Scene 1: A Quiet Beginning
EXT. SMALL TOWN – DUSK
The sun sets over a quiet, picturesque town. The streets are lined with small shops, and the air is filled with evening prayers and distant chatter.
Anju (mid-20s, graceful, thoughtful) walks home from work, her face a mixture of contemplation and fatigue. She passes a small, ancient banyan tree at the edge of town—a local landmark. Sumit (late 20s, kind-eyed, reserved) sits beneath the tree, sketching in a notebook. He looks up as she approaches.
SUMIT
(softly, with a smile)
Anju… you’re walking home this late again?
ANJU
(stops, surprised)
Oh, Sumit. I didn’t see you there. Yes, I had to finish some work.
SUMIT
You should be careful. It gets dark early now.
Anju laughs, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. There’s a quiet warmth between them, like a soft current just beneath the surface.
ANJU
I’m fine. I’ve been walking this route for years. It’s always been peaceful.
SUMIT
(still smiling)
Peaceful, yes. But… it’s also easy to forget things when you’re lost in your thoughts.
Anju studies him for a moment. She notices how absorbed he is in his sketchbook, yet there’s something gentle about his presence. The quiet sincerity he exudes is magnetic.
ANJU
What are you drawing?
SUMIT
It’s nothing much. Just the banyan tree.
ANJU
It’s beautiful, though. I’ve never really noticed how intricate the roots are. I always rush by.
She leans in to look at the sketch, fascinated.
SUMIT
Most people rush through life… like you said. But if you pause, really look at something long enough, you start to see what’s hidden underneath.
There’s a slight pause as if both of them are realizing they’re not just talking about the tree.
Scene 2: Connection
EXT. BANYAN TREE – NIGHT
A week later, Anju and Sumit meet again under the banyan tree. This time, Anju has a small gift for Sumit: a book of poetry. She hands it to him, a little shy.
ANJU
I thought you might like this. It’s a collection of poems by Rumi. You’re always looking for something deeper, I thought you’d appreciate it.
Sumit is touched, his eyes meeting hers with genuine gratitude.
SUMIT
I don’t know what to say… thank you. This is perfect.
ANJU
I’ve read some of his poems in the past. They always make me think about things… about people.
SUMIT
People, huh? What do you think about people, Anju?
She laughs, but it’s a soft, vulnerable laugh.
ANJU
I think we’re all a little lost, trying to find our way. Sometimes, the only way to understand ourselves is to understand others.
SUMIT
Do you think that’s why you walk home alone every night?
ANJU
Maybe. It’s my way of finding peace in a world that never seems to stop moving.
Sumit watches her, a silent understanding passing between them. He opens the poetry book and begins reading a Rumi verse aloud, his voice warm in the cool evening air.
SUMIT
(reading)
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you love. It will not lead you astray.”
Anju listens intently, her heart quietly stirring. She realizes how much she’s come to enjoy these small moments with Sumit—moments where nothing has to be said, yet everything feels meaningful.
Scene 3: A Shift
EXT. TOWN FESTIVAL – NIGHT
The town is alive with music and lights, the streets filled with stalls and laughter. Anju and Sumit, both feeling a little out of place in the bustle, meet in front of a carousel. Their eyes meet, and for a moment, everything else fades.
ANJU
(half-joking)
I never thought I’d find you here.
SUMIT
(eyes sparkling)
I come out of my shell sometimes. Who knows? Maybe I’m a bit more adventurous than I seem.
She laughs softly, then pauses. Something shifts in the air between them—a quiet tension, a pull neither of them can ignore.
ANJU
Sumit… can I ask you something?
SUMIT
Of course.
ANJU
What if we’re meant to be more than just… friends?
Sumit is silent momentarily, as if the question takes him by surprise. His eyes soften, and he steps closer.
SUMIT
I’ve wondered that myself.
Their gazes lock for a beat, and the world around them seems to quiet as they move toward each other. In that moment, beneath the glow of the carnival lights, their lips meet for the first time—gentle, tentative, but full of promise.
Scene 4: New Beginnings
EXT. BANYAN TREE – DAY
A few months later, the banyan tree stands in full bloom, its roots as intricate and expansive as ever. Anju and Sumit sit together beneath its branches, holding hands. They’re no longer just passing strangers or friends—they’ve become something more, something deeper.
ANJU
(sighing contentedly)
I used to feel so lost. But now… I’m starting to feel exactly where I’m supposed to be.
SUMIT
(squeezing her hand)
We’re both finding our way, together.
They share a quiet smile, the weight of everything unspoken between them lifting as they exist in each other’s presence. Beneath the banyan tree, with its twisting roots, they know they’ve found a place to grow.
FADE OUT
