LETTERS TO FREEDOM

AZAADI KE KHAT
BY
VILAKSHAN SAXENA

CHARACTER SKETCH
SCENE 1.
1.FATHER 2.SON 3.COMMANDER 4.MANGAL PANDEY 5.MESSENGER 6.
RANI LAKHSMI BAI
7. BHAKHT
KHAN 8.NANA SAHEB 9.BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR .

SCENE 2.
1.VICEROY

2. DEPUTY VICEROY

3. LEADER1 4. LEADER2 5. LEADER3

SCENE 3.
PART 1.
1.GANDHIJI 2. RAJEEV
PART 2.
1.JUDGE

2.BHAGAT SINGH 3.RAJGURU 4.SUKHDEV 5. FF 1

2 7.FF 3 8.FF 4 9.COUNCIL 1 10.COUNCIL 2

6.FF

PART 3.
1. 1ST MAN

2. 2ND MAN

3. 3RD MAN 4. GANDHI

7. NEHRU.

5. JINNAH

6. PATEL

Scene 1
#NARRATION
#SON PRACTISING SPEECH . FATHER ENTERS
Son :- and so I belong to a nation with ..ahh. I cannot do it.
Father :- what happened. Not getting on the track eh.?
Son :- I just ah I dont know how to get these words through me. Its just that, that feel is not coming.
Father :- UN assembly wont kill you son.. try harder ..look Ill give you a mantra . my father use to
say that if the dish doesnt taste like want it to, just add a pinch of emotions and feelings to it. So do
that . feel what you want to say to them. Make it worth everyones appreciation and above all make it
worth for the people of our country.wow now thats patriotic.
Son:- chalo chalo..you wrote that down somewhere right .?
Father :- haha no chalo get on with your work . rise and shine kid.
Son :- I am not a kid pa. I am 27 ok
#father exit , son gets to the corner of the stage an starts to feel the essence of the speech.
# Troops enter
Company commander :- company atten-shun! Company bring the traitor. Make him Appear!
#solider brings mangal pandey .he is wounded)
Company commander :- so you are the one, the mighty solider whose wrath subdues the British
empire and royal army. Oh you Indian swine. Now face your judgement today.
2nd Officer :- by the order of the district magistrate , Baraakpore I order the execution of the
convicted by firearm.
Company commander :- fire!
#shoot down mangal pandey
Mangal pandey :- Bharat mata ki jay! 3 times.
CHARACTER EXITMESSENGER ARRIVES.
Messenger enters :- Gustakhi Maaf shah alam. Tareeno se khabar bayan karna chahata hoo. Magal
pandey ne angrezi fauj ke khilaf jung ka elaan kar diya hai. Par badkismat ke unhe surp e- khaak
par maut ki saza de di hai.
Rani Lakshmi bai :- Bas Abh bahut hua, beta khoya , pati khoya, rajya khoya aur abh kya apni sar
zammen ka maan samman bhi ko de, bharat ma ka!

Nana sahib :- bas Mughal-E-Aazam abh hum aur nahi pratiksha karenge.
Bhakt khan :- ha bilkul.
Bahadur shah zafar :- theek hai toh abh hum English forces ke khilaf jung ka ellan kartey hai.
# WAR SCENE NARRATION.
# All are dead , bahadur shah zafar is captured and rest all die except for rani Lakshmi bai.
Rani Lakshmi bai :- Ay angrez ! tujhe aaj shukriya kahungi . isse zayada khoobsurat moksh koi nahi
de sakta. Par yaad rakh ! Bharat ki maati par abh tera ant nikat hai , nikat hai, nikat hai ( repeats
slowly ).

SCENE - 2
# LORD CURZONS OFFICE . CURZON IS BEHIND THE DESK. DEPUTY VICEROY
AMPTHILL ARRIVES .
Deputy viceroy :- your highness !
Viceroy :- very well sir! Please place yourself.
Deputy viceroy :- are you sure to do it . is it the right time ?
Viceroy :- do you know what did Satan said to Jesus when he was about to be banished from the
heaven .
DV:- No sir.
Viceroy :- he said that Ill do one thing that no you never tried to do .patience . Ill be patient and
when the time is right Ill make you wish that humans were never genesised for they will be so lost,
divided and merciless that no one will save them. I am the Satan here and I am going to do the job of
god. the time is right to divided these mindless beggars and snake charmers so that they can realise
there real place. Let them fight and kill each other off .
DV :- there biggest strength is there culture unity and I do not think we would ever conquer this
country , unless we break the very backbone of this nation , which is her spirit and cultural heritage.
Viceroy :- so lets begin to crush the castle. Order the partition of Bengal. Let every river every bit of
air they breathe be divided into hindus and muslims.
DV :- Godspeed sir. Lets be witness to a new dawn of india.
#CHARACTERS EXIT AND GROUP OF YOUNG LEADERS ENTER.

Leader 1 :- gore apni chaal chal rahe hai.

Leader 2 :- ha pehle alighar main ahemd sahib, phir Allahabad ke log aur abh bangal. Yeh angrez
hume baat (separate) rahe hai.
Leader 3 :- par hum aisa hone nahi denge . hum bhai hai, hum Hindustani hai. Hindu aur musalmaan
ko alag karne ki yeh chaal hum kamyeyab nahi hone denge.
Leader 1 :- ha yeh waqt hai hum sabh ko ek karne ka sirf mazhab ke paimane par hi nahi par dhan ki
kasauti par bhi. Angrezi maal bech kar hum se niwala toh cheen liya par humari himmat nahi kharid
saktey yeh gori chamdi wale.
Leader 3 :- par hum kya kare ki saara desh humare saath ho aur in agrezo ke mansubo par paani phir
jaye.
Leader 2 :- hum boycott karenge , swadesh main bani cheezo ko hi bhadawa denge, ghar ghar ja kar
vande matram ke naare lagange aur logo ko sajag karenge is kranti ke bare main jo humare desh ka
bhawishya tay karegi.
Leader 3 :- theek hai toh chalo phir aage bhado.
# Announcement made by a public servent regarding partition of Bengal
# Charaters outraged . EXIT.
#narration continues and inaudible scene of aga khan meeting lord minto is presented. Formation of
muslim league.
#young leaders talking about congress and its radical movement
(bal gangadhar tilak, anne basant, bipin Chandra pal, lala lajpat rai etc) , ( dialogues to be improvised
and delivered randomly)
#nepathy is shaken by screams and cries. Inaudible presentation of jalianwala bagh massacre).
#blackout. narration continues
PS :- A SEPARATE NARRATION SCRIPT WILL FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE PLAY

Scene 3

*3 parts in the scene * naraation.

PART -1
#GANDHIJI SITTING. A man arrives and conversation begins.
Gandhiji :- beta mere liye paani la dijiye.
Rajeev :- ji bapu. Yeh ligiye.
Gandhiji :- hummm ( makes a dissatisfied face)
Rajeev :- kya hua bapu? Kya paani kharab hai.
Gandhiji :- ha beta is main aazadi ka swaad nahi hai.
Rajeev :- bapu kya aapko dar nahi lagta. Aap jantey ho ki aapke is kaam se agreez aapka daman
karenge phir bhi, aur is umr main aap is jung ko ladkar kya haazil kar payenge.
Gandhiji :- beta yaha aao . iss paudhe ko dekho agar ismain bearish ka da rho, dhoop ka bhay , ya
toofan ka khauf toh yeh paudha kabhi ek varksha nahi ban payega. Jab yeh chota sa paudh a is
vikraal prakrati se apni aazadi maang sakhta hai toh hum kyo nahi aur kyo hum apne hi bhulley
bhatke bhai bandhuo ke khilf astra uthaye.
Rajeev :- par yeh bandhu nahi hai humare, hum par hamari mata par joh zulm in logo ne dale hai
who parakashtha se pare hai. Hum kaise saamna kare inka kaisae inhe unke kiyee ki sazaa de. Kaise
bapu ,kaise.
Gandhiji. :- beta inhe sazaa dene ka adhikaar hume nahi hai, who dharm ishwar ka hai par hamara
sabhse bada dharm hai apne desh ko iss kusaashan (bad governance) se mukt karna aur swaraj pana
kyoki is bharat maa par sabhse pehela haq humara hai.
Rajeev :- par bina inka khaatma kiye yeh mumkin nahi hai. Gita main bhi sri Krishna ne kaha tha ke
shatroo ka sampoorna vinaash hi sarvauttam upaye hai.
Gandhiji :- aur hum inka sampoorna vinaash karenge par tann se nahi mann se . maanav aacha ya
bura nahi sirf uske karma ache aur bure hotey hai. Satya ke path par chalk e hum inse yeh burai ka
beej cheen lenge par ahinsa se hum is bheej ka naash karenge. Tumhara shatru ek bhatka huya insaan
hai jise rah dekhane ka kaam hari ne tumhe diya hai . aur is ka marg sirf satya aur ahinsa ka hai.
Aao hum in dhurt angreezo ko sahi rah dekhaye aur jo hamara janmsidh aadhikaar hai use paa kar
inko inki galti ka aabhas karaye.
Rajeev :- bapu bapu ..( gets emotional )

PART 2
# COURT ROOM SCENE. JUDGE IS SITTING . BHAGAT SINGH, RAJ GURU, SUKHDEV,
All :- inqualab zinabad } several times.
Judge:- order order.
All :- inqualab zinabad } several times.
Judge :- stop with this madness, stop it.
Bhagat :- pagalpan hai tumhare liye , par yeh inqualab hamara jeewan hai. Yeh jasba hai tumhare
aatank se mukt hone ka.
Sukhdev :- yeh lalkaar hai rago main daudtey naye hindustan ki.
Rajguru :- yeh yalgaar hai ek jung ki jo tumhe is dharti se ukhaad phekegi.
Ff1:- yeh cheekh hai us dharti maa ki jiske aachal ko tumne lahu se rang diya.
Ff2:- yeh paigam hai tumhare pap keg ghade phutne ka.
Ff3:- yeh ek sooch hai jise na tum na tumhara kaanon mita sakta hai.
Ff4:- aur jao apne din ginna shuru kar do kyoki naye khoon , is naye jasbe ki yeh leher tum aur
tumhare barbar samrajya ko tabha kar degi aur janm hoga ek aazad bharat ka. :- inqualab zinabad
All:- inqualab zinabad ( 3 times )
Judge :- order order .
Council 1 :- your honour is this some kind of a bloody clown show? They kill people and then try to
take cover in the name of this godforsaken country. You are murders killers to all your deepest
extends. And their fore I implore your highness that these people shall be given nothing less than a
death sentence.
Ff 2:- ek mujrim ko sazaa dena koi apraadh nahi. Its never too late to punish the guilty.
Judge :- Guilty ? of what ? he was rendering his services to this country and queen and is not guilty
of any offence I say.
Bhagat :- aur hum bhi yehi kar rahe hai. Apne desh ko aazad tum logo se joh is waqt mere desh ke
rom rom main ghuskar nash kar rahe ho un masoomo ki zindagi jine aazadi ka utna hi haq hai jitna
tumhe saas lene ka. Lala lajpat rai jinhone aapna pura jeewna samarpit kar diya desh ke liye unhe
shadiyantra rach kar mara hai tum logo ne. par abh humare shabd anjaan tak pahuchenge.
Sukhdev :- aur yahi nahi hamare desh ko deemak ki tarha khokla kar tum humare aane waale kal ko
khatm kar rahe ho.

Rajguru :- kisaan, mazdoor, aawam , mehnat kash sabh ko apne khokle kaanoon se daman kar rahe
ho.
Ff3 :- aur yahi tumhara sabh se bada apraadh hai. Humare khilaf is desh ke khilaaf aur jabh jabh yeh
apraadh kiya gaya toh regimes have changes, takhtey palate hai aur abh tum logo ki baari hai.
Council 2 :- your honour I think it is necessary that we shall understand their motive.
Judge :- motive? what motive ? it is immaterial to look into that and now herby award these
men..
Bhagat :- Ek minute your honour . how many times you have awarded punishment to a criminal.
Judge :- what kind of a ridiculous question is this? of course a hundred times.
Bhagat :- if your motive is removed from the picture then there is no difference betwwen you and a
murderer.
Ff 1 :- yeh hamare desh ke liye humari pratigya hi jo kuch bhi ho jaye hum rokenge nahi.
Ff4 :- hum inssani zindagi ki kadar jaantey hai isliye chahe assembly main bomb ho ya jalianwala
bagh ka pradarshan humne kabh kisi ko choot nahi pahu chai. Humne toh assembly main bomb
pheka bhi itna door ke kisi ko bhi hani na ho. Kyo ki hum insaan ki zindagi ki kadraa karey hai pyaar
kartey hai samman kartey hai.
Ff 2:- aur isi zindagi ke naam is desh ke naam hum hamara jeewan neyochawar kar denge.
Ff 3 :- aur tum baat kartey ho kaanon ki yeh kaisa kaanon hai yeh kaise bills hai to trade dispute bill
ke naam par public safety bill ke naam par hum se hamare buniyadi haq ko bhi cheen rahe hai.
Judge :- this is my court this my law I know what is your punishment we British are destined to rule
you Indian slaves. And by this law I command you terrorist
Bhagat :- to hell with your arrogance , to hell with your law abh yeh aag nahi rukegi. inqualab
All :- zindabad. (repeates several times)
Judge :- Charge!
# LATHI CHARGE IS ORDERED. POLICEMEN BEAT THE REVOLUTIONARIES .
# NARRATION CONTINUES. WITHIN THE NARATION THE HANGING OF BHAGAT SINGH
IS SHOWN.
PART 3
# NARRATION
# 2 PEOPLE SITTING AT NIGHT IN CALCUTTA. TAKING ABOUT QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT.

1ST Man :- Sambhal kar koi dekh na le. jabh se Gandhi ne bharat chodo andolan shuru kiya hai yeh
angrezz toh bhuke siyaro ki taraha peehche pad gaye hai. Mar rahe hai kaat rahe hai.
2ND Man :- ha par abh kai saalo baad lagta hai yeh andolan khatm nahi hoga is ka ant angrezo ke
jaane se hi hoga.
1st Man :- bilkul theek kaha aapne abh sabh jaantey hai ki sarkaar main apna haq magne se aachaa
hai ki sarkaar hi mang le. Aur yahi toh swaraj hai jise hum lejar rahenge.
2nd Man :- ha dekho na bhale hi yeh angreez humare netao ko jail main daal de par hum chup na
baithenge is andolan ko uske mukaam tak pahuchana yahi humara maksad hai.
1st Man :- aur tum yeh bhi sun lo netaji ne toh apni sena banana shuru kar di hai aur who purv ki taraf
se humla bhi karne waale hai. Japani bhi unka saath de rahe hai.
2nd Man :- aur yahi nahi mera beta khud unke saath azad hind fauj main jana chahata hai. Kehta hai
ke main desh ko bachaunga angrezo ko khaded dunga.
1st Man :- himmati hai aapka beta par na jaane netaji ne kyo congress ka saath chod diya suna hai
gandhiji ke vicharo ke sanlagna nahi kar paye.
2nd :- ha mujhe bhi yahi sunne ko mila tha. Par bhale hi yeh log is andloan ko na rok paye par hume
aazadi kabh milegi.
1st:- dheeraj rakho wo waqt abh door nahi hai. Yeh jo jung chal rahi hai na vishwa main kya kehetey
hai use ha world war iss se angrezi hukumat ke paye charmara gaye hai.
2nd Man :- aacha!
1st :- jis paymane par unhe nuksaan hua hai uski bharpayee main saalo lag jayenge. Bas yahi mauka
hai in pa dabaav banake rakhna hoga phir deer saver ye is desh se bhaag khade honge.
3rd Man :- aree tum log yaha baithey ho police saare karya kartao ko dhoond rahi hai jaldi niklo yaha
se abh zayada waqt nahi hai humare paas.
# CHARACTERS EXIT .
#NARRATION
# CONFERENCE HALL OF VICEROYS HOUSE.
JINNAH: I don't give a damn for the independence of India! I am concerned about the slavery of
Muslims!
# Jinnah raises his voice deliberately so Nehru will hear.
JINNAH: I will not sit by to see the mastery of the British replaced by the mastery of the Hindus!
GANDHI : Muslim and Hindu are the right and left eye of India. No one will be slave, no one
master.

Jinnah sneers at the idea, though he cools a little.

JINNAH: The world is not made of Mahatma Gandhis. (He looks at Nehru and Patel.) I am talking
about the real world.
NEHRU: The "real India" has Muslims and Hindus in every village and every city! How do you
propose to separate them?
JINNAH: Where there is a Muslim majority that will be Pakistan. The rest is your India.
PATEL (a forced patience): Mohammed the Muslims are in a majority on two different sides of the
country.
JINNAH (acidly): Let us worry about Pakistan you worry about India. And if that is not given to
my muslim brothers then wait for divine action we will take. Hum ladke lenge Pakistan
GANDHI: My dear Jinnah, you and I are brothers born of the same Mother India. If you have fears, I
want to put them to rest. (Jinnah listens impatiently, sceptically. Gandhi just glances in Nehru's
direction.) I am asking Panditji to stand down. I want you to be the first Prime Minister of India
(Jinnah raises an eyebrow of interest.) to name your entire cabinet, to make the head of every
government department a Muslim.
NEHRU: Bapu, for me, and the rest (his hand gestures to Patel and Azad), if that is what you want,
we will accept it. But out there (he indicates the streets) already there is rioting because Hindus fear
you are going to give too much away.
PATEL: If you did this, no one could control it. No one. It bears the stamp of undeniable truth.
JINNAH: It is your choice. Do you want an independent India and an independent Pakistan? Or do
you want civil war?
16th AUGUST IS DECLARED AS DIRECT ACTION DAY.* HINDU MUSLIM RIOTS
# NARRATION .
# GANDHI ACCEPTS THE NECESSARY EVIL, PARTITION OF INDIA IS HELD.
# LAST SPEECH. (speech of pandit jawahar lal Nehru is narrated and the scene ends) THE
SPEECH OF NEHRU IS NARRATED OVER THE BACKGROUND SCORE.
# ALL THE CHARACTERS ENTER THE STAGE AND SAY BHARAT MATA KI JAI.

THE END