Ravie Kathuria

UNDER CONSTRUCTION STORYLINE AND SYNOPSIS The story is told from the point of view of a 60 year old frustrated architect, the wife of Bhau, the first failed builder, who has to forgo the project to another bigger builder who had better fund arrangement who in turn overtakes the entire project when his investors see that the project is worth billions. And the liaison couple who brings in the funds from an FDI company only to realize that everyone is self-motivated, greedy and treacherous, capable of betraying anyone who comes in their way to make profits. AT A LARGE SPRAWLING SLUM AREA IN THE SUBURBS. We see a famous social activist on a hunger strike against the demolition of the slums of the area where a slum rehab and redevelopment work has to be carried for over 2000 hutments and LIG societies. A crowd of people are there to join in with the activists Satyagraha and there are TV channels and 1 media groups waiting for the Politician to come so that the activist can end her fast. The entire group is sitting around the open area space at the slum. And through their conversation we realize that the slum groups are divided into two groups and that the larger group wanting the demolition work to start is being held back by the other group which is also quite large and also has the activist and public figure’s backing who is fasting at the site. The builder’s office at the site has its top officers standing waiting for the big bosses to arrive. They are nervous because they feel that the government might have to agree to the anti demolition, going against the Court order which could delay the project by another year. The most vocal guy, Bhau, seated in a chair along with 8 others near the Satyagraha is the chairman of the core committee member of the society and has more than 4 hutments here. His wife is also the most popular woman and an important member of the managing committee and society groups. The four men and three women which form the core committee consists of Bhau and his wife both of whom have 4 hutments between them, one in the name of Bhau, his wife, his wife’s widowed sister and his son. His widowed sister in law is also his mistress. Each of the 5 men has a mistress or a second wife. And the other two seated women are the wives of two guys employed in the Municipality as scavengers, whose duties of picking up the garbage leaves them too tired to attend meetings or be in the committee. The two wives then together have managed all water and electricity connections for the slum society. 2 They also have a societies in MHADA. flat each in the LIG housing Most of the other members are daily wage workers employed across the sprawling city and are keen to see the development work bring results. Two of the core committee members know some TV and media journalists personally. One of them is the friend of an author/journalist who knows the social activist. INSIDE A SPRAWLING FLAT IN TOWN. The author/journalist is sitting in a huge flat in town and is watching the TV news of the activist hunger strike about to get over. And she is calling up all her contacts to be there with all their media contacts and reach the slum area situated near the expressway. “It’s very important that all of us be there. After all she is doing it for the slum dwellers because all these government officials and municipality guys are corrupt dirty scoundrels.” AT A LUXURY HOTEL/ EXCLUSIVE CLUB. A group of rich investors sit in a luxury Hotel suite room, playing cards, watching the news and having beer, as they watch the progress of the Satyagraha. They ask one of the loud mouthed, jokes telling guy to make a call to the builder. He picks up two of his extremely expensive cell phones from the table and makes a call from one. The others gather around him to listen to the phone call on the speaker phone. AT THE SITE. The builder arrives with his people at the site and sits in his luxury SUV and asks when the politician is arriving to end the fast, as the phone rings. The investor enquires about the delays having going on from 6 years and whether he will ever see the face of 3 the huge profits which were promised by the builder at the beginning of the project. “We need to be patient now.” Says the builder. “You don’t worry about my being patient. I am patient in the hospital now along with all my six friends. We have paid you over 220 crores till now over the past 6 years without seeing a single rupee coming back. At least 24 investors are from outside the city otherwise they would have strangled our group. And you are the one getting to talk on television. While you have become a superstar, we have become background junior artistes.” “Don’t say this; you know how much trouble I am in after this social activist got us to stop the demolition even when we had the court orders. The LOI and other FSI and TDR approvals itself took three years to come into our hands.” “When you were applying for the LOI you were constantly calling and picking up the phone at once. Now you take your own sweet time to call or even pick up our phone. Now that you have the LOI in your pocket and the government has given you the permission to rebuild the slum and the other societies around it, you think why this bastard is calling, no.? “Arre bhai, you are saying all this for nothing. I have even pledged the project with you. Even the LIG MHADA societies that we are developing, needs your NOC. You know how this government works. Nothing is cleared before months or even years. And then the BMC takes its time to give clearances and approvals in its own sweet time that too with so many officials that have to be bribed. And then some of the BMC officials have to be given flats and have to be recognized in the slums and provided free houses so that they can keep their 2nd and 3rd wives. Am I alone in utilizing your money? I told you about the damn officials. I have to give to everyone. You are 4 my only friends, gods and well wishers. If you too start saying this where will I go?” “Arre little joke and you become so tense. Why are you worrying? It’s our money that we are not getting back. And you are the one crying. While we who are losing so much interest on it are laughing and joking. Carry on with your fight. We are with you. Just get this done so that we can see the face of the profits. That’s all.” Keeps the phone down as all of them look at him, shaking their heads, each one has something to say. “He is a crook of the first order.” “bahut gandhaa aadmi hai..” “Always has some excuses ready” “haraami hai.. saala ” The builder sitting in his SUV “Bahut kutte log hain! Must be sitting at their club and calling me up when they very well know that the activist has been fasting from the past 2 months. Everyone knows it, but they pretend as if I am doing all the delays. Bahut gandhe log hain.” The 8 Committee members who are sitting next to the make shift pandal, are in a heated discussion. As the other committee members are standing around them. “But we wanted the demolition to begin. We gave the consent to the builder and he has a court order how can this activist come and get it stopped. Dirty bloody politics this is because the activist must have been sent money from you.” The woman in the group stands up against the guy who has said the words, “bahut gandhe log ho tum log .I have yet to come across such rotten bastards like you. She is the most respected activist of the country, don’t you dare say anything against this saintly lady. What does she gain if the work is stopped? She is sitting here with us without an AC like all of us, without any food or water, and you say the money must have reached her. You uncouth illiterate idiots, you are the reason this country is 5 going to the dogs. Why don’t you curse both the builders who are not getting proper compensation and accommodation ready before the demolition?” ***** This then is the premise and the few main characters of this hideously funny drama that will hold the mirror of the hilarious and ugly side of its folks. No one is sacred here. Everyone knows that everyone is on sale. So everyone is suspect. Everyone feels that the other rotten scoundrel has taken some bloody dirty money. Nobody is uncorrupt, because that would mean losing a roof over their heads if they don’t have a ration card on their names. So the officials giving out these identifications are the gods who have to be pleased to get a roof over their heads. “When we offer Prasad and money to the gods to get our basic comforts what’s wrong in giving the official of the BMC and the ration card officer a few rupees in exchange of an identity?” This is the wisdom given by a mother to her son and daughter for paying the ration officer and the BMC and the Electricity Department to get their basic comforts. “When everything is dependent on the person in front why think of going to the authorities and waste time and money for just saving a few rupees which go to the guy who does so much work done for us.” These are few of the words that show how most of these characters think. These are few of the values, the poor of this country has based its lives on. 6 **** The story carries the entire true picture of Mumbai and India as it lives today. There are no apologies. No pretence. With far more clarity about the nexus of the builders and the BMC officials and the officials in the housing ministries and the worst of all - the public, - that is as greedy and as corrupt as its politicians. Title: Under Construction Genre: Social Satire / Drama Setting: Mumbai – from sprawling suburban slums to elite high-rises and opulent clubs ACT ONE: BLUEPRINTS OF DECEIT Setup: In the buzzing heart of Mumbai’s redevelopment scene, Bhau, a once-hopeful local builder, watches his life's dream slip away. Once appointed to lead the transformation of a massive slum sprawl into highrise apartments, he’s now a powerless figure, elbowed out by a better-funded, suave developer backed by slick-talking liaison agents and FDI investors. The story is told from the weary yet sharp point of view of Bhau’s 60-year-old wife, a disillusioned architect who once dreamt of real change and is now forced to watch the circus of corruption, betrayal, and naked ambition unfold. Conflict Introduced:  A famous social activist stages a hunger strike at the slum site to stop the redevelopment, 7 accusing both government and builders of exploiting the poor.  Two powerful slum groups emerge: one supporting redevelopment (for promised flats), and one (led by the activist) opposing demolition due to broken promises and delays.  Media attention explodes, as TV journalists and social commentators, including an old authorjournalist, start circling the story like vultures, each with their own agenda. Bhau’s core committee—comprising himself, his fiery wife, his widowed mistress-sister-in-law, and other comically self-interested slum leaders—embody the contradictions of the slum dwellers: corrupt yet helpless, cynical yet clinging to hope. ACT TWO: SCHEMES, SCANDALS & SATYAGRAHA Rising Tension: As tensions rise at the protest site, the slum committee implodes in arguments over bribes, fake documents, second wives, and fears of losing homes. Bhau’s wife emerges as a morally gray but strong voice, ridiculing both the activist’s saintly image and the committee’s petty infighting. Meanwhile:  In luxury hotel suites, foreign and local investors play poker and make crude jokes, furious about the billions stuck in the stalled project. Their calls to the builder are laced with sarcasm, threats, and reminders of mounting losses.  The builder, harried and bitter, juggles bribes, approvals, and angry investors while blaming delays on the activist and corrupt officials demanding flats for their second and third wives.  The media circus intensifies, with TV vans, news crews, and ―influencers‖ descending on the slum like it's a war zone. The social activist, despite her hunger strike, is accused of being bought off by rival developers. Meanwhile, the very people she's trying to help— Bhau’s group—suspect each other of taking bribes. Everyone is a suspect. 8 Everyone is corrupt. And the system—layered with bureaucracy, extortion, and exploitation—continues unchecked. ACT THREE: THE DEMOLITION WITHIN Climax: Just when the activist is expected to call off her fast in front of a politician, chaos erupts:  A fistfight breaks out among the slum groups.  Accusations fly like bricks—about bribes, second wives, backdoor deals.  The builder receives a call: his FDI partner is pulling out. Another investor is considering going to the media with damning evidence.  Bhau’s wife finally confronts her husband, his mistress, the whole committee. In a bitter monologue, she tears into everyone’s hypocrisy, exposing secrets and lies—from fake hutment ownerships to phony ration cards. Resolution: The activist collapses from dehydration as cameras roll. The politician never arrives. The media spins a new story: ―Slum Satyagraha Ends in Betrayal‖. The builder walks away with fresh backing from a new corporate entity—ready to use loopholes and government connections. Bhau and the committee? Replaced. The liaison couple? Dumped. Bhau’s wife walks away from it all. In a final bitterly comic moment, she visits her old architecture college and sees a new wing sponsored by one of the very corrupt men she once fought. She smiles wryly. Final Note: "Under Construction" ends with a darkly humorous but brutally honest reflection on India’s urban chaos. Nothing is sacred—neither the activist nor the slum dweller, neither the builder nor the bureaucrat. In a city forever rebuilding, it’s the people who remain perpetually under construction. 9 Title: UNDER CONSTRUCTION Genre: Satirical Drama | Urban Decay | Social Noir Tone: Bitingly ironic, tragic, darkly comic Setting: Mumbai — slums, corridors of power, luxury suites, and broken dreams ACT ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF GREED The Frame: Told through the perspective of a 60-yearold female architect, once idealistic, now bitterly observant—wife of Bhau, an ex-builder turned powerless slum committee leader. Key Threads:  The Slum Committee: Bhau and his wife hold 4 hutments. But Bhau’s secret? His widowed sisterin-law, also his mistress, has been promised one of the rehab flats too. Unknown to Bhau, she’s also in touch with the rival builder.  The committee of 8 is a grotesque farce—each member a symbol of India’s corruption pyramid: o The scavenger wives have sold multiple electricity meters under different names. o One member secretly sold out early consent letters to another FSI-hungry builder. o Another—posing as pro-development—has blackmailed both builders for off-the-record "donations" to their fake NGO. Betrayal Unfolds:  The activist on hunger strike, portrayed as saintly, is secretly being sponsored by a rival builder lobby (a detail only Bhau’s wife suspects).  The journalist/author, appearing principled, is seen negotiating with a media house on how to package the protest as a "Netflix-style" docuseries.  Bhau, believing he's holding the slum together, is about to discover that his own son has made a private deal to sell their hutment ownership to an agent promising better flats in another scheme. ACT TWO: THE COLLAPSE BEGINS 10 Rising Betrayals & Corrupt Alliances:  The liaison couple, once hopeful of brokering the deal with foreign investors, realize that the builder used their documents to pitch to a more influential corporate, cutting them out entirely.  One of the scavenger wives finds out that her husband, long absent from meetings, has been secretly working as a personal assistant to the builder, helping him monitor slum attitudes.  A second-tier BMC officer, once loyal to Bhau’s wife, switches sides, demanding a flat for his mistress or else he'll report fake hutment records to the authorities.  In a moment of bitter irony, the social activist collapses dramatically during a press conference — her medical report shows signs of well-planned glucose drip support, shattering public faith. Public Faces Crumble:  A sting operation led by a rival journalist reveals that two core committee members were paid to instigate violence during the satyagraha to get media attention.  The investors, furious over lost time, secretly pledge equity to the rival developer (the one who funded the activist), bypassing the builder.  Bhau learns that his own wife—the architect—was approached to design the redevelopment plan by the rival builder and has submitted drafts under a pseudonym. ACT THREE: DEMOLITION DAY The Emotional Climax of Betrayal:  The slum gets bulldozed, not by court order, but through a manipulated emergency notice quietly pushed through by corrupt bureaucrats on a national holiday when courts are shut.  Bhau’s family hutments are gone. His sister-inlaw vanishes—seen entering a new MHADA flat with another man.  The activist is last seen being awarded a Padma Shri, smiling in a photo-op with the urban development minister. 11 The liaison couple are arrested for document forgery, though the originals were forged by the builder himself.  The builder? He becomes a consultant to a global urban redevelopment fund, flying first class to Dubai. Final Irony:  In the closing moments, Bhau’s wife (our narrator) walks through the now-leveled land— holding in her hand the finalized blueprint of the redevelopment tower, bearing her hidden signature.  She watches her old slum neighbors fighting amongst themselves over relocation letters, beating each other over rumored bribes.  Her final voice-over: “Every slab of concrete will bear our fingerprints. Every name on every door will be someone else’s lie. And when the towers rise, it will not be on truth or justice... but on compromise. And blood.”  Themes Enhanced:  Corruption as Religion: Bribes are "offerings", ration cards are "blessings", identity documents are "scriptures" of the new order.  Satire of Heroism: No one is a savior. Everyone is complicit. Even idealism is a commodity.  The System Wins: The film doesn’t celebrate collapse; it documents it like an architect of ruin. UNDER CONSTRUCTION Written by: [Your Name] FADE IN: EXT. SLUM REDEVELOPMENT SITE – MUMBAI SUBURB – DUSK A choked sun sets behind broken tarpaulin roofs. A dusty wind sweeps through half-demolished chawls, rusted water tanks, and cement bags that haven’t moved in months. Stray dogs howl as drums beat in the distance. SUPER: "MUMBAI. THE EDGE OF TOMORROW." 12 VOICEOVER (FEMALE, 60s, weary, sharp): (soft, matter-of-fact) ―In a city where time waits for no one… it waits longest for the poor. Six years and still counting. A project that was meant to be hope, now lies buried under court cases, bribes, and bastards.‖ CAMERA SLOWLY TILTS to reveal a giant HOARDING: ―COMING SOON – SHANGRI-LA SKIES. Affordable Luxury Living.‖ Below it, a group of WORKERS sleep shirtless on bricks. A banner that reads ―SATYAGRAHA FOR JUSTICE‖ flaps in the wind. INT. MAKESHIFT COMMITTEE OFFICE – SHANTY STRUCTURE – CONTINUOUS A 10x10 foot space. Walls of plywood. Fan dangling like a dying flower. Seven plastic chairs. One dusty water cooler. Charts and maps of the proposed towers. BHAU (60s), pot-bellied, faux-patriarch, in sleeveless vest, slouches with confidence. Around him, the CORE COMMITTEE—3 WOMEN and 4 MEN—are midargument. BHAU The court order is with us. The builder has the papers. Why the hell should we stop because some sari-clad saint wants a fast? RAFIQ (50s), bitter, former clerk Because her photo's in every bloody newspaper. And the court doesn’t feed our stomachs. WOMAN 1 (40s, the scavenger’s wife, feisty) She’s sitting without food. Not without funds. You think she’s fasting for fun? INT. SPRAWLING FLAT – SOUTH MUMBAI – SAME TIME THE ARCHITECT WIFE (60, elegant, hollowed) sits alone in a plush but faded sea-facing flat. Floorplans and 13 slum maps scattered like dead leaves. She's watching the hunger strike live on a muted flat-screen TV. VOICEOVER ―They called Bhau a visionary. I called him a mistake. He started this slum redevelopment with dreams of towers and glory. Today he’s stuck negotiating with mistresses, scavengers, and goddamn ration card officers.‖ She sips her tea. Grimaces. It's bitter. ARCHITECT (softly, to herself) And yet I signed the blueprints... all over again. She turns back to the plans. In bold letters on top: ―REVISED MASTER PLAN – SHANGRI-LA SKIES PHASE II.‖ CUT TO: INT. CLUB LOUNGE – NIGHT Marble floors. Leather clinks. seats. Laughter. Whiskey RICH INVESTORS play poker and watch the news on a giant screen. INVESTOR 1 Isn’t that the site we dumped 220 crores into? INVESTOR 2 (calling builder on speaker) Time’s up, bhai. Either you deliver flats… or we demolish your balls. BETRAYAL REVEAL SCENE – THE BUILDER & THE LIAISON COUPLE INT. BUILDER’S SUV – OUTSIDE SITE – NIGHT Builder (50s, cocky, sweating), sits inside his airconditioned SUV. He’s just finished a tense call with the investors. His aide, a jittery assistant, hands him a folder marked ―CONFIDENTIAL.‖ BUILDER (reading aloud) 14 "FDI clearance... separate MoU... What the fuck is this?" Inside is a contract signed by the LIAISON COUPLE and another BUILDER FIRM. The letterhead reads: ―GOLDEN PALM INFRASTRUCTURE – Dubai/Mumbai‖ BUILDER (growls) Son of a bitch... they’re cutting me out. He dials. Fast. Furious. INT. LIAISON COUPLE’S SEA-FACING APARTMENT – SAME TIME REEMA (35, polished, charming, cold) is speaking on the phone to a Dubai-based investor. REEMA He’s stalling. The project is bleeding. Our MoU gives us exclusive rights if he fails to deliver by June. We activate it at midnight tonight. Her husband, ROHAN (40s, smooth operator), finishes a glass of wine. He's watching CCTV footage on a screen showing the slum site from hidden cameras. ROHAN By the time he figures it out, we’ll already have TDR transfer, MHADA approvals, and the Dubai investor’s board resolution. We give the slum committee a bigger cut. They’ll flip. � CHARACTER MATRIX – CORE SLUM COMMITTEE (8 PEOPLE) Name Role Secrets & Corruption Bhau (60s) Committee Chairman Has 4 hutments, forged one in son’s name. Sleeps with sister-in-law. Took ₹18L cash from old builder and is now extorting the new one for more compensation. Manda (50s) Bhau's Wife Runs ration card and electricity access racket. Knew about Bhau’s affair, but used it to trap widow sister into signing off two hutments to her. 15 Pushpa (45) Widow Sister-in-law Officially ―widow,‖ unofficially Bhau’s mistress. Has a secret deal with Rohan (liaison) to swing committee votes in exchange for a flat in Andheri. Rafiq (50s) Ex-BMC Clerk Has a side business faking IDs for slum dwellers to claim extra flats. Secretly tapes committee meetings to sell dirt to media. Dilip (40s) Scrap Dealer Fronts as poor, but runs an unlicensed godown in Bhiwandi. Took ₹5L bribe from rival builder to vote against demolition last year. Savita (40s) Wife of Municipal Worker Has 2 MHADA flats. Operates illegal water connections at ₹500/month. Accepted sex-for-flat deal from one junior architect. Geeta (38) Other Municipal Worker’s Wife Offers bogus property documentation services. Faked 8 resident signatures to support Bhau's faction. Also shelters her brother, a wanted thug, in slum. Sundar (28) Youngest, Student Leader The only one trying to stay clean. But has been blackmailed by Rafiq over a stolen laptop he fenced once. Slowly giving in to the rot. POSSIBLE DRAMATIC TURNING POINT: Scene: At a secret late-night committee meeting, Pushpa confronts Bhau after finding out he offered her hutment to the liaison couple as a bribe for keeping silent. Dialogues fly, old scandals are shouted out, and Geeta reveals she has recordings of Rafiq selling documents. Savita screams that the junior architect forced her into sex, only to find out it was all filmed by Rohan. Sundar watches silently, the only witness not yet stained—until Bhau whispers that Sundar's dying mother’s ration card was never processed… unless he cooperates. 16 ACT 2 – MIDPOINT STRUCTURE: ―The Flashpoint‖ Location: The slum site, Mumbai | Early evening � Setup: The builder finds out about the liaison couple’s secret deal with the rival Dubai firm. Media coverage of the Satyagraha is at its peak. A sting video leaks to the media showing Savita (committee member) in a compromising situation with a junior architect in the builder’s firm. � Rising Tension: The crowd outside the pandal explodes in outrage at the betrayal of their own. The slum dwellers factions. now split further into violent Pushpa and Rafiq begin blaming each other publicly, and someone throws a slipper at a news anchor. Stones are hurled. Police arrive in riot gear. The activist collapses mid-fast as she tries to calm the crowd. � Midpoint Moment: The Riot & Collapse The crowd breaches the barricades. The activist is injured in the chaos. Her fall is caught live on national TV. News runs a breaking story: ―Activist Assaulted as Sex Scandal Erupts in Slum Rehab Project.‖ The builder is blamed. The investor group threatens to withdraw funding unless damage is controlled. Meanwhile, the liaison couple tries to spin this as an opportunity for a hostile takeover. � FULL BETRAYAL CONFRONTATION SCENE INT. LUXURY CLUB – LOUNGE ROOM – NIGHT 17 Gold interiors. Music hums faintly. The liaison couple, Reema and Rohan, are sipping single malts by the bar. A waiter walks up, shaking. WAITER Sir… someone is asking for you outside. He’s not in the mood to wait. They exchange a look. Reema straightens her back. EXT. CLUB ENTRANCE – NIGHT A black SUV door slams. The BUILDER steps out, two men behind him. He’s holding a file and a rolled blueprint. His face is red, his jaw tight. BUILDER (coldly) Enjoying your drink? ROHAN We were just— BUILDER Save it. You want my project, right? Dubai deal. Backdoor MoU. TDR rights. All mine. You thought I wouldn’t find out? REEMA (calmly) You’ve been bleeding cash for 6 years. Court orders or not, your ship is sinking. We only aligned with... survival. The Builder throws the blueprint on the floor. BUILDER You used me to get approvals. You slept with my architect, took our consent forms, and now you show me survival? ROHAN (chuckling) You’re no saint. Who was it that asked Savita for ―more than tea‖ in exchange for her family’s flat? She did what you asked... and now she’s on every channel. 18 BUILDER (growling) That’s your doing? REEMA (smirking) We warned you about filming camera. But it’s our edit. everyone. It’s your BUILDER You're finished. You hear me? ROHAN No. You are. The investors want stability. They’ve already signed us on—interim project heads. They think you're the face of bad PR. He hands letterhead. over a letter—printed on investor BUILDER This city deserves to drown. REEMA It already has. We’re just bottling the water and selling it. The builder storms out, leaving the blueprint behind, which the waiter quietly picks up. � SEXUAL BLACKMAIL SUBPLOT (ALREADY REVEALED) NEWS CLIP – SPREAD ONLINE A sting video, edited and subtitled, is making rounds on social media: Savita is seen kissing the junior architect in a half-constructed building stairwell. The timestamp reveals it was during a ―committee inspection‖ day. The caption: ―FLATS FOR FAVORS: SLUM COMMITTEE MEMBER CAUGHT IN COMPROMISE‖ 19 � FALLING DOMINOES (Post-Midpoint Consequences) Savita’s husband attacks the builder's team. Bhau is blamed builder‖. for giving Savita ―access to the Savita reveals in fury that Pushpa signed hutments to the liaison couple weeks ago. off A slum boy live-streams the entire riot and betrayal conversation. The police begin making arrests. ChatGPT said: Absolutely. Let’s now structure ACT 3 of Under Construction—where everything unravels, alliances disintegrate, and we get the ultimate cynical punch in the gut that reflects Mumbai's broken redevelopment dream. This is where satire meets tragedy. � ACT 3: ―The Collapse‖ � OVERVIEW The third act captures: Immediate fallout of the riot and scandal Media frenzy and blame games A highly politicized court case The final demolition And a darkly ironic resolution: who walks away rich, and who is buried under the rubble—literally or metaphorically. � SEQUENCE 1: Aftermath of the Riot Time: Early morning, day after the chaos 20 TV Anchors scream: ―SEX, SLUMS, SCAM – CITY UNDER FIRE!‖ The activist is hospitalized, unconscious. Her image becomes the moral center of the scandal—used by both sides for mileage. Savita is missing, her husband complaint blaming the builder. files a police Pushpa is arrested for forging old ration cards and property documents. Bhau is seen on multiple news channels giving contradictory interviews (―I have 4 hutments, all legally earned.‖ / ―I was tricked into giving consent!‖) � TV Debate Show Cut-In: “Is anyone here really a victim, or are they all pimps in this orgy of greed?” � SEQUENCE 2: Courtroom & Media Circus High Court. Day. Packed gallery. The activist’s NGO files a PIL against the builder, the liaison couple, and the BMC. Builder’s lawyer argues that ―all formalities were legally cleared‖ and shows court orders. Public prosecutor presents the sex sting, the forged consent letters, and media leaks. The builder turns on the liaison couple, saying they manipulated him and are now vultures feeding on his bones. Reema appears in court wearing white with a dupatta, acting like a sacrificial savior. She claims she was ―threatened into collaboration.‖ � Courtroom Bombshell: 21 A BMC officer comes forward under oath: “Everyone took money. And everyone gave it.” � CUTAWAYS DURING COURT SCENE: Protesters burn effigies outside the court. Investor lobby holds a press conference in Bangkok saying they “have full faith in India’s legal system.” An exposé by the journalist friend of the activist shows how even the activist’s NGO received a donation from the same FDI fund that backed the liaison couple. � SEQUENCE 3: Demolition Day Weeks later. A court-approved controlled demolition begins. The slum is to be razed in phases. Pushpa is in jail. Bhau gives an interview from a LIG flat in Thane: “The fight was worth it. I have dignity and my own bathroom now.” Savita returns—disfigured, burned in an "accidental" fire no one investigates. She lives in a rehab transit camp, alone and silent. � MONTAGE: Machines roll in. Children watch as homes crumble. Elderly women clutch idols and framed photos. Officials sip tea, pointing to blueprints. Onlookers shoot reels for Instagram. � FINAL SCENE: Full-Circle Irony INT. NEWLY FINISHED LUXURY TOWER – NIGHT 22 A lavish opening party. The building is renamed: “Aastha Heights: A Project by People, For People” Reema and Rohan walk in with shaking hands with investors. Builder sits quietly center of power. in a champagne corner, no glasses, longer the A BMC officer, now retired, is gifted a flat on the top floor. ―For his support,‖ they say. In the crowd, the journalist smiles faintly, knowing this too will make a great book. � FINAL IMAGE: Outside, in a corner of the demolished slum zone, a ragpicker child squats beside rubble. He pulls out a sooty photo of the activist. The child asks an old man: “Who was she?” The man replies: “Nobody. Just someone who believed.” CUT TO BLACK. � RESOLUTION – WHO GETS WHAT: Character Outcome Builder Marginalized, scapegoated but keeps 5% profit cut. Lives quietly. Reema & Rohan Gain full control with FDI investors, become poster couple of progress. Pushpa In jail awaiting trial. Loses all property. Bhau Gets LIG flat legally. Still calls himself ―The Original Visionary.‖ Savita Burned and ruined. No justice. No press. Forgotten. Activist Hero in posters. Died in hospital weeks later. Media Wins TRPs. Publishes exposés. Then moves on to a new scandal. 23 Investor Group Gets massive profits. Project sold to NRIs and tech executives. ilm Trailer Narration for UNDER CONSTRUCTION (Tone: Fast-paced, gritty, sarcastic, and dramatic — a mix of satire and noir) � [Slow tabla beat. Black screen.] NARRATOR (V.O.) In the city of dreams... one redevelopment project promised hope. ["Under Construction - The Future is Now" flashes onscreen] � [Quick cuts: hunger strike, cranes moving, kids running in narrow alleys, officials pushing files] NARRATOR (V.O.) But behind the bulldozers... were broken promises, forged documents... ...and very satisfied mistresses. � [Cut to a sultry club. A liaison woman whispers into the ear of an investor while unzipping his fly. Cut to Bhau lighting a beedi, watching slums burn on a handheld TV.] BUILDER (yelling into phone) "I was building dreams, dammit! Not running a damn brothel!" � [Beat drops. Rhythmic montage begins.] NARRATOR (V.O.) This is not just a demolition. This is a moral collapse. � [Shots: The activist collapsing mid-fast. The builder being slapped. Media vans swarming. Bhau punching a journalist. A flat in flames.] � TV ANCHOR (shouting) 24 "Sex tapes! Ration card scams! BMC bribes! Is this the cost of progress?!" NARRATOR (V.O.) Eight committee members. Four mistresses. Two forged LOIs. One court order. And absolutely... no shame. � [The activist’s face becomes a candle in a protest banner. A champagne bottle pops at the luxury tower opening. The slum burns behind it.] � REEMA (smirking) “Gentrification is just another word for rebirth.” � [Title burn in — concrete crumbling around it] � UNDER CONSTRUCTION "Progress has a price. And everyone’s for sale." [Final shot: a ragpicker child finds a broken Ganpati idol in the rubble and looks directly at the camera.] COMING SOON To a courtroom, a cocktail party, and a construction site near you. MAIN POSTER TAGLINE OPTIONS: “Progress Has a Price. Everyone’s Already Paid.” “Before They Built Towers, They Buried the Truth.” “Democracy. Demolition. Deceit.” “Built on Lies. Sold with Pride.” “From Slum to Scam — One Blueprint at a Time.” 25 “The Building Construction.” Wasn’t the Only Thing Under “Flats for the Greedy. Graves for the Gullible.” “When Corruption is the Foundation, Everything Must Fall.” � SOCIAL CAMPAIGN SLOGANS: #WhoSignedTheConsent? #RationCardNation #MistressMandate #ThisCityWasNeverYours #FSIFraudFiles #DemolishTheTruth #FromActivismToAfterparty #FlatsForSaleValuesForfeit 26