2 Female Actors (F + F) 5 - 8 Minutes Slice of Life/Romance
The Unsent Voice Note
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
INT. SMALL BOOKSTORE - NIGHT
Bookstore band ho chuki hai. Warm lamp light reading table par gir rahi hai. Rain streaks front glass. Shelves ke beech quiet sa hush.
SANA (31) counter ke paas khadi hai. Soft cardigan, glasses. Phone haath mein. Woh phone dekh rahi hai, jaise dekh bhi nahi rahi.
Door bell softly BING.
IRA (29) andar aati hai. Paint-stained clothes, sketchbook bag mein. Nervous energy. Woh ruk kar Sana ko dekhti hai.
IRA
Uh... hi.
SANA
Hi.
Chhota pause. Dono ek dusre ko measure karti hain.
IRA
Main bas... ek notebook dekhne aayi thi.
SANA
Closing ho gayi hai.
IRA
Haan. Pata hai.
Beat.
IRA (CONT'D)
Sirf dekhna tha.
Sana ek side step karti hai. Allowing.
SANA
Toh dekh lo.
Ira reading table ke paas jaakar sketchbook rakh deti hai. Sana counter se move karke uske opposite aati hai.
Sana ka phone screen ON hota hai. A voice note thumbnail visible.
Ira ki nazar screen pe tik jaati hai.
IRA
Ye abhi tak hai?
Sana phone lock kar deti hai.
SANA
Phone hai. Cheezein reh jaati hain.
IRA
Haan.
(small smile)
Kuch cheezein bahut der tak reh jaati hain.
Silence.
SANA
Tum wapas kab aayi?
IRA
Aaj.
(beat)
Actually... kuch ghante pehle.
SANA
Aur bataya nahi.
IRA
Main bahut baar sochti thi.
SANA
Sochna aur batana alag cheezein hain.
Ira nods. Fair.
IRA
Haan. Mere liye toh kaafi time se same problem hai.
Sana almost smiles. Control karti hai.
SANA
Tumhe kya chahiye tha?
Ira sketchbook kholti hai, pages palat-ti hai. Ek rough drawing dikhaati hai—bookstore, lamp, counter ke paas ek ladki.
Sana freezes.
IRA
Notebook nahi.
(beat)
Bas... tum.
Sana’s face hardens for a second, then softens.
SANA
Ira...
IRA
Main chehre yaad rakhti hoon.
(small laugh)
Bolna mushkil tha.
Sana phone unlock karti hai. Screen pe unsent voice note.
SANA
Maine delete nahi kiya.
IRA
Sun liya?
SANA
Nahi.
(look up)
Par pata tha kis ke liye hai.
Ira ka throat tight.
IRA
Kitni baar record kiya?
Sana looks away.
SANA
Teen baar.
IRA
Teen?
SANA
Pehli baar mazaak ban gaya.
Doosri baar gussa.
Teesri baar...
(beat)
Sach.
Ira stares. Sana taps PLAY.
VOICE NOTE PLAYBACK - SANA (V.O.)
Main ye teen baar record kar chuki hoon.
Pehli baar maine mazaak banaya.
Doosri baar maine gussa nikala.
Abhi...
(inhale)
Abhi main sach bol rahi hoon.
Ira’s eyes widen.
VOICE NOTE PLAYBACK - SANA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Ira, jab tum jaati ho na, bookstore zyada khaali nahi hoti.
Main hoti hoon.
Mujhe tum pasand ho.
Aur main itni der se pretend kar rahi hoon ki nahi,
ki ab khud pe hansi aa rahi hai.
Voice note ends.
Silence.
Then a tiny laugh escapes Ira. Broken, relieved.
IRA
Teen baar?
Sana looks embarrassed, almost defensive.
SANA
Haan.
Pehli do baar main coward thi.
Ira closes the sketchbook slowly.
IRA
Aur ab?
Sana places the phone on the table. No shield now.
SANA
Ab main yahan hoon.
Ira looks at her for a long beat.
IRA
Toh phir...
(small smile)
next time voice note mat bhejna.
SANA
Kyoon?
IRA
Kyoonki is baar live bolna.
Sana finally smiles. Ira smiles back.
Rain keeps tapping the glass. Warm lamp light holds them in the same quiet.
FADE OUT.
---