IYE

A man with a number, a woman with words, and a vagabond with a country run in and out of the light of the others.

Episode 1 (I Had My Own Number)

The protagonist walks the streets of the city and arrives at a metro station. He scrutinizes the bustling action around him; from the ever busy people getting on and off the trains; to the ever changing numbers on the time display board. He arrives outside and purchases a timetable for the trains. He memorises all the arrival and departure times, and tries torelay this information to the commuters he comes across; but no one wants to listen to him. All information regarding train schedule is hosted on a computer placed behind a counter which reads ’May I Help You?’; hence, the commuters do not require him for the information he wishes to share. Notwithstanding, the protagonist approaches the counter and place difficult questions to the computer; but the machine is successfully in providing all the correct answers. While he is returning with a feeling of defeat, he discovers that the computer doesn’t have an answer to the questions of the number of steps one needs to come down to arrive at the ticket booth from the entrance at the top. This discovery sets him off on an endeavour to count all the steps present in all the stairs in the city of Kolkata. While he is counting the stairs of an apartment, he is suspected to be a thief by the tenants of the building. As a result he is physically assaulted by an angry mod suspecting him to be a miscreant; and subsequently he is admitted to a hospital. 

Episode 2 (I Had My Own Words)

The protagonist suffers from a pervasive monotony. The ever still objects around her forwards the atmosphere; which unsettles her greatly. Thereafter, one day she realises that it is the constant repetition of the same words which is adding to her dissatisfaction. She begins to rename all objects around her. She tries to come up with a language of her own; the language in whose words only she will be able to dreams.  She begins to communicate with people around her in her own words, which leaves everyone bewildered. As the reality of her own words strengthens, she slowly starts forgetting the words of other people. She shuts herself off in her room to isolate herself from other people and there language, which she can no longer remember or understand. Later, her neighbours break open her room’s door and take her to a hospital.Episode 3 (I Had My Own Country)

The protagonist is a vagabond. He arrives at the American Center for an interview for the world Vagabond conference to be held in Los Angeles. A French woman interviews him first, to whom he identifies himself as an explorer. He claims to have explored an area in Kolkata. A Spaniard interviews him for the final round. He informs our protagonist that there is no country called America. His insane behavior on the streets leads to a traffic commotion; subsequently, a mob takes hold of him and admits him to a hospital.Last Episode

All three protagonists are in the hospital; they come to the conclusion that they do not wish to know anything anymore. A voice tells them that there are many things that they do not know; and before they can say what they wish to not know, they must know everything. They are all given an encyclopedia. After perusing the encyclopedia they all decide that they wish to be a rhinoceros. The voice leads them to a caged enclosure where they must run whenever a light fall on them, and stop to rest in the meantime; like a rhinoceros. There they will be monitored to determine what kind of rhinoceros they wish to become.

Synopsis (Brief)

A man scrutinises the city of Kolkata from length of breadth in search of number. A number unique and special to his own knowledge: the number of steps in all the stairs in Kolkata. A woman stifled by the monotony of her life searches for change. A change she finds in her own language: a language of known words but with new meaning. A vagabond explores new countries in known lanes of Kolkata. He participates in world Vagabond Conference to be able to visit America, but he cannot; because America doesn’t exit. Three strangers with three tales of hope.