The SCENE OPENS on CU of a MEDICINE BOTTLE. Then we SEE the

fingers gripping the BOTTLE and taking it out of the FRAME.

ANGLE. It is now we SEE that it is SOHAIL. He then opens the bottle and
takes out three tablets.

ANOTHER ANGLE. CLOSE ON his HAND. He throws those tablets into

the water filled basin. CAMERA FOLLOWS CLOSELY.

FADE OUT;

SOUND OF THE FLUSH.

FADE IN;

21. INT. THE ROOM. NIGHT.

A HIGH ANGLE SHOT of SOHAIL lying on the bed, unmoving. His

breath is low and his heartbeat is slow. Suddenly, he senses someone’s
presence behind the door. The MUSIC grows INTENSELY TEASING as he
slowly turns his head in that direction.

Through his POV we SEE SOMEONE’S SHADOW behind the door. The
MUSIC INTENSIFIES.

REVERSE ANGLE. CU; SOHAIL’S FACE. His expressions turn graver.

MUSIC is at its peak and we…

SMASH CUT TO;

22. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

CLOSE ON SOHAIL. He keeps the acid paper into his mouth and then
bends down on the sink.

ANGLE. He waits for a couple of seconds and then suddenly he drowns his
face into the water filled basin.

FADE OUT;

SOHAIL (O.S.)

And when I was about to lose everything, I

decided to give it for all.

23. INT. THE ROOM. DUSK.

CLOSE ON SOHAIL’S HAND. He keeps the receiver.

ANGLE. Suddenly, he grabs the receiver and throws it on the floor.

CLOSE ON THE FALLEN TELEPHONE. It is now we SEE that the
telephone’s cord has actually been left severed by a blade quite a while ago.

ANGLE. ON SOHAIL. He falls onto his knees and starts weeping

inevitably.

FADE TO;

24. EXT. THE STREET. DAY.

SOHAIL is walking on a pavement. He is wearing a vest and a shirt with its

entire button open. Further, he is dizzy and his hair wet.

In between, we do his POV to FOCUS on the pedestrians through increasing

and decreasing blurriness.
ANGLE. ON SOHAIL. He looks now more disoriented. His steps are more
unbalanced. We again do his POV to FOCUS on the pedestrians who now
are a lot slower. Suddenly we see the CAMERA falling towards the left. We
immediately CUT ON SOHAIL to find that he is leaning against a wall.
Next moment, he vomits. The pedestrians watch him with pity but they don’t
stop.

SOHAIL somehow balances himself and starts walking back towards his
house. His steps are hesitant, his body unbalanced.

FADE OUT;

25. INT. THE ROOM. DAY.

SOHAIL thrusts into the room and slams the door. He is panting hard and
sweating profusely with irregular breaths.

ANGLE. He falls on the ground, putting his whole weight on the door.
Suddenly someone hits the door from the other side. It nearly throws
SOHAIL away, but he somehow maintains his hold. He increases the
pressure, and so as the intensity of the push increases. It is now more
frequent and more demanding.

LOW ANGLE. SOHAIL is nearly slipping from his position. The pushing is
at its peak; so as the MUSIC, and we;

SMASH CUT TO;

26. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

The CAMERA FADES TO a HIGH ANGLE SHOT of SOHAIL lying on

the floor in a twisted position. A cigarette is stuck in between his right
hand’s fingers, while his left had is slightly out of the FRAME from the
wrist. His face is expressionless, but his eyes are filled with tears.
SOUND of the BREAKING of the DOOR and ECHOES of FOOTSTEPS.

ANGLE. CLOSE ON SOHAIL’S FACE. He slowly turns his head towards

the CAMERA. TEARS once again oozes out of his eyes. Then through his
POV we SEE the SLIGHTLY BLURRED pairs of feet running towards him.

FADE OUT;

FAINT SOUND of the AMBULANCE’S SIREN.

NURSE (O.S.)

His condition is critical, doctor.

DOCTOR (O.S.)

Can you hear me? (Pause) Get him to the ICU,

immediately.

FADE IN;

27. INT. THE RESTAURANT. DAY.

TWO SHOT FAVORING SOHAIL and JAI. They both are sitting silently,
opposite to each other. SOHAIL is with his head down while JAI is staring
him.

ANGLE. MCU, JAI. He suddenly leans on the table. His eyes looking
towards the CAMERA.
 JAI

Look, I know what happened to you. I know

what they did to you.

CLOSE ON SOHAIL. He lifts his head and stares JAI, silently.

JAI (O.S.) (Contd.)

I know what mental and physical torture you’ve

gone through.

ANGLE. ON JAI.

JAI (Contd.)

But you’re not a terrorist. You are not! So stop

thinking that they are after you. It was just a
big mistake, okay?

JAI rises on his feet, looking down at SOHAIL.

JAI

Next time I meet you, I want this surveillance

shit out of your mind.

JAI stares SOHAIL silently for a couple of seconds and then walks towards
the door. The CAMERA first FOCUSES on JAI’S DEPARTURE ands then
PANS BACK onto SOHAIL. He is looking through the window, at the
departing JAI.
ANGLE. He turns his head away from the window, takes a deep breath and
then reaches for a JUG of WATER kept nearby.

ANOTHER ANGLE. CLOSE ON the JUG. He grabs the JUG and pours the
water into his glass. In between the CAMERA CUTS to CLOSE ON THE
GLASS which is now being filled with the water. It then TILTS UP and
FOCUSES on the PATH of the WATER. Else everything goes BLURRED.

SOHAIL (V.O.)

Sometimes, I think that that was the dream

which I left behind, or this one which I’m
living now?

MUSIC BEGINS in the BACKGROUND, SLOW and EERIE.

28. INT. THE BATHROOM. DAY.

MUSIC grows FAINT but it is still on.

The blurriness decreases and the CAMERA steadily ZOOMS OUT. It is

then we SEE that it a TAP that is throwing the water into an already flooded
BASIN. The CAMERA stops on a FULL SHOT of the BASIN. It PAUSES
for a second and then follows one of the dripping lines of the water and
STOPS on SOHAIL’S hand with a CUT on the WRIST. BLOOD is oozing
out of the wound.
MUSIC changes. IRRITATING and INTENSE.

And we;

SMASH CUT TO;

END CREDITS.
WITH MUSIC, DISTURBING.