2 Female Actors (F + F) 5 - 8 Minutes Psychological Thriller
The Neighbor Upstairs
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
FADE IN:
INT. STAIRWELL LANDING - NIGHT
Narrow concrete landing between two apartment floors. Flickering bulb. Echoing footsteps somewhere below. A half-open door reveals a dark flat.
RADHIKA (35), in home clothes, tired eyes, guarded face, grips a BROOM like a weapon.
At the top of the stairs stands VEDA (35), elegant loungewear, calm, polished. A KEY on a CHAIN hangs from her hand.
RADHIKA
Aap mere jaisi kyun lag rahi ho?
VEDA
(mildly amused)
Shayad ulta hai.
Tum meri jaisi lag rahi ho.
Radhika tightens her grip on the broom.
RADHIKA
Mazaak mat karo.
Subah se sab same ho raha hai.
Mere jaise kapde, mera coffee order,
mere calls.
VEDA
Aur dream?
Radhika freezes.
RADHIKA
Kya?
VEDA
Kal raat wala dream.
Staircase. Flickering bulb.
Broom haath mein.
Aur tum pooch rahi thi—
Veda leans in slightly.
VEDA (CONT'D)
“Main kaun hoon?”
Silence. A distant TV hums from another flat.
RADHIKA
Main samajh gayi.
Tum mujhe gaslight kar rahi ho.
VEDA
(soft)
Gaslight?
Radhika, tumhara naam bhi maine rakha tha.
Radhika stares.
RADHIKA
Mere paas apartment keys hain.
Mera phone. Mera ghar.
Veda lifts the key on the chain.
VEDA
Mera bhi.
She gestures toward the half-open dark flat.
VEDA (CONT'D)
Wahan jo flat hai, woh pehle mera tha.
Same landing. Same bulb.
Same broken latch.
Tum aayi thi.
Ya shayad main gayi thi.
Aur phir kuch badal gaya.
RADHIKA
Main yahan six months se hoon.
Mujhe kisi aur ka ghar nahi chahiye.
VEDA
Six months?
(beat)
Interesting.
Kyunki mujhe yaad hai jab tum
pehli baar yahan aayi thi,
tumne kaha tha—
VEDA (CONT'D)
“Main bas temporarily rehne aayi hoon.
Kuch cheezein wapas lene.”
Radhika’s phone VIBRATES.
INSERT - PHONE SCREEN
Unknown voice note.
Radhika hits PLAY.
RADHIKA (V.O.)
Agar koi aaye aur bole ki woh tum jaisa hai,
toh darna mat.
Bas key mangna.
Radhika goes pale.
RADHIKA
Yeh... mera voice note nahi ho sakta.
Veda steps closer.
VEDA
Tumhare paas jo apartment keys hain,
woh meri hain.
Jo phone tumhara hai,
woh mera tha.
Aur jo life tum samajh rahi ho ki tumhari hai...
She pauses.
VEDA (CONT'D)
Woh maine tumhe di thi.
Jab tum kuch aur banne ke liye
mujhe chhod kar gayi thi.
The BULB FLICKERS OFF.
BLACKOUT.
The bulb comes back.
The BROOM lies on the floor.
Radhika looks down, shaken.
On Veda’s key chain, a small metal tag catches the light:
RADHIKA.
RADHIKA
(whisper)
Toh main kaun hoon?
Veda’s expression is calm, but wounded.
VEDA
Tum wahi ho jo mujhe ban kar jeeti rahi.
Aur main woh hoon jo ab wapas aayi hoon.
Jo tumne copy kiya.
Adopt kiya.
Aur apna naam de diya.
Radhika backs toward the dark flat.
VEDA (CONT'D)
Keys do, Radhika.
Jo tumhara nahi hai,
usse pakde rehna aur bhi dangerous hota ja raha hai.
Radhika looks at the keys in her hand.
RADHIKA
Agar main keys de doon...
toh main kya bachungi?
Veda holds her gaze.
VEDA
Sach.
A beat.
Radhika’s hand trembles over the keys.
CUT TO BLACK.
THE END
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