Scene Title: "The Decision: Pokhran-II"

*(The stage is dimly lit, with a large table at the center. On the table lies a map of India and various military
and scientific documents scattered around. A large Indian flag is placed on the side. The atmosphere is tense
and serious, underscored by the distant ticking of a clock and low background music, signaling the approach
of a critical moment.)

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (the performer) stands alone at the table, leaning slightly over the map, his face lit by a
spotlight that highlights his conflicted, intense emotions. His hands grip the edge of the table as he
contemplates the magnitude of what is about to happen.*

(He lifts his head slowly, scanning the room as if he sees the heavy burden of responsibility. His
expression hardens, his jaw clenched in determination.)

Vajpayee (quiet but strong):

"Aaj... faisla ho chuka hai."
(The words hang in the air as he tightens his grip on the table. The ticking of the clock becomes louder,
emphasizing the countdown to an irreversible decision.)

(The sound of distant murmuring—imaginary voices of advisors and opposition—swirls around him
as if haunting him, questioning him. He stares ahead, unwavering but visibly weighed down by the
enormity of his choice.)

Voice-over (representing advisors’ doubts, echoing around him):

"Pradhan Mantri ji... duniya ka gussa hoga. America... Russia... Unke sankat...
Kya aap apni zimmedari samajhte hain?"*
(The voices grow louder, creating an ominous and suffocating atmosphere.)

(Vajpayee suddenly raises his hand, silencing the imaginary voices. He breathes heavily, staring
directly at the audience as if confronting these invisible doubts. His eyes gleam with a steely resolve.)

Vajpayee (boldly, louder):

"Samajhta hoon!"

(He takes a deep breath and straightens up, adjusting his glasses with deliberate slowness. His movements
are filled with intensity, every gesture measured but heavy with meaning.)

(He steps forward, taking a powerful stance, his silhouette framed against the Indian flag. His voice,
now louder and more commanding, fills the space as if addressing a gathering of generals and
scientists. His tone is sharp, deliberate, and unwavering.)
Vajpayee (firmly):
"Aaj Bharat ek nayi aur bali kaagaz likhne jaa raha hai.
Keh diya tha maine, ‘Humein duniya se apni suraksha maangne ki zaroorat nahi hai.’"
(He slams his hand on the map, his eyes blazing with determination.)
"Yeh desh apni takdeer khud likhega!"

(A sudden dramatic shift in lighting throws the stage into shadow, except for Vajpayee, who stands
illuminated under the spotlight. The silence around him is punctuated by the distant roar of an
explosion—representing the impending Pokhran test. The sound is subtle at first, growing louder and
louder as Vajpayee speaks.)

Vajpayee (intense, to the point of confrontation):

"Pokhran...
Ab tak duniya ne humein kamzor samjha.
Magar kal... kal jab yeh mitti phir se gungunayegi, yeh dharti phir se hil jaayegi... tab duniya jaanege…
Bharat ek maun desh nahi hai."

(He clenches his fists, his body trembling with the weight of this momentous decision.)

(He moves toward the map, dragging his fingers over it, stopping abruptly at Rajasthan, where
Pokhran is located. His face hardens, and he speaks in a low, almost growling tone, the words
emanating from his very core.)

Vajpayee (bold, deeply emotional):

"Yeh mitti...
Yeh mitti sirf kisanon ki nahi hai.
Yeh mitti Bharat ke aatmanirbhar hone ka pramaan banegi."

(He pauses, breathing heavily, eyes fixed on the audience as if daring them to challenge his resolve. He
walks to the Indian flag, brushing his fingers over it, his expression softening for a moment.)

(A memory floods him—perhaps an inner voice of his own past, speaking to him as a young man,
doubting his own future.)

Voice-over (a younger Vajpayee’s voice, softer):

"Atal... kya sach mein desh ka bhavishya teri haathon mein hai?
Yeh faisla tera hai?"
(Vajpayee’s eyes narrow as he shoves the memory aside, regaining focus. He speaks with deep
conviction now, his voice steady and powerful.)

Vajpayee (cutting through the silence):

"Yeh faisla Bharat ka hai.
Maine toh bas kalam uthai hai."

(He reaches for a red button or lever symbolizing the nuclear test. His hand hovers over it for a brief
moment, the clock ticking louder and faster. The tension in the air is palpable, almost suffocating.
Every second seems to stretch as he prepares to take that irreversible step.)

Vajpayee (soft but resolute):

"Aaj hum duniya ko bata denge... Bharat chhup nahi sakta."
(His voice drops to a whisper, yet it rings with power.)
"Hum... tiyaar hain."

(With a sudden, sharp motion, he slams his hand down, as if pressing the button for the nuclear test.
The stage shakes with the sound of an explosion. A flash of blinding light fills the stage for a brief
moment, symbolizing the nuclear blast. Then silence—a deafening, all-encompassing silence.)

(Vajpayee stands tall, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he raises his head and speaks, his voice now
calm, filled with a quiet pride.)

Vajpayee (calm, yet triumphant):

"Aaj Bharat ek shakti hai.
Shanti ke liye."

(He steps back from the table, the tension slowly dissipating from his body. The Indian flag flutters
slightly in the background as the sounds of distant murmurs of global reaction—fear, respect, awe—
are heard faintly.)

(Vajpayee smiles slightly, a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. He looks at the map one last time, then
raises his hand in a slow, deliberate gesture of victory.)

Vajpayee (with finality):

"Aaj, humne duniya ko bata diya hai…
Hum apni suraksha ke liye kisi pe nahi, sirf apne upar bharosa karte hain."
(With that, he turns, walking slowly off the stage, leaving behind the map, the scattered documents, and the
silent weight of history.)

(The stage fades to black as the faint sound of wind sweeps through, like the desert of Pokhran, now
carrying the echo of an unforgettable moment in history.)

End of Scene

Effects and Emotions:

 The use of sound effects—a distant ticking clock, murmured voices of opposition, the final
explosion representing the nuclear test—intensifies the atmosphere and amplifies the stakes.
 Lighting changes (from dim tension to bright flashes) underscore the gravity of the Pokhran-II
decision and its world-shaking consequences.
 Physical actions (slamming hands on the table, a determined march to the button) show Vajpayee’s
inner turmoil and ultimate resolve, reducing the need for lengthy dialogues.
 Expressions of conflict—his initial self-doubt, the pressure from global powers, and his final calm
acceptance of the responsibility for India's future—are conveyed more through body language and
pauses than words, emphasizing emotion over speech.

This script relies heavily on Vajpayee’s intense, emotional presence and the historical magnitude of the
Pokhran nuclear test moment to create a powerful mono act that resonates long after the performance ends.
Scene Title: "The Journalist Who Dared"

(The performer enters the stage in traditional 19th-century Gujarati attire—simple kurta, shawl, and turban.
He carries a pen in one hand and a rolled-up piece of paper in the other, symbolizing his profession as a
journalist. The setting is a mock courtroom or a study with a large desk where Mulji wrote his influential
articles.)

Karsandas (confident and humorous, addressing the audience):

"Namaskar,
Main hoon Karsandas Mulji—ek samaj sudharak, ek patrakar, aur shayad Gujarat ka pehla aisa aadmi jisne
kaha… ‘Sach ko sach kaho!’"
(Smiles, raising the pen like a sword.)
"Haan haan, waise toh yeh bohot aam si baat lagti hai aaj, par us zamaane mein... sach ke liye ladna matlab
ek maharaja ke khilaf jang chhed dena tha!"
(Pauses dramatically, the grin never leaving his face.)

(He walks around, looking thoughtful, as if remembering the past.)

"Aapne suna hoga... mera naam, 'Maharaj Libel Case' ke chalte bohot logon tak pahucha tha. Kya aapko pata
hai kyun? Kyunki maine ek maharaj ke khilaf sach likh diya tha!
Aur bhai, yeh toh sabse bada paap tha uss waqt ke liye!"
(Laughs to himself.)
"Dekho, baat toh simple thi: maharaj ke kuch karam (ahem) dharam se zyada door ja chuke the.
Par maine kaha: 'Sach ko chupaya kyun jaaye? Bhale woh maharaj hi kyun na ho!'"

(He mimics himself writing in a journal, his hand moving with enthusiasm.)

"Maine ek patrika mein likh diya: 'Yeh maharaj toh dharmik hai, par dharma ke naam pe logon ko dhoka de
rahe hain!'
Ab bhai, bas yeh baat maharaj ko pasand nahi aayi!
Humein court mein ghasit liya gaya—samjho ek patrakar ke khilaf yudh ka elan ho gaya tha!"

(He turns to the audience, with a mocking, exaggerated expression of fear.)

"Aur suno, jab case shuru hua, toh maharaj ke log aaye aur unhone kaha, 'Mulji! Tumne humare maharaj ke
khilaf jhoot likha hai!'
Maine kaha: 'Jhoot? Arre bhai, maine toh bas jo dekha, wahi likha! Agar aap log sab theek kar rahe ho, toh
jhoot kis baat ka?'
(Winks, tilting his head in a mischievous way.)
"Magar sach kabhi kabhi karwa hota hai na?"
(The performer paces around, imitating the courtroom drama with exaggerated expressions and
gestures.)

"Judge sahib bhi hans rahe the, aur main soch raha tha, 'Yeh toh majaak ban gaya hai!'
Lekin andar se thoda darr bhi tha, kyunki agar case haarta, toh samjho apni toh chhutti thi.
Woh maharaj log bohot takatwar hote hain bhai!"
(Pauses, then smirks as if savoring the irony.)
"Par sach kehne waalon ki taqat bhi toh kuch kam nahi hoti, hai na?"

(He pretends to sit down in the witness stand, adjusting himself, and mimicking the maharaj’s
representative with a stern tone.)

"Mujhse poocha gaya: 'Mulji, tumhe yeh sab kaise pata chala?'
Maine kaha: 'Arre bhai, meri aankhen bhi toh waise hi dekh sakti hain jaise aapki! Par hum patrakaar hain,
hum likhne se pehle sochte bhi hain!'
(The audience chuckles as he makes an exaggerated “thinking” face.)
"Tabhi toh maine sach likha, aur sach kabhi na kabhi jeet hi jaata hai!"

(Mulji stands up proudly, shifting to a reflective tone.)

"Toh kya hua phir? Aap soch rahe honge ki case ka kya hua?
Bhai, judge sahib ne kaha: 'Mulji sach ke saath khada hai. Aur sach ke saath khada insaan kabhi haarta nahi.'
Maharaj ka case khatam ho gaya, aur main... main wapas apne kaam pe lag gaya—ek aur naya sach likhne!"
(Pauses for applause.)

(He looks around, as if sharing a final thought with the audience, his tone becoming more serious yet
still infused with his characteristic wit.)

"Mujhe yaad hai... log kehte the: ‘Mulji, tu maharaj ke khilaf bol raha hai, sambhal ke reh!’
Par main toh kehta tha: ‘Jo galat hai, voh galat hai! Chahe maharaj ho, ya sadak ka insaan. Sach sab ke liye
ek jaisa hona chahiye.’"
(Pauses, with a smile.)
"Zindagi mein ek hi mantra tha: Agar likho, toh sach ke liye likho. Koi tumhe darane ki koshish kare, toh
unse badi awaaz mein bolo!"
(Raises his hand like a revolutionary.)
"Patrakar banna mazaak nahi hai, doston, par jab sach ki baat ho, toh mazaak bhi banta hai!"
(Chuckles, tapping his pen on his hand.)
(He looks around, tipping his head as if inviting the audience into his final words.)

"Toh bas yeh thi meri kahani... maharaj ke khilaf ek chhoti si jang, ek patrakar ke kalam ki takat, aur thoda
sa mazaak. Kyunki kabhi kabhi, sach bolne mein thoda mazaak toh banta hai, hai na?"
(With a playful smile, he bows to the audience.)
"Dhanyavaad, dosto! Aaj bhi sach wahi hai, jo tab tha. Aur sach kehna hamesha zaroori hota hai!"

(Folds hands in a traditional namaste, turns, and walks off with a confident yet light-hearted demeanor.)

End of Scene.

Context for the Audience:

Karsandas Mulji’s life was defined by his courage to question and challenge the deeply entrenched
orthodoxies of his time, especially through his satirical writings. The Maharaj Libel Case in 1862 was one
of his most famous confrontations, where he was sued for defamation after questioning the morality of
religious leaders. The case highlighted the clash between free speech and religious authority, and Mulji’s
victory in the case was a major turning point for press freedom in colonial India.

In this amusing and engaging mono act, Mulji's sharp wit and fearless journalism come to life, offering the
audience a glimpse into a moment of history where one man’s pen took on an entire religious establishment.
His humor and courage are the perfect blend for a light-hearted yet impactful performance.