IFP I, movie scene
Sumer Dhir
This excerpt is the opening scene of the famous Indian movie, "Sholay".
The train is rattling through the mountainous terrain. As it lurches Viru is thrown against his friend Jai who is roused grumpily from his slumber. Viru and Jai are handcuffed and are lying sprawled on the floor of the train. Both are in their early twenties, tough, scruffy and handsome - Viru has a sunny, smiling disposition while
Jai has a brooding sensual air about him. The deep bond in their friendship is evident in their body language. They are watched over by the keen eyed Policeman who in contrast is impressive in a stiff way in his immaculate uniform and clipped speech.
They are sitting in an open bogey of a goods train with a dusty unforgiving landscape whizzing past. The guard standing outside the bogey is swaying to the motion of the train, rifle in hand.
Viru is staring at the cop, trying to place him from an earlier encounter. “Do you remember arresting us from an earlier incident of petty theft?” Looking at Jai he asks,
“Isn’t he the same cop?”, Jai looks irritable and denies and chooses not to reply. The cop looks at him amused and asks in a withering way, “How long have you been in the business of thieving.” True to form, Viru claims, “I’ve been looking after myself for longer than I can remember.”
“Our motivation is probably the same as you cops… we do it for the money!” to which the cop replies, “I did not join the police force to earn money, I am well provided for at home; I became a cop because I’m brave and I enjoy playing with
danger and hunting down people like you.” To which Jai quickly retorts, “we too are
brave
