A line is a fuse that's lit.

The line smolders, the rhyme

explodes—and by a stanza, a city is blown to bits.
-Vladimir Mayakovsky

Log Line
A young rapper and her madcap hip-hop crew find a
direction to their rebellious spirit and music after their paths
cross with an ageing Bengali protest singer, who’s released
from jail after decades, as the two generations “jam”
ideologically and musically to protest the alleged murder of
a young whistle-blower journalist.

Structure & Genre

8 episodes of 40 minutes each (320 minutes)
Drama, Musical

Location & Timeline

Kolkata, 1970s and 2018

01
 Kolkata City, 2016

NagarKirtan, 2017

02
Show Synopsis
Aindrila Sanyal (22), a rebellious misfit rapper from
Kolkata is confused with her sexuality, future, and
existence in general. Her all-female and strikingly
passionate young hip-hop crew “Rapchick” is competing
in a national reality show called “Indian Indies” but is
going through a rough phase. Just like its members who
are each fighting their battles of self-discovery and
adulthood, Rapchick seems to lack a coherent ideological
and musical direction. Things start to change, when they
discover a “grown-up” they can relate to in Aindrilla’s
uncle Ashim Sanyal (65), a frail yet feisty once-iconic
activist and protest singer who has been recently
released after spending decades in jail. Aindrila and
Rapchick are immediately drawn to and take inspiration
from Ashim’s music, life, revolution, and the radical spirit
of anti-establishment that runs through the man and his
songs.

As Rapchick advances through the competition, they

receive the tragic news that Rohini, who was Aindrilla’s ex-
flame and a final year journalism student has died under
mysterious circumstances. Aindrila and Rapchick are well
aware that Rohini was independently investigating a
dangerous government-corporate nexus in which the State
government was permitting business behemoth Magic
Corps to build a factory that would eventually poison the
entirety of the river Ganges. Rapchick and Aindrila, in
particular, suffer a huge emotional setback but soon join a
student-led movement that wants justice for Rohini.

03
Inspired by Ashim, Rapchick uses their music to protest both
inside and outside of the reality show. Throughout the
student protests and the reality show, we uncover the
characters of the band and witness their coming of age.
Aindrila’s negotiation with her sexuality, self-esteem, and
identity crisis, Harpreet’s conservative Sikh family still reeling
from the tragedy of 1984, the “group clown” Pammi’s
bipolar disorder being triggered by her mother’s suicide,
the French African-American missionary Inez’s feeling of
isolation and being an outsider, Ruksana being conflicted
about her political family’s fundamentalist connection and
Charulata’s imposter syndrome being the daughter of a
sex worker from Sonagachi.

As Rapchick’s popularity in the reality show rises and the

protest gains steam, they come to face their adversary
Sandhya, owner of Magic Corps who is pulling all strings to
cover the scandal and makes the government retaliate
with both police brutality and mud-slinging slander
campaigns. We discover that the ruling party’s minister at
the helm of this is Sujata, Ashim’s ex-lover, and ex-comrade.
We also get to know that the person behind the slander
campaigns is the ruling party’s blue-eyed student leader
Satyavrata, Aindrilla’s momentary fling from the past, and
the reason behind her bitter break-up with Rohini.
Rapchick advances to the reality show finals but are
explicitly told that they will get thrown out if their songs are
“too political”. Aindrila and the rest of Rapchick need to
overcome their own emotions and their ambitions in their
fight for justice.

04
In the finale, we see a direct face off between Rapchick and
the Sandhya-Sujata duo at a pre-election rally. Sandhya is
about to start her speech as chief guest, as all mics in the
venue are strategically cut off. Rapchik has ditched the
‘Indian Indies’ reality show finals that are happening
simultaneously and arrive on a truck unleashing a
surprising art mob. The sudden guerrilla performance
that Rapchick and Ashim delivers is quite literally a
once-in-a-lifetime hallmark of protest art, one that makes
everyone across the country, tune out of the reality show
and tune into the ‘reality’.

05
 Satisfaction, 1988

We Are the Best, 2013

The Runaways, 2010

06
Freestyle-Character Bios
LEAD CHARACTERS:

1. Aindrila Sanyal, a Female, 22 years is a headstrong and

reckless millennial. Adventure runs in Aindrilla’s veins and
she finds her parents to be obnoxious and claustrophobic.
Aindrila was frequently bullied in her super-strict convent
girls' school but has always discovered solace in hip-hop
and her rap songs. She is confused about her sexuality,
wants to drop out of college, and struggles with major self-
esteem issues. Aindrila has recently found a sense of
belonging, and a family-like support system in Rapchick, a
hip-hop crew formed by a group of self-proclaimed misfits.
Aindrila has a troubled but intense “on and off” relationship
with her ex-girlfriend Rohini.

THE OTHER MEMBERS OF AINDRILA’S CREW RAPCHICK:

1. Harpreet Gill, a Female, 25 years is a quiet and

introverted aspiring DJ who comes from a lower middle
class Sikh family in Kolkata. Her grandparents were both
murdered during the 1984 Sikh riots and his parents and
siblings remain extremely skeptical of the people
around them including Harprit’s Rapchick friends.

2. Pamela Dutta a.k.a Pammi, a Female, 21 years is the

group “clown” who comes from a rich Bengali business
family that trades in iron. This “chilled out” girl carefully
hides her bipolar disorder and is forever plagued by the
tragedy of her mother’s suicide.

07
3. Ruksana Alam, a Female, 29 years is an influential Muslim
politician’s daughter who tries to be oblivious to her
mother’s dangerous liaison with a few fundamentalist
fringe groups. Ruksana is an outstanding hip-hop dancer
who can take the stage by storm with her excellent locking
and popping moves.

4. Inez Caron, a Female, 31 years is a French sound artist and

mixing engineer who has been traveling the world for
social work projects. Inez is staying in Kolkata for a project
in the brothels of Sonagachi, which is how she discovered
this like-minded hip-hop crew. Inez knows that she has to
go back to her homeland in a few months, and frequently
video calls his cancer-stricken younger sister out of guilt.

5. iCharulata, a Female, 24 years is the daughter of a

prostitute from Sonagachi (one of the largest brothels in
Kolkata) but proudly wears her identity on her sleeve. She
has been a prodigious rapper since childhood and Aindrila
discovered her talent after she chanced upon a viral
Instagram video of Charulata dishing out some freestyle
verses.

OTHER PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

1. Ashim Sanyal, Male, 65 years, a once-iconic Bengali

protest singer who enjoyed a cult following during the 70s
and 80s student’s movement in Kolkata. He grew
disillusioned after he lost Sameer and Azhar, two of his
closest comrades to brutal police encounters. But he faced
his biggest heartbreak, when Sujata, his lover, and comrade
betrayed the movement and joined hands with the ruling
party. Ashim was still an active threat and the Government
imprisoned him after planting false charges of sedition.

08
2. Sujata Roy, a Female, 61 years used to Ashim’s lover and
comrade-in-arms during the tumultuous 70s. The police
eventually captured Sujata but her pro-state barrister
father helped her save her skin in exchange for her ratting
out confidential information. Sujata has been a ruling party
loyalist since then, and people perceive her as the face of
progressive politics.

3. Sandhya Hiranandani, a Female, 29 years, is the

daughter of a famous Kolkata-based industrialist and is the
heiress to Magic Corps - one of India’s most prominent
business empires. This recklessly ambitious young
entrepreneur loves maintaining a carefully crafted,
populist, and vocal-towards-social-causes façade.

4. Satyavrat, Male, 28 years is a student leader, thespian,

and poet who is the ruling party’s blue-eyed boy. Satyavrat
had a fling with Aindrila for only three months and this was
what led to her break up with Rohini.

09
 Crazy Heart, 2011 The Runaways, 2010

The Runaways, 2010

We Are the Best, 2013 The Runaways, 2010

10
Episodic Breakdown
PILOT EPISODE- “IT’S ALRIGHT MA (I’M ONLY BLEEDING)”

Ashim Sanyal gets released from his hellish existence in

prison. He forms an instant bond and unlikely friendship
with his niece Aindrilla and her rap crew Rapchik. Sujata
and Sandhya conspire to keep the environmental concerns
about the Magic Corps project a secret to the public. Rohini
pursues this volatile story despite the risks while giving her
ex-flame Aindrilla the cold shoulder. Rapchick is ousted
from their regular rehearsal pad by a bunch of local
hooligans and thugs.

EPISODE 2- “I SHALL BE RELEASED”

Ashim “saves the day” by helping Rapchick find a new

rehearsal pad. Sandhya becomes extremely wary of Rohini
snooping around about the Magic Corps project and
threatens her. Rapchick decides to participate in Indian
Indies and starts full-fledged rehearsals. Ashim criticizes the
lack of political depth and nuance in their “protest music”.
This leads to a heated conflict and an offended Harpreet
walking out.

11
EPISODE 3 - “THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN”

Rohini decides to independently publish her findings

despite Aindrila warning her that it’s dangerous. We see
Harpreet’s backstory and how her grandparent’s murder
during the 1984 riots has left a permanent scar in her family.
Aindrilla and Ashim try to reconcile with Harpreet to no
avail. Aindrila learns about Ashim’s roller-coaster young
love with Sujata and her betrayal. Rohini’s article goes viral
and Sandhya directly threatens Sujata for not taking action.
Rapchik finally “reunites” when Harpreet gets caught up in
a drunken brawl after a group of guys makes fun of her Sikh
heritage. Aindrilla suddenly finds Rohini to be untraceable.

EPISODE 4- “A HARD RAIN’S A GONNA FALL”

Rapchik makes it to Indian Indies and Ashim mentors them

in the process of creating politically informed songs.
Aindrila tells Satyavrat that she still feels guilty about
cheating on Rohini with him. Pammi the happy-go-lucky
“group clown” goes incognito and doesn’t turn up for
Rapchik rehearsals. Aindrila probes deeper and finds out
about Pammi’s struggle with mental health and her
mother’s tragic suicide. Rapchik becomes her support
system and the re-energized rap crew blows away the
judges at the audition round. Rohini is found dead at her
flat with a suicide note where she has confessed to trying to
malign the Government.

12
 Louis Malle Calcutta, 1969

Spice World, 1997

The Runaways, 2010

13
EPISODE 5- “CHIMES OF FREEDOM” CHARULATA

Aindrila feels that Rohini’s suicide has been “staged” by the

Government and Magic Corps. Rapchik performs a tribute
song for Rohini at Indian Indies resulting in a huge
response. Sandhya and Sujata try their best to malign
Rohini’s image to the media. Rapchick starts the
#justiceforrohini campaign leading to a successful rally and
demonstration. Inez’s presence in the rally as a “foreigner”
leads to her exchange program and fellowship in India
getting canceled. The band and her own family back in
France still stand by her. Satyavrat and the student wing of
the ruling party stage a counter-rally and start a slander
campaign against the movement.

EPISODE 6- “WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE”

Rapchick remains torn between their reality show dreams

and the movement. We explore the backstories of three
prodigal children- Satyavrat, Aindrilla, and Sandhya and
how they are all victims of dysfunctional families and their
circumstances. Ruksana tells Rapchick that Ashim is
brainwashing them and a heated debate leads to her not
turning up for an Indian Indies performance. We realize
that it’s Ruksana’s politician mother who’s pressurizing her
daughter and has put her on house arrest. Rapchik and
Ashim barely survived an assassination attempt.

14
EPISODE 7- “MASTERS OF WAR”

Ruksana runs away from home to rejoin Rapchik. Sandhya

accuses Sujata of being too “soft” because Ashim is
involved. We see two parallel stories through flashbacks-
Aindrila, Rohini, and Satyavrat’s triangle and Sujata and
Ashim’s past of love and betrayal. Sandhya’s PR machinery
attacks Rapchik member Charulata who is a daughter of a
prostitute. This initially breaks Charulata’s morale but
thanks to tremendous support from her “comrades” she
takes the stage by storm and Rapchick makes it to the
Indian Indies finale. The protesting students decide to
gherao Sujata in her office. Satyavrat and his “gang”,
retaliates Rapchik’s freestyle rap performance and the
skirmish escalates to police brutality. Satyavrat is fatally
injured in the ensuing confusion while trying to protect
Aindrila and Ashim.

EPISODE 8- “ONLY A PAWN IN THEIR GAME”

Satyavrat fights for his life at the hospital. Rapchik drops

out of the Indian Indies when the organizers refrain them
from performing “political” songs. Sujata meets Ashim in
secret and reveals that Satyavrat is his biological son.
Rapchik interrupts Sandhya’s speech in a pre-election
rally with a hip-hop flash mob on a performance truck. As
armed police surround them, Ashim shocks everyone by
taking out a revolver and eventually killing himself after
making his statement through a song. In an epilogue, we
find out that Sujata has resigned and the Supreme Court
has put the Magic Corps Industrial Complex project on
hold. A completely recovered Satyavrat resigns and joins
hand with Rapchik to complete Rohini and Ashim’s
“mission” of fighting injustice no matter what.
15
 NagarKirtan, 2017

We Are the Best, 2013 We Are the Best, 2013

Louis Malle Calcutta, 1969

16
Interpretations of Major Themes
SOCIAL CHANGE:

The show is a melting pot of ideologies, anarchy, activism,

art, politics, and their struggle for co-existence in late-
capitalist post-globalization society. The show is an in-
depth exploration of the complexities of the personal and
the political getting blurred and how inner battles are as
important as the battles being fought on the streets.

HIP-HOP:

In Freestyle, hip-hop is a language, hip-hop is a tool, hip-

hop is a statement, hip-hop is a mirror, and hip-hop is a
burning flag that becomes interlinked with the young
rebel’s lifestyle and existence. Their songs become a
testimony to what Bertolt Brecht once wrote: 'In the dark
times' will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be
singing about the dark times.'

REBELLION:

Freestyle is a love letter to revolution. The show romances

with rebellions and rebels but also sees them as flawed
human beings with their conflicts and inner wars. It’s the
same feeling that’s echoed in the opening lines of Allen
Ginsberg’s iconic “Howl”: “I saw the best minds of my
generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical
naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at
dawn looking for an angry fix.”

17
WHY KOLKATA?

This is a city where the same walls scream out political

slogans from the 1970s through faded letters along with
Hip-hop inspired graffiti with lines from a Tupac song. This
is a city where the old and the new co-exist and collide,
colonial architecture looms large like the sets from a period
film while co-existing with underground garages which
host gigs celebrating nonconformity and counterculture.
This is a city that writes itself in freestyle, and angst
couplets run in its veins helping it win the rap battle it has
long waged against eternity.

VISUAL TONE

Neon signs, neo-noir skyscrapers, garbage dump, Banksy

on the wall, random Cubist graffiti co-existing amidst 300-
year-old vintage colonial Kolkata. It's a post-modern,
nearly post-apocalyptic Metropolis, almost like a doomed
Gotham. But hope exists amidst the grime and malice, as a
bunch of reckless rebels straight out of an alternate
Linklater Universe (Dazed and Confused) sing their hearts
out.

The Revolution will not be televised, the revolution will be

no re-run brothers, the revolution will be live.
- Gil Scott-Heron

18