JASMINE ON A GOLDEN SCAR A One-Day Bollywood Saga in Jaipur

JASMINE ON A GOLDEN SCAR

A One-Day Bollywood Saga in Jaipur

05:17 a.m. 14 February – 12:03 a.m. 15 February

CAST AND SECRET OBJECTS

Radha Mehra 19 Kathak street-dancer hides a thumb-sized gold pellet stamped R.M.

Avinash Avi Singh 22 mute pickpocket carries a wilted jasmine that re-scents when he is merciful

Sub-Inspector Insiya Qureshi 25 undercover hunts Avi secretly hunts her lost sister wears a broken child anklet

Seth Ratanlal Johari 55 jeweller-kingpin murdered Radha s father owns a cane with molten-gold handle

City of Jaipur breathing watching singing back-up vocals

PROLOGUE 00:00–05:16 a.m.

Night refuses to die. Above the Pink City the moon is a silver rupee in a beggar s bowl. A red paper kite flaps like a fresh wound. Down in the arteries of Jaipur marigolds glow neon cardamom smoke braids with diesel a radio coughs up Lata Mangeshkar. Beneath the song beats a heart that has no voice. Avi stands on railway tracks pocket cradling a wilted jasmine. One mile east Radha ties ankle-bells in Hawa Mahal each bell echoing her father s last breath. Between her fingers glints a gold pellet no larger than a tear. Somewhere between them Insiya loads memories into her service pistol a broken anklet cutting her wrist like a forgotten promise.

ACT I THE SCENT OF DAWN 05:17–08:00

Gem Market wakes to ankle-bells. Radha rehearses on a wooden cart jasmine petals falling with every spin. The gold pellet slips clink rolls to Avi s bare foot. Their eyes lock fear in hers recognition in his the royal mint mark his own father died forging. Insiya in a faded denim jacket sips chai while CCTV stills on her phone freeze on Avi s face. A monsoon gust flattens awnings petals swirl into a heart shape thunder answers like a tabla roll. Avi pockets the gold instead of stealing it the jasmine in his fist blooms for the first time in years.

ACT II THE MID-DAY MASK 08:01–14:00

Albert Hall steps host a Valentine dance-off. Tourists circle Radha performs Krishna s Flute each stamp drawing a secret map on marble. Seth Johari watches from a black sedan tapping a gold-capped cane his reflection split by windshield crack half face half shadow. Avi weaves lifting wallets replacing every note with a jasmine bud penance in motion. Insiya closes in shoulders brush she smells jasmine remembers ten-year-old Zoya singing in a jasmine field before she vanished.

Flashback inside Insiya s mind ten years ago Zoya chased by Johari s henchmen jasmine garland torn anklet snatched into mirrored corridors of City Palace. Back to present CCTV stills blur with memory.

ACT III THE GOLDEN SNARE 14:01–18:00

Johari s underground workshop furnace glow molten gold like liquid sunrise. Radha lured under pretext of a dance performance locked in a glass cage above the conveyor inching toward heat. Avi and Insiya break through forgotten prison tunnels. Avi sketches on dusty floor heart plus jasmine equals Zoya Insiya nods tears cutting mascara tracks. Mirror maze showdown Johari confronts them wearing mirrored mask reflecting their guilt. Johari Gold remembers every scream Insiya So do I. She fires bullet ricochets shatters mirrors each shard shows Zoya s child-face.

ACT IV FIRE-WALK AND FORGIVENESS 18:01–23:00

Glass floor finale Radha dances on cracking surface molten gold bubbles below. Avi crawls beneath sliding the gold pellet into a cooling mold evidence becomes lifeline. Johari dangles Zoya s anklet over furnace Insiya must choose duty or soul. Avi places last jasmine petal into Insiya s gun barrel she lowers the weapon. Radha stamps glass shatters gold splashes Avi redirects it into a heart-shaped mold. Cooled gold heart reveals initials Q Z Zoya Qureshi. Johari slips on molten droplets falls cane clattering like broken ghungroos.

ACT V MIDNIGHT JASMINE 23:01–00:03

Rooftop of Hawa Mahal city lights flicker like diyas. Radha ties the gold heart around Insiya s wrist. Avi signs in the air For Zoya. Insiya hugs him jasmine scent returns blooming fresh in winter wind. Narrator steps out elderly Avi voice restored by age addresses the reader Forty Valentine dawns later the jasmine still blooms on this rooftop. I never told them the pellet was my father s last forgery some truths are best left to melt in the heart of the beholder.

CIRCULAR ECHO

First line repeated word for word In the city where every wall is a mirror I once hid inside a reflection. My name is Avinash Singh and the jasmine in my pocket still carries the night s moonlight.

EPILOGUE 00:03 a.m.

Camera pulls back Hawa Mahal windows glow like hundreds of golden eyes. A new mute boy steals a jasmine garland from the old man s stall. Cycle begins again. Fade-out sound of ankle-bells.