Code Red 31st March 2015 Written Episode, Written Update on TellyUpdates.com
Charki Village, Rajasthan:
A guy (Mulji) wakes up in the morning and is brushing his teeth. His father and mother are leaving for some place. He tells them not to return empty handed. His parents talk in the bus. Its been 6 years but they have been giving us all kinds of excuses only. Her husband too refuses to give in to their excuses this time.
Murad Village, Rajasthan:
A girl (Kajri) is reading answers from her book as she walks along with a boy (fellow student or friend).
A boy (Bansi) runs to tell his father (Purshottam) that Jagjeevan Kaka is here. Bansi is told to take care of the shop while his father heads to home.
Jagjeevan and his wife are at that man’s house. They are not happy to know that Kajri is still studyin (she is in college right now). Purshottam reaches
Kajri and Arun wish each other luck as they part ways.
19 year old physics student, Kajri, had no idea about the entire situation. She had a child marriage but she dint remember any of it now.
Theme – Deal
Jagjeevan’s wife makes it clear to Kajri’s parents that she wants her DIL at her house by this Saturday. Shyamli (Kajri’s mother) says the exams are till Thursday. Jagjeevan’s wife replies angrily but her husband signals her to calm down. Please send Kajri to our house by Saturday or! He leaves with his wife.
Purshottam scolds his wife for making Kajri study. What was the need for her to study till college? You all have lost your minds!
Shyamli tells Kajri that she will have to go to her in-laws place now. Bansi too got married when he was a kid. His wife will come in the house in a year’s time. Kajri asks her mother if Bansi too got married at the time of her marriage (at the age of 4). Shyamli denies. Bansi was merely 2 years old then. we used to live in Charki Village back then.
15 years ago:
Shyamli talks about her dream of studying. I couldn’t study but I want to educate both my children atleast. Her in-laws were against it and even her husband had slapped her for going against the tradition (of thinking of educating a girl child).
Kajri gets married. She stays at her in-laws house for a night as per the tradition. Next day, Jagjeevan’s wife tells Kajri’s parents that they will come after 9 years. We will take her back after doing her Gauna. Shyamli seeks her permission for sending Kajri to school. They agree. You will anyways teach her household work along with studies. Shyamli is happy for her daughter.
Present: Kajri knows that her mother is the one who has helped her in joining college. Will you support me till I graduate? Shyamli replies that she will have to go to her house. Kajri declines. I don’t even know that Mulji. How can I accept him as my husband?
Purshottam makes it clear to Kajri that he will drop her at her in-laws house on Saturday.
Kajri is in dilemma as she doesn’t know Mulji or anything about him. bansi reasons that she will find out with time.
Kajri was very much disturbed by all of it. She dint want to spend her life with a guy with whom she had a child marriage. That was one incident of which she had no memories or anything. This forced relation was neither right for her nor acceptable to her. But did her wishes matter to anyone else? Would she be allowed to raise a voice against it all?
Arun finds Kajri lost in thought. He is concerned seeing her thus. She asks him if he is married. He denies. She doesn’t want to go to that house. I don’t remember anything. Plus it was a child marriage. Will you accept anyone as your wife if someone randomly brings a girl in front of you and say that she is your wife? He replies that he is an orphan. I have grown up in an orphanage. How can I say for sure? Kajri asks for his opinion on the matter. He asks her if she is thinking of running away. Kajri gets intrigued. Will that sort things for me? Will you accompany me? I cannot do it alone. I am scared. He agrees. When should we do it then?
Arun is waiting for Kajri while she is waiting for all her family members to fall asleep. Kajri is successful in escaping from her house without waking up anyone. She is very scared / concerned though so she stops.
Next day, Arun tells Kajri that he waited for her till 5:30 am. She couldn’t get out as she got concerned for her mother. Everyone would have blamed her and would have said or maybe would have even done something to her. He asks her if she will become Mulji’s wife now.
Kajri had realised that her running away can save her but it will in turn create n number of problems for her family, especially her mother who had dared to send Kajri to school. Was there any way out for her from that marriage?
Kajri wants to meet / talk to Mulji. I want to know him. Purshottam slaps her. She reasons that she has a right to understand her husband. Maybe our outlook is same. Maybe he too is against this marriage. Maybe he too doesn’t want to spend his life with me. Purshottam scolds her not to speak rubbish. She tells him that she could have ran away yester night if it was not for him, Bansi and her mother. Please let me talk to him once. Purshottam gives in this time. I will take you to his place on Saturday so you can talk to him then.
Shyamli is doubtful if Mulji will understand Kajri’s point. Kajri doesn’t mind explaining it to him. How can he only think of his own happiness when I am not happy? Her mother explains that men think differently. Your father is going with you. He will stay there only if something different happens.
Kajri reaches Charki Village with her father. She is shocked to see Mulji’s house all decked up with guests standing outside. She asks her father about it. we were going to talk to Mulji first. Purshottam tells her not to create a drama. He is your husband. You have your whole life to talk to each other. He takes her with him to Mulji’s House. His mom starts doing Kajri’s aarti but she tells them clearly that she has not come for all this. I had told my father that I wanted to talk to Mulji. I don’t accept this child marriage. This is wrong. Jagjeevan questions Purshottam who ends up slapping Kajri again. this is your house. This has been your house since you got married to Mulji at the age of 4. I made a mistake by listening to your mother. I should have sent her here years ago when she had not even gone to school. Please forgive me and keep her with you. Kajri refuses to accept the house or its people as her own. The elders too scold Kajri. They even blame her for being arrogant, for being shameless. It isn’t your (Purshottam’s) mistake but it is the mistake of books that teach rubbish. We helped you in settling down in Murad but your daughter here is insulting all of us.
Kajri only wants to talk to Mulji for 2 minutes. has anyone asked him if he is ready to accept this marriage or whether he really wants to live his life with me or not? Her MIL suggests her to finish the rituals, go inside and then talk. Purshottam leaves Kajri there and heads back. She pleads to him but her MIL holds her hand. Kajri picks up a sharp object. She threatens to hurt herself in case anyone tries to force her to go in Mulji’s House. Mulji and his father advance toward her but the same old man stops them. this girls has lost her mind. Let her go. Kajri continues to hold that sharp object close to her neck as she walks out from there. Mulji and his family are hurt. They vow to take revenge from Kajri and her family.
Kajri manages to reach her house somehow. Her father beats her badly. Shyamli tries to interrupt but he knows that now they (Jagjeevan and his family) wont spare them. our lives will become hell now. What will be our place in the society!
In a male dominant society, whenever a girl goes against a tradition then the outcome is very strong and often dangerous. Kajri had refused to accept child marriage which has been prevalent in their society since like always. The entire village joined hands in troubling Kajri and her family. it was very important for them to end her confidence and self-respect completely.
Purshottam’s family is shunned from any kind of participation in the society, in attending weddings; no one will sell or buy anything from their shop; Bansi’s Gauna is put on hold; Shyamli and Kajri wont take water from the Baoli; no benefit of any Panchayat scheme; banned from entering the temple. This will continue till Kajri (along with her family) apologizes to Jagjeevan on her own will. She will have to apologize to everyone. The same information is sent to the Head of their village. They decide to break Kajri or maybe tomorrow every other girl will try to become Kajri. It will be disastrous then!
Purshottam and his family get only one day (today) to gather what all they want to and can as they will be shunned completely by them all from tomorrow onwards. Purshottam seeks apology from the head but he in turn advises them to make Kajri understand asap. You all will live in peace as soon as this girl accepts to become the DIL of that house. You all are not even a part of this village from this very moment onwards. He leaves with his men. Purshottam is heartbroken. Bansi blames Kajri for everything.
Purshottam is not in a good condition. Arun asks Kajri why dint she wait for him. she shares that her brother is not talking to her. My father is bedridden but he doesn’t even so much as look at me. Am I only a body? Don’t I have a right to feel anything? How can someone else have a right over my life?
Its been 2 weeks. Mulji is angry at Kajri because she has made a joke of him and his family.
Purshottam is down with pneumonia. Doc advises them to admit him in the hospital asap. Bansi blames Kajri for this as well. You will kill us all one day. Purshottam dies. His family members are distraught. Bansi decides to leave this place / this house. I will go to some place where people wont recognize me as this burden’s (Kajri’s) brother. I will come and take you with me when I start earning good.
Kajri starts working at a factory (in a nearby village) to support herself and her mother. She has not gone to college since past 2 weeks. Arun reminds her about their exams. You will get the best job once you graduate. Kajri already had a word with Adil Sir. I will leave this job when I find some part time job. I will have to work till then to sustain. He offers to give her loan but she politely denies.
It’s been almost one year. Mulji is not ready to sit quietly. I have been insulted enough. They are not able to break Kajri which irks them all the more. The same old man (Brij Mohan) suggests them to do a deal. Ask them for compensation. There is no point in stretching the matter. Quote a high price and end this matter once and for all. We cannot throw them out of the village as it might stir something in higher authorities.
Jagjeevan and his wife come to Kajri’s house. They ask for 75k as compensation. We will break this marriage then. Kajri reasons that they have no source of income. The entire village has cut off all sorts of communications for us. Our shop is also closed down. It is already hard for us to make ends meet. They stick to their demand. We wont take a penny less than this amount. We will even approach Panchayat if you refuse to give us money. Shyamli is really scared.
Kajri cannot sleep at night. She wakes up her mother. Do you also think that I was wrong? Don’t I have a right to feel anything? Shyamli gives her full support to her. I am proud of you. you are not a lioness. You have become that ways by getting educated. I did the right thing by sending you to school. You did the best thing by fighting. All the hard work would have been a waste if you had no voice of your own. Lakhs of girls give up every day. If you too would have done the same then it would have been a total waste. You did the right thing.
Next morning, Head refuses to talk to Kajri but she stays put. We don’t have that much money and we wouldn’t have given them any money even if we had it. They warn her that they will be tortured 10 times more now. There wont be any escape for you. Kajri is not affected. I have thought of running away, suicide a lot many times but it wont end the matter as you are the problem, not me. I realised that I will have to end this low thinking of yours. Now don’t try to scare us as we are not going to be scared. The men walk away.
Kajri was fully charged up to fight against anyone now. Her mother was standing with her in full support. But will all these people with their backward mentality let them do anything?
Mulji and his family discuss the matter. Mulji vows to teach a lesson to Kajri.
Mulji is on his way to Murad village. Kajri is doing her work in the factory. He waits for her outside the village. They both notice each other and stop in their tracks. Kajri recalls seeing the same angry expressions on his face last time too. Mulji takes out a knife from his pocket. She starts running and he follows her with the knife. She tumbles because of a stone. He attacks her but she holds his hand. She eventually pushes him and gets the knife too. She stops the knife at a distance from him. he tells her to kill him as he cannot bear this insult anymore. I am giving you a chance to free you from myself. She tells him that she doesn’t want to kill him and dint even want to insult him at all. I don’t even know you. I only wanted to know who you are, what you do and if you really want to spend your life with me. He tells her that he used to work as a labourer in Delhi but missed his family so he came back here. What else should I tell? You are enjoying insulting me as I dint even pass class 4th. Don’t forget that we are married. She retorts that they both were kids. They were not even in their senses back then. Now that we are grownups we have a right to change things. I have a right to say no if I don’t want this relation. You too have the same right. He says we have a right to say yes too. I had said yes long ago. It is only you who is not ready to listen or accept things. She says I should listen to your yes but you cannot understand my no. why are you taking it all on your respect? He replies that all the men joke on me. they say that I lack something because of which my Gauna dint happen. She can understand his pain. But it isn’t right to ruin someone’s life because of what society says. He asks for her opinion on this. She still says that it is not a shameful thing to listen to and accept a woman’s no. you are a real man if you graciously accept it and respect her for it. he respectfully asks her once again if she will marry him. She still says no. I will respect you for life if you accept my answer. She begins to go when he picks up the knife again. She turns to look at him.
Charki Village, Rajasthan:
Mulji has decided to give Kajri a chance to live her life. I had thought to kill her but then I will be in jail. He gives papers for breaking his marriage. I find logic in Kajri’s words. She doesn’t like me but she is right. You marry someone to some person, tree or animal in their childhood but should they accept it when they grow up? I have realised it now.
Kajri and Shyamli open their shop again. Shaymli tells her to go to college. Kajri wants Bansi to come back too as everything is fine now. Shyamli has already sent him a message. Rest it is up to him.
Arun and Kajri are on their way to college.
Kajri joined college again. she is only a few months away from her graduation now. Village Panchayat took back all those exclusions. Life is still not easy but both Kajri and Shyamli are made of something else altogether. Mulji is working in city now. It wasn’t easy for him to accept it all but the change in his outlook is worth appreciation. Every man of our country should accept it equally graciously. We lose when we give up in front of these orthodox traditions. We lose when people choose to become mute spectators instead of doing something. Child marriage is legally a crime in our country. But we cannot just accept this as a fact only. We have to do a lot more than that, and not be a mute spectator. This disease will go away when girls like Kajri will revolt against it, with a mother like Shyamli supporting her, and with people like Mulji who are ready to accept and respect a different outlook towards the entire situation rather than following the traditions that they have been brought up in for life.
Update Credit to: Pooja