MY PRECIOUS
1981, KAADAMPALAYAM KOVAI DISTRICT
The fools smell ration day and camp here at sunrise.
Move aside.
Stop making noise and get in line.
One fucking word out of you and I'll shut the shop and leave.
Why don't you wait? I was here first.
-Give me way. -Sathaar, go back.
I've been waiting since morning. My kid's about to return from school now.
Come, sister, who's stopping you?
Give me your ration card next time and you too can avoid the line.
I'll get you the kerosene but take the wheat and sugar on your card.
-I can make a few bucks, right? -Don't touch me.
Kerosene, rice, wheat, sugar. I'll take them all.
Your paunch's getting bigger by the day.
-Can you even see it when you look down? -What?
-I meant your feet, uncle! -Who's your uncle?
Saravanan's uncle is my uncle.
I'm no uncle of yours, you wretch! Bugger off!
Look at uncle's temper, as if I'm asking for his house.
You have to give me the rations.
Talking the law, are we?
You have to stand in queue 25 times for these 25 cards. Now fuck off!
Get lost!
This fool thinks he's being smart.
Can't he just stand in line?
Go back, fool!
-Didn't you hear me? -Go back.
All the way back.
Don't wriggle back. Scoot!
Bro. Brother!
Brother.
Precious?
-Come, Sathaar. -Take the money, bro.
What's this, precious? A pimple?
Pimple?
They're ogling at you, hence the pimple.
Move aside!
Only I know who my precious desires.
So you're back from Coimbatore? I haven't seen you for so long.
I came yesterday.
Damn! Your dad's here.
Thirty rupees? Give me forty and fast!
I have to rush to get my kerosene.
Haven't I told you not to hang around here?
Give the stuff and scoot!
-Bye, Saravanan's dad. -Scram!
You! I've told you not to entertain that one here.
-Dad, he's harmless. -Get out!
-Why do you always abuse him? -You're getting snarky with me?
It's okay to even mess around with a whore,
but if you don't get a bride 'cause of that creature,
I swear I'll kill you and go to jail.
Why didn't you tell me it came?
We've caught him today.
Don't touch me.
Don't you dare touch me.
What do you call one that's neither a girl nor a boy?
You call it Sathaar!
Look at it blush.
Quit wagging it or I'll cut it off…
I meant your tongue.
Try it on for size then.
Guys, stop.
Stop harassing him so much.
Ask him why he keeps strutting around like a girl then.
Does he ask why we horse around like men?
Look, Sathaar's husband is angry. Come on, boys.
Saravanan's not gonna be around always.
Forget those dogs, Sathaar.
Listen, come to our spot later. I have some good news to tell you.
Saravanan!
Still talking to that tramp? Get back to the shop!
I'm here all dolled up and you're still reading?
Is that erotica?
Stop ruining your mouth with betel leaves.
This makes my lips ruby red, precious.
-Give me the damn bag. I'll throw it away. -No! Not my bag!
What do you keep in there?
What did you do?
What's this?
It took me eight years of hustling at ration shops for this 15,000 rupees.
Why do you need so much money?
I'm going to Bombay for the surgery.
Just 3,000 rupees more, and I'll leave.
We'll get married once I return.
Stop that!
Don't act like this with the others. They bitch about you.
Don't be naive.
Those creeps get off on the way I talk to them.
The henpecked fools get abused by their wives.
Let them have their fun with me.
But you never ask for anything.
Ask away, precious.
I was waiting to get a good job before saying this.
Now that I have a bank job, I'm ready.
A heart with an arrow through it and "I love you."
Can you give it to your sister, Sahira?
What about me then?
Stop joking. You're my only hope, man.
So this is why you've been friends with me? I'm a fool!
Shut up!
We've been friends since we were six. Your sister wasn't even born then.
You don't need to do shit. I'll take care of it. Give it back.
This is the first time you've asked me for anything.
How can I refuse? I'll do it.
No need.
Don't be angry, precious. Give it.
Thanks, man. Tell me what she says.
-I'll be here tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. sharp. -Okay, precious.
Devil! How many times have I asked you not to sleep next to the girls?
-Get up, go sleep outside. -Don't hit him!
This dimwit still doesn't understand!
My hand hurts hitting him! Devil!
Leave him alone!
He's scared of the dark.
You made him sleep out once and he wet his bed.
The whole street laughed at us.
-You're the one who made him a coward! -You go. Go!
The witch does look pretty. No wonder he's drawn hearts for her.
Couldn't you have found someone else to seduce?
Hey, Sahira.
You know Saravanan?
Who?
The dumb-faced, long-legged guy from the grocery store.
Why? What's dumb about him?
He's the only good-looking guy in town.
He's educated, too.
Why? Did he ask about me?
-No. Go back to sleep. -Please tell me.
Sleep, squinty-eyes!
-Let me-- -Don't touch me.
His perfume stinks up the whole street!
Sathaar!
What are you looking at? Open it fast.
Where's he running off to?
Stop!
Please move.
Sathaar! Stop!
Squinty-eyed witch!
Gotcha!
You playing games with me? I'll kill you! Did you give her the letter?
I'm talking to you. Did you or not?
I did.
What did she say?
I said you gave it…
And?
I don’t know why, but she tore it up.
Let the witch be. She's arrogant 'cause she's fair.
With your looks and education, girls will line up for you.
All this time, I thought she liked me too.
I studied hard and got a job in the city just to take her with me.
Precious, are you crying?
I've never seen you cry.
Precious, wait!
Give me my torch.
Hey! Sit down, you idiots!
Let me stand guard for you My crown prince
Impoverished have I become Waiting on you
Who else do I have but you?
I'd die a thousand deaths Just to get a glimpse of your face
Like a candle, I would melt for you Burn for you
I came looking for you To talk till my heart's content
Who gave you the saree? Answer me!
I bought it at the fair.
I wanted to wear it when no one's around.
This one shames me daily.
Precious, aren't you my very own precious?
Precious, aren't you my very own?
You ride down every week from so far away just to see me.
You love your mother so much!
You showed him your face? He rides down every week just for this.
Who else do I have but you?
I'd die a thousand deaths Just to get a glimpse of your face
Sahira, see you tomorrow.
It's getting dark. Sahira will get scared.
You're the scared one, rascal.
Of course. They might spare her, but not me.
Stop, squinty-eyes.
In the calm of the night
I like chewing on betel leaves
And sweet memories of you, too Without a thing to worry about
What's wrong with the way I'm born?
Am I the one to blame for that?
Who else do I have but you?
I will follow you around
Till I'm out of breath
Just a glance from you I'll hand over my life to you
Precious, aren't you my very own precious?
Precious, aren't you my very own?
Uncle?
None can match Dad in beating up his kids.
Can't you just marry the boy he wants?
Is that idiot worth all this?
Yes. I only want that idiot.
The idiot said you'd say this.
Everything's arranged.
Come, squinty-eyes.
They're not to be found.
Tell me where they are, bhai. I promise I won't kill your daughter.
Who needs your mercy? If you find them, kill them both.
I'll do the same.
Leave. We're mourning, too.
So you don't care if I kill your daughter.
Let's kill them both!
Here they come!
Sahira?
Quit standing around and get in the car.
Someone might spot us.
Fuss over her later.
-Hurry up. -Okay, let's go.
Stop dawdling!
You kept me busy buying snacks and they got caught! Start the car!
Come with us, Sathaar. They'll beat you to death here.
I'm used to it, precious.
You'll have enough problems without me around.
You won't get a house if I tag along.
And newlyweds need their privacy.
I'll get the address from your friends and write to you.
If things get worse, I'll go to Bombay.
-Don't worry, just leave, my precious. -Listen to me--
Hurry up and go.
-Wait! -What now? We need to leave.
I got this for you from Coimbatore.
Stop using betel leaves. Use this.
It'll make your lips ruby red like a Bollywood actress.
Sathaar!
Look at me.
What's this?
If I touch someone, they either take advantage of me or move away in disgust.
Nobody's ever hugged me with love before, precious.
I'm an idiot for crying like this when you're leaving.
Come on. Get going.
To Coimbatore, right?
They'll look there first. I have a friend in Madras, let's go there.
My brother gave this.
-Kumar, turn the car around. -What?
Turn the car around. He'd saved this for his surgery.
Are you mad? If we get caught, we're dead meat.
The railway gate will close now.
He made me promise to take good care of you.
We'll pay him back once things settle down.
ONE YEAR LATER…
Welcome, big shot.
I was wondering if you'd show up.
How are you, dear?
-The baby's asleep? -Yes.
What's his name? Murugan or Mubarak?
We've not named him yet.
I wanted my in-laws to choose.
Pleasing the in-laws already?
Carry on, carry on.
-I'll make a phone call and be back. -Okay.
Come, come.
Is everything ready? They're here.
Yes, the girl, too.
I didn't expect my dad to agree.
True. He was mad at first.
I told him without a son nor a grandson to perform his last rites,
his wealth would go to strangers.
He still didn't give in.
Then your mom became very sick pining for her grandson. He agreed then.
I spoke to Sahira's parents and called a truce.
How's Sathaar?
Why talk about that one now? Talk about more auspicious things.
Watch it, uncle. He's my brother-in-law.
He sent me a letter once saying everything's fine but nothing after that.
No word from my friends either.
He won't write any letters now. It's his fate.
What fate? Where's Sathaar?
Well, after seeing you off, he went home.
His father beat him and threw him out.
Get out of my sight!
Leave, son! Go!
-Go away! -Go away!
Go! Go away!
Your father made the villagers take back their ration cards from him.
Nobody gave him food nor shelter,
so he lay by the old bridge crazed, mumbling, "My precious."
The drunkards got hold of him one night.
Hey, Sathaar baby!
Help! Open the door!
Please! Open it! Let me in!
Saravanan's dad, please!
Hold it!
Please ask them to leave me alone. I'm scared.
-Saravanan's dad! -Look, just tell me where Saravanan is.
I'll open the door.
Tell me.
Go away. Those dogs will tear you apart.
Father! Open the door. These creeps are after me. I'm scared!
Father!
Who's your father?
I had four daughters. One died.
The other three are safe inside.
Anyone opens the door, I'll kill them.
-Mom? Open the door, please. -Sathaar!
Dad, they are here.
Open the door, Mom.
I'll die if you don't let me in, Mom.
Go die, Sathaar, instead of killing us every day.
Why did I give birth to you?
The whole village rags my girls asking if they're boys or girls.
They say, "As long as Sathaar's there,
he'll pimp out his sisters one by one."
How will I marry them off now?
Go die for their sake, Sathaar.
Die!
Die, my son. Just go away.
Who will want to marry a girl from that one's family?
Good that he died. That's mainly why your father agreed.
Anyway, all's well that ends well. Time to celebrate with biryani now!
Saravanan!
Sahira? Is that my grandson?
How can you kill someone and feast on biryani like nothing's happened?
-Son? -Answer me, you prick.
What can we do if those thugs roughed him up?
You're much worse. You stood by and watched them kill him.
-Drive. -Sahira, get down. Let me see my grandson.
No! What if he's also born like Sathaar? You'll kill him, too.
Don't say such things, dear!
Drive!
Saravanan's dad, please open the door!
Open the door!
Dad, open the door!
MY PRECIOUS
Where did you go, my sweet prince?
Who's going to guide me Through this darkness now?
Who else did I have but you?
Will there ever be another life To see you again?
You melted for me
You burned for me
And have gone far away leaving me alone
Precious, aren't you my very own precious?