SULTANCharacters1. BABAJI: Old homeless man.2. BABU: Passer-by.

Raat ka waqt hai. Sarak sunsaan hai. Babaji stage k darmyaan footpath par betha hai. Neechay aik chadar bichi hui hai jis par aik choti si potli bhi hai. Babaji k saamney kuch lakriyan parhi hain. Babaji k paas aik theli aur aik botal bhi hai. Botal mein petrol hai jo who lakriyun par chirak raha hai. Saath aik pyala parha hai jis par Chanda baraye Sultanat likha hua hai.Bayen janib se babu daakhil hota hai. Stage k kinarey kharha hai. Jaib se cigarette aur lighter nikalta hai. Lighter jalaney ki koshish karta hai. Nakaam. Babaji ko dekhta hai jo lakriyun par abhi tak petrol chirak raha hai. Thora qareeb ata hai.

BABU: Babaji.(Babaji apnay kaam mein magan hai)BABU: (Is baar zara zor se) Babaji!BABAJI: (Chaunk kar) HanBABU: Maachis ho gi?BABAJI: (thora soch kar) Thehro( Apni theli kholta hai. Kuch der dhoondne k baad maachis ki dabbi nikalta hai. Babu ki taraf phenkta hai. Babu cigarette jala k aik do kash leta hai.)BABU: (Maachis ki dabbi wapis phenkte huay) Shukriya!(BABAJI wapis apnay kaam mein lag jata hai)BABU: (kuch der babaji ko dekhne k baad) Irada kia hai Babaji?BABAJI: Kya matlab?BABU: Raat k is peher footpath par bethay hain. Aik hath mein petrol aur doosray mein machis. Kahin muflasi se tang a kar khud ko jalaney walaney ka irada to nahin hai na?BABAJI: (lakriyun ki taraf ishara kartay huay) Aag jalaney ki koshish kar raha hun Babu! Raat bohut thand ho jaati hai. BABU: Ahan. ( Babaji k qareeb bethtay huay) Lagta hai aaj raat mujhay bhi yahin guzarni paray gi.BABAJI: Kyun? Kya hua?BABU: Hartaal hai Babaji. Is waqt koi gaari nahin milay gi. BABAJI: Chalees bars se yahi tamasha dekh raha hun. Ye sheher bilkul nahin badla.BABU: (Muskuratay huay) Dunya ka wahid sheher jahan diye kam jaltay hain aur tyre ziada.(Babaji bhi muskurata hai.)BABAJI: Kaam kya kartay ho?BABU: Kahaaniyan likhta hun. BABAJI: Kis tarah ki kahaaniyan?BABU: Is Sheher ki kahaaniyan likhta hun. Har roz subah ghar se nikalta hun aur saara din is sheher ki galliyon mein bhatakta phirta hun. Kabhi Chehron pe likhi dastanen parhta hun tau kabhi deewaron par likhay afsaney. Phir raat ko ye saarey khazaney samet kar ghar ko wapis laut-ta hun. Kaaghaz samney rakhta hun. Kalam uthata hun. Aur Kahhani khud ba khud kaghaz par utarnay lagti hai. Sheher ki amanat wapis sheher hi ko lauta deta hun. Apnay liye kuch nahin rakhta.BABAJI: Roz kahaani likhtay ho?BABU: Roz kahani likhta hun.BABAJI: Thak nahin jaatey?BABU: Nahin. Insaan k andar jazbaat ka aik ghubaar jamah hota rehta hai. Agar us ko baahir nikalnay ka koi raasta na milay tau who insaan ko andar hi andar kha jata hai. Bilkul khokla kar deta hai. Mein kahaaniyan likhtay nahin thakta Babaji. Agar kisi roz kahani na likh paaoun tau thakan mehsoos honay lagti hai. BABAJI: Kya aaj bhi koi kahaani likho gay?BABU: Nahin. Aaj nahin likh sakun ga. Foot path par beth kar tau kahaani nahin likhi ja sakti. Na koi kaghaz hai aur na hi koi qalam. BABAJI: Kahaani likh nahin saktay tau kya hua Babu. Kahaani suna tau saktay ho! Waisay bhi raat bohut lambi hai. Thora waqt hi guzar jaye ga. BABU: ( Gharhi dekhtay huay) Kahaani sunaoun ga. Zaroor sunaoun ga. Par waqt aanay par.BABAJI: Ye kya baat hui! Abhi kahaani sunaney mein kya harj hai?BABU: Abhi waqt sahi nahin hai Babaji.BABAJI: Bhala waqt bhi kabhi sahi ya ghalat hua hai. Waqt tau bas waqt hota hai. Issay sahi ya ghalat tau ham khud banatay hain. (Naraaz hotay huay) Agar tum ne kahaani nahin sunani to tum keh saktay ho. Is tarah k bahaney bananey ki zaroorat nahin hai tumhein.BABU: Aap ghalat samajh rahay hain. Mein bahaney nahin bana raha. Dar asal ye kahaani meray dil k bohut qareeb hai. Mein kisi ajnabi ko nahin suna sakta. Mein aap ko aaj raat ye kahaani zaroor sunaoun ga par aap ko jaanay baghair nahin suna sakta.BABAJI: Ye kaisi farmaaish hui. Mujh ghareeb k baray mein kya jaan-na chahatay ho?BABU: Naam kya hai aap ka?BABAJI: (Soch kar) Yaad nahin.BABU: Yaad nahin hai ya mujhay batana nahin chahtay?BABAJI: Yaad nahin hai Babu! Yaad hota tau mein aap ko zaroor bata deta. BABU: Aap bata rahay thay k aap ko is sheher mein chalees saal ho gaye hain. Kya is sheher mein aap ka koi bhi apna nahin? Aakhir is umar mein footpath par kyun bethay hain. Koi tau ho ga jo aap ka khayaal rakh sakay?BABAJI: Koi nahin Babu. Koi bhi nahin.BABU: Aik sawaal pooch sakta hun?BABAJI: Poocho.BABU: Aap ki zindagi ka maqsad kya hai?BABAJI: Ye kaisa sawal hua.BABU: Mein jaan-na chahata hun! Koi tau maqsad ho ga aap ki zindagi ka.BABAJI: Meri zindagi ka maqsad intezar hai.BABU: Kis ka intezar, Babaji?BABAJI: (Khufia lehjay mein, Awaaz neechi kar k) Sultan ka..BABU: ( Na samajhtay huay) Kis ka?BABAJI: (Ooncha! Jaisay ailaan kar raha ho) Sultan Ka!!BABU: Sultan ka?BABAJI: Han. Sultan ka.BABU: Kon Sultan?... Kis Sultan ki raah tak rahay hain aap?BABAJI: Wohi Sultan jis k kaandhon par sawaar ho kar mein Sarhad paar karun ga!BABU: Kaun si sarhad BABAJI?BABAJI: Zameen ki! Asmanon ki sarhad!!BABU: Akhir kehna kya chah rahay hain!BABAJI: BABAJI: Ay Groh Jin o Ins, Agar tum zameen aur aasmanon ki sarhadon se nikal kar bhaag saktay ho tau bhaag dekho. Nahin Bhaag Saktay! Is k liye tumhein Sultan chahiye!BABU: Sultan chahiye?.....BABAJI: Han! Sultan Chahiye! Sultan!BABU: Maaf ki jiye ga par mujhay kuch samajh nahin aa raha. Kya deewanon jaisi baatein kar rahay hain aap!BABAJI: (Yakdam dukhi aur naraaz hotay huay) Aah! Mujhay laga tha k tum mukhtalif ho. Par tum bhi waisay hi niklay. Hanso!! Khul k Hanso!! Mazaq urhao budhay ka! Pagal kaho aur chaltay bano!BABU: Babaji naraaz mat hon. Mera maqsad aap ko dukhi karna nahin tha. Mein tau sirf aap ki baat samajhnay ki koshish kar raha hun. BABAJI: ( Thori der Babu k chehray ko ghor se dekhne k baad) Agar tum haqeeqat ho aur mein tumhein dekh sakta hun. Aur poori dunya mein aik mein hi hun jo tumhein dekh sakta hun. TauTau.Tau phir mein kaun hun! Kaun hun mein! Sahib-e-Baseerat!! Sahib-e-Asraar!! Ya phirYa phir junoon mein bakta hua aik PagalPagalShayad saray sahi kehtay hain. Shayad mein hi pagal hun..BABU: Aisa mat kahain! Mein sun raha hun aap ki baat. Mein samajh raha hun aap ki baat. (Pause) Aap zameen aur aasman ki sarhadon se nikal kar bhaag jana chahatey hain. BABAJI: Han. Bhaag jana chahata hun. Bhaag jana chahata hun!BABU: Magar aap ko bhaag kar milay ga kya? Sarhad k paar aisa kya hai jo aap ko apni taraf kheench raha hai?BABAJI: ..AzadiBABU: Kaisi azadi? Kis cheez se azadi?BABAJI: Musalsal intezar se azadi. Waqt ki ghulami se azadi. Apnay khayalat, Jazbaaat, Ehsasat se azadi. Apnay aap se azadi! Kuch bhi honay se azadi!Tang aa gya hun iss dunya se. Is bhooki, andhi, nangi dunya se! Sonay k pahaarh nigal kar bhi bhooki! Sab kuch saaf dekhte huay bhi andhi! Resham orh kar bhi nangi! (Babu ki gharhi bajnay lagti hai) Bhooki! Andhi! Nangi! Bhooki! Andhi! Nangi! Bhooki! Andhi! Nangi!(Babaji bokhla kar Babu ki taraf dekhta hai. Babu apni gharhi ki taraf dekh kar muskura raha hai)BABAJI: Ye kya awaaz hai?BABU: (Gharhi band kartay huay) Waqt aa gya hai Babaji.BABAJI: Waqt a gya hai? Kis cheez ka waqt aa gya hai?BABU: Kahaani ka!BABAJI: Kaun si kahaani? Kya kahaani? BABU: Wohi kahaani jis ki aap ne farmaish ki thi.BABAJI: Mein ne farmaish kit hi?BABU: Han. Aap ne farmaish ki thi.BABAJI: (Jaisay sab kuch bhool chukka ho) Ah. Acha. Sunao kahani. MeinMein sun raha hun.( BABU ab kharha ho jaye ga aur play k end tak kharha rahay ga. Stage ko occupy karay ga)BABU: (kahaani shuru kartay huay) Aaj se tees bars pehlay ki baat hai.BABAJI: (Baat kaat-tey huay)Tees bars?BABU: Han. Tees bars.BABAJI: ( Chehray par khauf k asar) Wowohi din?BABU: Han! Wohi Din! Jab Aasman sholay barsata tha aur zameen gunahon k bojh talay kaampti thi!BABAJI: (Ghussa hotay huay) Chalay jao yahan se!! Mujhe nahin sun-ni tumhari kahani.BABU: Kahani tau aap ko sun-ni paray gi.BABJI: Kissi aur ko ja kar sunao ye kahani! Mein nahin sunon ga!BABU: Kahaani ko adhoora nahin chhorha ja sakta.BABAJI: Aray kyun nahin chhorha ja sakta!BABU: Agar kahaani adhoori chhor di jaye tau bohut barbaadi hoti hai. Kirdaar mayini(meaning) ki talaash mein bhataktay phirtay hain! Yunhi intezar kartay kartay umar beet jati hai un ki! Dheeray Dheeray alfaaz par se aitbaar uthnay lagta hai. Apnay wujood par sawal uthatay hain! Azadi ki baat kartay hain Babaji! Azadi ki baat.BABAJI: Azadi ki baat?BABU: Han. Azadi ki baat. Ye azadi ki khuwahish sab kuch khatam kar deti hai.BABAJI: Sab kuch khatam kar deti hai..sab kuch khatam kar deti hai.Kahaani Adhoori chor dena tau kirdaron par zulm hai!BABU: Bohut bara zulm hai! Bohut bara zulm hai!BABAJI: Mein kirdaaron par ye zulm nahin kar sakta!BABU: Nahin kar saktay. Aap ye zulm nahin kar saktay.BABAJI: Kya aur koi raasta nahin?BABU: Aur koi raasta nahin. Aap ko ye kahaani sun-ni ho gi.BABAJI: Tau phir theek hai. Mein is qurbaani k liye tayyar hun. Tum kahani sunao, Babu. Mein sun raha hun.BABU: Shukriya. Samajhnay ka shukriya.(BABU kahani sunana shuru karta hai. Kahani ka BABAJI par gehra asar ho raha hai. BABAJI takleef mein hai. Jaisay kahani mein jo kuch likha hai wo us hi k ooper guzar rahi hai.)Aaj se koi tees bars pehlay ki baat hai. Wo kayi din se kaal kothri mein band tha. Ab usay waqt ka hisaab nahin raha tha. Yahan tak k apna naam bhi bhoolta ja raha tha. Usay kaal kothri ki tareeki main kayi khaufnaak manzar dikhayi detay they. Surmayi rang k saye nazar atay they. Us k gird mandlaatay they. Kabhi us par hanstey they tau kabhi maatam kartay they! Woh kaal kothri mein akela tha. Bilkul Akela. Magar kahin kissi konay se siskiyun ki awaaz ati rehti thi. Woh awaaz ka peecha kartay aik taraf barhta tau awaaz doosri taraf se anay lagti. Ab tau kabhi kabhi aik phone ki ghanti ki awaaz bhi anay lagi thi. Kabhi bohut madham ho jaati jaisay kaan mein koi sargoshi ho. Aur kabhi itni zor se bajti thi k kaan phatnay lagtay thay!Aur phir roz Siyah poshon ka aik groh Kaal Kothri mein ata tha. Us k ird gird aik dairay ki soorat mein kharhay ho jatay thay. Us se tarah tarah ke sawaal kartay thay. Tarah tarah ki baatein poochte the. Aisi baatein jin ka usay koi ilm na tha. Aisay sawaal jin ka jawaab us k paas na tha. Jaanay kyun baar baar aik hi naam dohraatay they. SULTAN!BABAJI: SultanBABU: SULTAN!BABAJI: SultanBABU: SULTAN!BABAJI: Sultan..BABU: Akhir ye sultan kaun tha. Kyun sabhi ko us ki talash thi. Woh sochta rehta magar kuch yaad na ata. Dimagh par bohut zor deta magar koi jawaab na milta. Par phir aik din jab woh mayoos ho chukka tha, us ki nazar apnay haath par parhi. Woh ghanton betha apni hath ki lakeeron ko dekhta raha. Parhta raha. Samajhta raha. Aur phir dekhte hi dekhte us ko jawab milnay laga . Haqeeqat us par ayan ho gayi. Sabhi raaz khul kar us k saamney a gaye. Aur phir usay ehsaas hua k kabhi kabhi aap jis cheez ki talash mein hotay hain who cheez tau aap ki nazron k samney hoti hai. Sirf noor-e-baseerat ki zaroorat hoti hai.(Dono kirdar khamosh ho jatay hain. BABAJI ka saans charha hua hai jaisay bohut thak gya ho. Bohut takleef mein ho)BABAJI: Kya tha jawab?BABU: Kuch nahin.BABAJI: Kya matlab kuch nahin! Jawab kya tha? Haqeeqat kya thi?BABU: Mujhay nahin maloom k haqeeqat kya thi.BABAJI: Nahin.Sab barbaad ho gya! Sab.. sab kuch khatam ho gya!BABU: Kya ho gya?BABAJI: Tumhari kahani adhoori hai! Tumhari kahaani adhoori hai!BABU: Meri kahani adhoori nahin hai.BABAJI: Adhoori hai!BABU: Nahin.BABAJI: Adhoori hai!BABU: Nahin!BABAJI: Adhoori hai! Adhoori hai! Adhoori hai!BABU: (Kuch der khamosh rehnay k baad) Meri kahaniMeri kahani adhoori hai?BABAJI: Han.BABU: Hum dono ki kahaniyan adhoori hain?BABAJI: Han. Hum dono ki kahaniyan adhoori hain. Ab sab kuch khatam ho jaye ga.(BABU ki gharhi phir se bajnay lagti hai. BABAJI us ki taraf dekh raha hai. BABU gharhi band karta hai. BABAJI ki taraf dekhta hai.)BABU: Waqt aa gya hai Babaji? BABAJI: Kis cheez ka waqt?BABU: Haqeeqat ka.BABAJI: Haqeeqat ka?BABU: Han. Kahani ka waqt khatam ho chukka. Haqeeqat ka waqt a gya hai.BABAJI: Ye kya keh rahay ho?BABU: Aap k naam aik khat hai meray paas.BABAJI: Khat? Kis ka Khat?(Babu apni jaib se aik khat nikalta hai. BABAJI ko deta hai. BABJI kharay ho kar khat parhta hai)BABAJI:(Chehray par khauf) Yeh nahin ho saktaBABU: Ye sach hai. Kahani haqeeqat hai. Haqeeqat kahani hai. Dono Adhooray.BABAJI: Tumhein.tu..tumhein ye sab kaisa pata! Kaisay pata!BABU: Mein ne aap ki file parhi thi.BABAJI: File? Kaunsi file!BABU: Wo file jis mein aap k khayalat, jazbaat , ehsasat qed hain.BABAJI: (ab ghutnay kay bal gira hua hai) Kkkaun ho tum? Kaun ho tum? Kaun ho?(Khamoshi)BABU:( Chehray par muskurahat) Mein Sultaan hun.BLACKOUT.END.