2 Male Actors (M + M) 5 - 8 Minutes Mystery/Crime
The Hostage Clause
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
INT. STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT
Ek chhota, locked storage room. Stacked cartons. Ek hanging bulb. Door ke neeche se thin strip of light.
RANA, 38, sweaty, loosened tie, button-down shirt crumpled, wall ke paas baitha/adhmara sa. Uske wrists duct tape se bandhe.
IMTIAZ, 42, dark hoodie, gloves, boots, mask on. Controlled, still, dangerous.
Silence.
IMTIAZ
(confident)
Confess kar, Rana.
RANA
Main ne kuch nahi chhupaya.
IMTIAZ
Missing funds ka sawaal nahi kar raha.
RANA
Toh kis cheez ka sawaal kar raha hai?
Imtiaz flashlight on karta hai. Light ledger par padti hai.
IMTIAZ
Payroll.
RANA
Kya?
IMTIAZ
Names. Kisne entries badli. Kisne sign-off kiya.
RANA
Main accountant hoon, bhai. Kidnapper nahi.
IMTIAZ
Exactly. Isliye toh tu useful hai.
Imtiaz ledger kholta hai. Pages par marks, circles.
IMTIAZ (CONT'D)
Yeh naam pehchanta hai?
RANA
Main itne saare naam yaad nahi rakhta.
IMTIAZ
Rakhta hai. Jab salary se zyada khauf account mein ho.
Rana tries to laugh. Fails.
RANA
Agar paise chahiye toh seedha bol.
IMTIAZ
Mujhe paise ki jaldi hoti, toh mask pehen ke aata hi kyun?
Beat.
Imtiaz ek page Rana ke saamne karta hai.
IMTIAZ (CONT'D)
Is line mein dekh.
Rana squints.
RANA
...Mera naam.
IMTIAZ
Aur iske neeche?
Rana freezes.
RANA
Imtiaz Qureshi...
A beat. Room colder.
RANA (CONT'D)
Nahi...
IMTIAZ
Haan.
RANA
Tu...
IMTIAZ
Do saal pehle partner bolta tha.
Rana ki saansein atak jaati hain.
RANA
Tu zinda hai?
IMTIAZ
Main zinda tha tab bhi, jab tum logon ne mujhe dead file ki tarah close kar diya tha.
RANA
Main ne kuch nahi kiya.
IMTIAZ
Chup raha.
Rana looks away. Guilty.
RANA
CEO ne bola tha... audit ke baad sab theek ho jaayega.
IMTIAZ
Aur tu maan gaya.
RANA
Mujhe job bachani thi.
IMTIAZ
Mujhe bhi thi.
Imtiaz phone nikaalta hai. Play button.
CEO (V.O.)
Agar audit hua, blame accounting pe daal dena. Rana manageable hai. Imtiaz already gone hai.
Rana stunned.
RANA
Yeh... yeh edited hai?
IMTIAZ
Sun aur.
CEO (V.O.)
Payroll mein jo extra names hain, unko quietly settle kar do. Cash maintenance vault ke through move karwa dena.
Rana’s face drains.
RANA
Maintenance vault...
IMTIAZ
Haan. False panel ke peeche. Tujhe yaad aaya?
RANA
Mujhe laga tha woh sirf temporary hide tha.
IMTIAZ
Har crime temporary hi hota hai, jab tak pakda na jaaye.
Rana struggles with tape, desperate.
RANA
Tu mujhe maarne aaya hai?
IMTIAZ
Agar maarna hota, ab tak ho chuka hota.
RANA
Phir kya chahiye?
IMTIAZ
Sach. Aur ek call.
Imtiaz the phone toward Rana.
IMTIAZ (CONT'D)
CEO ko call kar.
RANA
Main kyun karun?
IMTIAZ
Kyuki usne mujhe giraaya. Tujhe bhi.
Rana looks at ledger, then phone.
RANA
Aur agar main na karun?
Imtiaz steps closer. Calm.
IMTIAZ
Toh tu aaj bhi usi fraud ka witness rahega.
Beat.
Rana swallows, nods.
RANA
Theek hai.
Imtiaz cuts the duct tape on Rana’s wrists enough to free his hands, but not fully.
RANA (CONT'D)
Bas... agar yeh sab sach hai, toh tu pehle kyun nahi aaya?
IMTIAZ
Aaya tha.
RANA
Kab?
IMTIAZ
Jab tu dar ke maare meri taraf dekh bhi nahi saka tha.
Rana dials. Speaker on.
PHONE RINGING.
CEO (V.O.)
Kya bakwaas hai?
Rana looks at Imtiaz.
RANA
Sir... humein ek problem mil gayi hai.
IMTIAZ
(soft, to Rana)
Ledger ka photo bhej.
Rana snaps a photo of the ledger.
RANA
Problem... payroll mein hai.
A beat. On the line, CEO goes quiet.
CEO (V.O.)
Kaun hai saath mein?
Rana and Imtiaz exchange a look.
IMTIAZ
(under mask, almost a smile)
Ab game shuru hua hai.
Rana, trembling, holds the phone tighter.
CUT TO BLACK.
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