KASTURI - A NEW BEGINNING
EPISODE 8 - "THE NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER"
Approx. 20 minutes
SCENE 1 - CHAWLA HOUSE - NIGHT
Kasturi is still holding the newspaper clipping.
Her face is tense.
The photograph of Vikram Malhotra and the mysterious young woman is in front of her.
She walks into the living room.
JP is sitting with BAUJI.
KAUSHALYA is arranging clothes.
KASTURI
Papa...
JP looks up.
JP
What happened?
Kasturi places the newspaper clipping on the table.
The moment JP sees it, his expression changes.
Kaushalya notices.
KASTURI
You know him.
Silence.
JP slowly picks up the photograph.
JP
Where did you get this?
KASTURI
Someone sent it to me.
Kaushalya looks worried.
KAUSHALYA
Who?
Kasturi hesitates.
KASTURI
Vikram Malhotra.
JP's hand trembles slightly.
Bauji looks at him.
BAUJI
JP...
JP says nothing.
---
SCENE 2 - THE OLD CONNECTION
Kasturi sits beside her father.
KASTURI
Papa, please tell me.
JP looks at her.
JP
I knew him.
Kasturi is shocked.
KASTURI
You worked with him?
JP shakes his head.
JP
Not exactly.
He takes a breath.
JP
Before I opened our saree shop, I worked for Purshotam Sabharwal.
Kasturi's eyes widen.
KASTURI
You worked for Robbie's father?
JP
Yes.
Kaushalya sits beside them.
KAUSHALYA
Your father was very young then.
JP smiles faintly at the memory.
JP
Purshotam Sahib gave me my first real opportunity.
Kasturi looks at the newspaper.
KASTURI
Then why did you leave?
JP becomes silent.
JP
Because something happened.
---
SCENE 3 - FLASHBACK - TWENTY YEARS AGO
A younger JP works in Purshotam's office.
Purshotam is speaking to him.
PURSHOTAM
JP, you're honest. That's why I trust you.
Young JP smiles.
JP
Thank you, Sahib.
Dushant enters with documents.
Vikram is standing in the background.
A tense atmosphere fills the room.
The flashback ends before the conversation can be heard.
---
SCENE 4 - CHAWLA HOUSE - PRESENT
KASTURI
What happened that night?
JP looks at Bauji.
Bauji gives him a warning look.
BAUJI
Some matters are better left buried.
Kasturi becomes frustrated.
KASTURI
But someone is threatening me!
Everyone looks at her.
KAUSHALYA
Threatening you?
Kasturi tells them about the phone call.
Kaushalya immediately becomes worried.
JP stands.
JP
From now on, you stay away from this matter.
KASTURI
Papa-
JP
No, Kasturi.
His voice is firm.
JP
I don't want you anywhere near Vikram Malhotra.
---
SCENE 5 - SABHARWAL GROUP - NEXT MORNING
Robbie is waiting for Kasturi.
She walks in.
ROBBIE
You're late.
KASTURI
I had something to deal with.
He notices her expression.
ROBBIE
What happened?
She doesn't answer.
ROBBIE
Kasturi?
She finally looks at him.
KASTURI
My father knows Vikram.
Robbie is stunned.
ROBBIE
What?
KASTURI
He used to work for your father.
Robbie processes this.
ROBBIE
My father never mentioned him.
KASTURI
My father won't tell me everything either.
Robbie looks at her.
ROBBIE
Then we'll find out together.
Kasturi smiles faintly.
KASTURI
Together?
ROBBIE
Yes.
A quiet romantic moment.
---
SCENE 6 - ROBBIE'S CABIN
Robbie searches old company records.
Kasturi stands beside him.
Their shoulders almost touch.
KASTURI
Anything?
ROBBIE
Not yet.
He searches again.
A file appears:
EMPLOYEE RECORD - JP CHAWLA
Robbie looks surprised.
ROBBIE
Your father's employee file still exists.
Kasturi leans closer.
Their faces are suddenly very close.
Both realize it.
They step back slightly.
KASTURI
Sorry.
ROBBIE
Why are you apologizing?
She smiles.
KASTURI
I don't know.
Robbie smiles back.
ROBBIE
Me neither.
---
SCENE 7 - RAUNAK ENTERS
Raunak walks in.
He sees Robbie and Kasturi standing unusually close.
RAUNAK
Should I come back later?
Kasturi immediately looks away.
KASTURI
No!
Robbie laughs.
ROBBIE
What do you want?
Raunak holds up a file.
RAUNAK
I found something about Vikram.
The mood becomes serious again.
---
SCENE 8 - THE OLD FILE
Raunak places the file on the desk.
RAUNAK
Vikram wasn't just connected to our fathers.
He looks at Kasturi.
RAUNAK
He knew your father too.
Kasturi is shocked.
KASTURI
How?
Raunak opens the file.
Inside is a handwritten note.
"JP CHAWLA - TRUSTED EMPLOYEE."
Robbie looks at Kasturi.
ROBBIE
Your father was trusted by my father.
Kasturi looks confused.
KASTURI
Then why did everyone stop talking about him?
Nobody has an answer.
---
SCENE 9 - SABHARWAL MANSION
Robbie confronts Purshotam.
ROBBIE
Dad, JP Chawla worked for you.
Purshotam freezes.
PURSHOTAM
Who told you?
ROBBIE
Kasturi.
Purshotam looks away.
ROBBIE
Why didn't you ever tell me?
PURSHOTAM
Because it has nothing to do with you.
ROBBIE
Everything that affects Kasturi affects me.
Purshotam looks at his son.
He realizes Robbie's feelings are becoming serious.
PURSHOTAM
Robbie...
ROBBIE
What happened to JP?
Purshotam doesn't answer.
---
SCENE 10 - KASTURI'S ROOM
Kasturi looks through an old family trunk.
She finds an old photograph of JP in his younger days.
Behind it is an old employee ID.
SABHARWAL GROUP - JP CHAWLA
Kasturi smiles.
Then she notices something written on the back.
"17 AUGUST - DON'T TRUST VIKRAM."
Her smile disappears.
---
SCENE 11 - KAUSHALYA REVEALS SOMETHING
Kasturi goes to her mother.
KASTURI
Mom, you knew?
Kaushalya looks at the photograph.
KAUSHALYA
Your father told me years ago.
KASTURI
What happened?
Kaushalya hesitates.
KAUSHALYA
Your father believed Vikram was involved in something dangerous.
KASTURI
Then why didn't he tell anyone?
KAUSHALYA
Because he was afraid.
Kasturi looks shocked.
KASTURI
Afraid of Vikram?
Kaushalya nods.
---
SCENE 12 - ROBBIE AND KASTURI - TERRACE
Kasturi stands alone.
Robbie joins her.
ROBBIE
I spoke to my father.
KASTURI
And?
ROBBIE
He won't tell me anything.
Kasturi looks disappointed.
KASTURI
Neither will mine.
Robbie stands beside her.
ROBBIE
Then we'll wait.
KASTURI
For what?
ROBBIE
For the truth.
She looks at him.
KASTURI
Why are you doing all this?
Robbie smiles.
ROBBIE
Because you're not alone.
Kasturi's eyes soften.
A gentle silence.
Robbie notices a strand of hair falling across her face.
He slowly moves it away from her eyes.
Kasturi freezes.
Their eyes meet.
Neither says anything.
Then-
RAUNAK (O.S.)
Robbie!
They immediately step apart.
Robbie closes his eyes in frustration.
Kasturi laughs softly.
---
SCENE 13 - ROBBIE AND RAUNAK
Raunak pulls Robbie aside.
RAUNAK
You really care about her.
Robbie looks at him.
ROBBIE
She's important to me.
Raunak smiles.
RAUNAK
I can see that.
Then his expression becomes serious.
RAUNAK
But be careful.
ROBBIE
Why?
RAUNAK
Because Vikram knows about her family.
Robbie nods.
ROBBIE
That's exactly why I won't let him hurt her.
---
SCENE 14 - VIKRAM'S PLAN
Vikram sits in his office.
An old file is open.
The first page reads:
JP CHAWLA - SABHARWAL GROUP
Vikram smiles.
VIKRAM
So the daughter finally knows about her father's past.
His phone rings.
VOICE
Should we proceed?
Vikram looks at Kasturi's photograph.
VIKRAM
Not yet.
A pause.
VIKRAM
First, let Robbie discover what his father did.
---
SCENE 15 - EPISODE END
Late night.
Robbie returns to his father's study.
He finds the old agreement.
This time he notices a second signature.
He reads it carefully.
His face turns pale.
ROBBIE
JP Chawla...
Suddenly, he hears footsteps.
Purshotam stands behind him.
PURSHOTAM
You were never supposed to see that.
Robbie turns.
ROBBIE
Dad...
He holds up the agreement.
ROBBIE
Why did Kasturi's father sign this?
Purshotam's face reveals fear.
CUT TO:
Kasturi sleeping peacefully at home.
Her phone lights up.
UNKNOWN MESSAGE:
«"YOUR FATHER DIDN'T LEAVE THE SABHARWALS. HE WAS FORCED OUT."»
Kasturi wakes up.
Her eyes widen.
CUT TO BLACK.
TO BE CONTINUED...
NEXT EPISODE - "THE MAN WHO LEFT"
Robbie discovers that JP's departure from the Sabharwal Group was not voluntary. Kasturi begins questioning her father's past, while Purshotam fears the truth will destroy more than one family. Meanwhile, Vikram makes his first direct move against Robbie and Kasturi.
Anupamaa
108 Base Hospital Uri
147