THE LAST BENCHERS

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SCENE 1: THE DISCARD PILE

(The Staff Room. Teachers are correcting papers. Mr. Dubey is eating a sandwich while grading. Mrs. Rao enters holding a list.)

Mrs. Rao: Teachers, listen up. The board exams are in three months. I have the list of students who are failing the preliminary tests.

(She pins a list on the board.)

Mrs. Rao: These five students—including Arjun—are bringing down the school average. I suggest we call their parents and advise them to... withdraw. Or shift to the Open School system. We cannot risk our 100% pass record.

Mr. Dubey: (Swallowing his bite) Withdraw? Ma'am, Arjun is brilliant.

Mrs. Rao: Brilliant? He scored 12 out of 100 in History. He drew a cartoon of Napoleon on the answer sheet!

Mr. Dubey: Yes! But did you see the cartoon? It was historically accurate! He drew Napoleon short, hand in coat, looking grumpy. That shows he knows the subject; he just hates writing essays.

Mrs. Rao: The Board doesn't grade cartoons, Mr. Dubey. They grade words. If he fails, it is on you. Fix him, or he goes.

(Mrs. Rao leaves. Mr. Dubey looks at the list. He sighs.)

(Lights fade.)

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SCENE 2: THE HISTORY OF THE FUTURE

(Classroom. Noisy. Rohan is showing off his marks. Arjun is sitting at the back, sketching on his desk.)

Rohan: 98%! Again! I am unstoppable. Arjun, what did you get? 9.8?

(Class laughs. Arjun ignores him.)

Mr. Dubey: (Entering) Silence! Rohan, sit down. Your ego is blocking the whiteboard.

(Class giggles.)

Mr. Dubey: Today, we are not opening the textbook. Put it away.

Rohan: Sir, but the syllabus!

Mr. Dubey: The syllabus can wait. Arjun, stand up.

(Arjun stands up slowly, looking defiant.)

Mr. Dubey: Why did you draw Napoleon?

Arjun: Because writing is boring, Sir. History is just dead people doing stupid things.

Mr. Dubey: Dead people? Arjun, history is the script of the movie we are living in right now! You think you are unique? You are just a remix of your ancestors!

Arjun: (Smirking) So I am a remix of a monkey?

Mr. Dubey: (Laughing) Exactly! But a smart monkey. Listen, I have a challenge. The Annual Project is due next week. Rohan is writing a 50-page thesis on the Industrial Revolution. Arjun, I want you to make a... comic book.

Rohan: (Protesting) That’s unfair! A comic book is easy!

Mr. Dubey: Is it? Try drawing a steam engine that looks real. Arjun, if your comic book can teach this class about the French Revolution better than the textbook, I will give you full marks. Deal?

Arjun: (Eyes lighting up) Seriously? No essays?

Mr. Dubey: No essays. Just art. But it has to be accurate. You have to read the book to draw the scenes.

Arjun: (Grinning) Deal.

(Lights fade.)

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SCENE 3: THE VERDICT

(Principal’s Office. One week later. Mr. Sharma is sitting nervously. Mrs. Rao looks stern. Mr. Dubey is holding a colorful booklet.)

Mrs. Rao: Mr. Sharma, we called you because Arjun’s academic performance is... concerning.

Mr. Sharma: I know, Ma'am. I hit him, I scolded him, I took away his phone. He is useless. He just draws all day. I will put him in the shop with me. No more school.

Mr. Dubey: (Interjecting) Wait. Before you expel him, look at this.

(He places Arjun’s comic book on the table. It is titled "The Revolution: Blood and Bread.")

Mrs. Rao: What is this?

Mr. Dubey: This is Arjun’s project. Read page 5.

(Mrs. Rao puts on her glasses. She reads. She turns the page. She stops frowning.)

Mrs. Rao: This... this dialogue between the King and the peasant... it captures the economic disparity perfectly.

Mr. Dubey: Exactly. He read three extra books to get the costumes right. He worked harder on this than Rohan worked on his thesis.

Mr. Sharma: (Confused) You mean... he studied?

Mr. Dubey: He didn't just study. He learned. Mr. Sharma, your son is not a failure. He is a storyteller. If you force a fish to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. Arjun is a fish. Let him swim!

Mrs. Rao: (Closing the book) But he still needs to pass the written exam.

Mr. Dubey: He will. Because now he understands the story. He just needs to translate the pictures into words. I will help him.

(Mrs. Rao looks at Mr. Sharma. Then at Arjun, who is standing outside the glass door, looking scared.)

Mrs. Rao: Mr. Sharma... don't pull him out. Not yet.

Mr. Sharma: (Holding the comic book, tearing up) I... I never looked at his drawings. I just saw the mess. This is beautiful.

Mr. Dubey: (Smiling) It is.

(Mr. Dubey opens the door. Arjun walks in.)

Mr. Sharma: (Standing up) Arjun... did you draw this horse?

Arjun: Yes, Papa.

Mr. Sharma: It looks strong. Like you.

(Mr. Sharma hugs Arjun. Mrs. Rao wipes her glasses subtly.)

(FADE TO BLACK)

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