3-Character Trio Cast 6 - 9 Minutes Slice of Life/Family
The Birthday Lie
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
INT. SMALL LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Ek chhota sa living room. Wall par fairy lights tedhi-medhi latki hui hain. Table par BIRTHDAY CAKE BOX. Side mein HALF-INFLATED BALLOONS. Ek GIFT BAG kursi par. Room mein birthday ka adhoora sa mahaul.
VIVEK (38), office shirt sleeves rolled up, cake box ko dekh raha hai. ANIL (36), casual T-shirt mein, ek balloon phoolane ki koshish kar raha hai. SANJANA (12), school uniform mein, birthday card pakde sofa par baithi hai.
VIVEK
Theek hai. Simple party. Classy.
Overacting nahi.
ANIL
Overacting? Bhai, tu fairy lights ko dekh.
Ye lights bhi overacting kar rahi hain.
VIVEK
Bas balloon phoolao.
ANIL
Phool raha hoon. Zindagi ki tarah.
Balloon phatne jaisa sound. Anil jhat se usse door hata leta hai.
ANIL (CONT'D)
Dekha? Party ka mood bhi phat gaya.
VIVEK
Tumse bola tha dheere.
ANIL
Aur tumse bola tha cake box ko table ke beech mein rakho.
Side mein rakh ke kya shaadi karwa rahe ho?
Sanjana un dono ko dekh rahi hai. Card ko fold-unfold karti hai.
VIVEK
Sanjana, tu khush toh hai na?
SANJANA
Main toh bol chuki hoon. Mujhe birthdays pasand nahi.
ANIL
Wah. Seedha heart attack dialogue.
SANJANA
Mujhe jhooth pasand nahi hai.
Silence. Vivek aur Anil ek doosre ko dekhte hain.
VIVEK
Jhooth? Kaunsa jhooth?
SANJANA
Ye wala.
(holds up card)
“Surprise.”
ANIL
Arre, surprise toh hota hai.
SANJANA
Surprise nahi. Drama.
Vivek fake smile karta hai.
VIVEK
Hum bas... thoda normal birthday karna chahte the.
SANJANA
Normal?
(beat)
Papa, aap aur Chachu ek hi room mein itna pretend kar rahe ho ki mujhe lag raha hai audition chal raha hai.
Anil hansi rok nahi pata, phir chup ho jaata hai.
ANIL
Okay, point.
VIVEK
Sanjana...
SANJANA
Aap log birthdays se nahi, Maa ki yaad se bach rahe ho.
Silence. Fairy lights ki soft glow aur sharp ho jaati hai.
ANIL
(low, defensive)
Aisa kuch nahi hai.
SANJANA
Phir har saal cake late kyun hota hai?
Har saal party ka reason kyun badal jaata hai?
Har saal aap dono itne busy kyun ho jaate ho?
Vivek ka chehra utar jaata hai.
VIVEK
Hum bas...
SANJANA
Bas kya?
Vivek kuch bol nahi pata.
SANJANA (CONT'D)
Mujhe cake nahi chahiye tha.
Mujhe bas itna chahiye tha ki aap dono sach bolo.
Ki aap Maa ko miss karte ho.
Anil ki aankhen nam.
ANIL
(softly)
Haan.
Vivek ek lambi saans leta hai.
VIVEK
Haan.
(beat)
Bahut.
Sanjana un dono ko dekhti hai. Uske face par relief.
SANJANA
Toh bolo na.
Har saal jhooth kyun?
VIVEK
Kyunki sach bolna mushkil tha.
ANIL
Aur kyunki hum dono bewakoof hain.
Sanjana pehli baar halka sa smile karti hai.
SANJANA
Ye honest tha.
Anil cake box kholta hai.
ANIL
Ab cake ka kya?
SANJANA
Cake theek hai.
(beat)
Bas is baar pretend mat karna ki sab normal hai.
Vivek nods. He straightens one fairy light strand.
Anil ties the balloon properly.
Sanjana table par birthday card rakh deti hai.
On the card: three stick figures, a cake, and a small heart.
Vivek ke haath cake box par rukte hain. Phir woh halka sa smile karta hai.
VIVEK
Toh... birthday manayein?
SANJANA
Haan.
(small smile)
Ab sach ke saath.
Teenon milkar room ko thoda sa theek karte hain. Fake warmth gayab. Real warmth aa jaati hai.
FADE OUT.
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