3-Character Trio Cast 6 - 9 Minutes Emotional Drama
Three Cups of Tea
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
FADE IN:
EXT. CHAI STALL - RAINY AFTERNOON
A small tea stall under a tin roof. Gray daylight. Rain hammers the street. Steam rises from a BOILING KETTLE. Three stools. One counter. A sugar tin. A folded UMBRELLA leaning against the wall.
FARIDA (70), dignified in a wool shawl, sits on the center stool. SALMA (45), practical in a simple kurta, sits to one side. HUMA (18), in college uniform, restless, sits on the other.
A wedding invitation lies on the counter.
FARIDA
(softly)
Chai thandi ho rahi hai.
HUMA
(dry)
Baarish mein chai thandi kaise hogi, Nani?
Farida gives a tiny look. Salma suppresses a smile.
SALMA
Aapne hum dono ko yahan kyun bulaya, Amma?
Farida taps the wedding invitation with one finger.
FARIDA
Shaadi ki baat karni thi.
HUMA
Shaadi ki ya jhagda ki?
SALMA
(warning)
Huma.
HUMA
Kya? Main bas pooch rahi hoon.
Farida signals the TEA SELLER offscreen with a glance. He pours three glasses. Only the hands are seen.
FARIDA
Tum dono ko lagta hai main buddhi ho gayi hoon.
SALMA
Aisa kisne bola?
FARIDA
Tumhari aankhon ne.
A beat.
HUMA
(muttering)
Wah. Direct hit.
Farida almost smiles.
FARIDA
Yeh invitation dekho. Family mein ek aur shaadi.
(beat)
Socha, sab ek saath baith jaayen.
SALMA
Main shop bandh karke aayi hoon, Amma. Seedha bolo.
Farida takes a sip. Calm. Measured.
FARIDA
Seedha hi bol rahi hoon.
(to Salma)
Jab tu school mein thi, fees ke liye maine apni chudiyaan bechi thi.
(to Huma)
Jab tu paida hui, teri maa ne do raat bhi sahi se soya nahi.
(to Salma)
Jab teri shaadi hui, maine apna pasand ka suit drawer mein hi rakh diya.
Salma stiffens.
SALMA
Amma, ab purani baatein mat nikalo.
FARIDA
Purani?
(hurt, controlled)
Main zinda hoon, Salma. Purani baatein nahi, meri zindagi hai.
Rain intensifies. The kettle WHISTLES.
HUMA
(frustrated)
Bas karo aap dono. Har baar aisa lagta hai jaise sacrifice ka competition chal raha hai.
Salma looks at her, shocked.
SALMA
Huma!
HUMA
Kya? Sach bolna bhi gunah hai?
Farida studies Huma. Then, unexpectedly, she nods.
FARIDA
Haan.
(beat)
Sach hi toh bulaaya hai tum dono ko.
She reaches for the wedding invitation, flips it over.
FARIDA (CONT'D)
Yeh shaadi bahana tha.
Salma frowns.
SALMA
Matlab?
Farida takes a breath. For the first time, she looks slightly afraid.
FARIDA
Main kal subah town chhod rahi hoon.
Silence.
HUMA
(whispers)
Kahan?
FARIDA
Ek chhota room dekha hai. Station ke paas.
(beat)
Apne liye.
Salma blinks, unable to process.
SALMA
Akele?
FARIDA
Haan.
SALMA
Kyun?
Farida’s eyes stay steady.
FARIDA
Kyunki poori zindagi sabke liye ghar banaya.
Apne liye ek kona bhi nahi banaya.
Huma’s eyes fill up.
HUMA
Nani...
FARIDA
Ab bas.
(gentle)
Ab thodi zindagi meri.
Salma is shaken. Her practical armor cracks.
SALMA
Aapne humse poocha kyun nahi?
FARIDA
(simple)
Kyunki tum mana kar deti.
That lands hard.
SALMA
(low)
Amma...
She can’t finish.
FARIDA
Main tumse paisa nahi maang rahi.
Izzat bhi nahi.
Bas... ek baar yeh sunna chahti thi ki maine jo kiya, woh kisi ne dekha tha.
A long beat. Rain. Steam. Breathing.
HUMA wipes her cheek angrily.
HUMA
(small)
Maine dekha tha.
Farida looks at her.
HUMA (CONT'D)
Bas... bolti nahi thi.
Salma finally breaks.
SALMA
(soft, ashamed)
Amma... shayad humne aapko kabhi dekha hi nahi.
Farida’s eyes well up. She turns away quickly, pretending to adjust her shawl.
FARIDA
(quiet)
Aaj dekh liya.
Salma reaches across the counter, touches Farida’s hand.
SALMA
Sorry.
Farida nods once. Enough.
FARIDA
Chai aur mangwao.
Huma lets out a wet laugh through tears.
HUMA
Nani, aap sach mein bhaag rahi ho?
FARIDA
(with a glint)
Bhaag nahi rahi.
Chal rahi hoon.
The three women sit in the rain-lit steam, no longer arguing.
The TEA SELLER places three fresh glasses on the counter.
Farida lifts her cup.
FARIDA (CONT'D)
Pehli chai meri taraf se.
Salma and Huma exchange a look, then lift theirs.
They drink.
The rain continues, but the stall feels warmer now.
FADE OUT.
THE END.
---