Voice Over: In spite of its repeated threats to kill the kid, the dalamfailed to secure Madanna’s release, and a cornered Narsimma carried out the threat. In a swift move that followed while the Greyhounds captured Sarakka, the police had eliminated her in a fake encounter thereafter. And this hardened Narsimma’s attitude towards the men in uniform even more, and he began raiding the Police Stations and blasting their patrol jeeps at will. In time, when the police claimed to have killed a fleeing Madanna in an encounter, he in rage went on a rampage. And that made him the most wanted in the land with a reward of Rupees two million on his head. Outraged by his revolutionary aggression, Renuka was wont to advocate the course of political opposition to further the dalitcause but a cynical Narsimma wouldn’t change tack. In the end, Renuka threatened to leave him, and the dalam,but to no avail.

[Curtains up: Narsimma and Renuka are in the hideout of scenes – 12, 13, 15 & 17.]

Renuka: Baava, do you realize what this day means to us?

Narsimma: Why aren’t we still a year away from the seven year itch?

Renuka: Oh no, but why there’s no word about it all day.

Narsimma: You know how I’m bogged down to blow up that big fish.

Renuka: What a shame, six years over and we haven’t added.

Narsimma: Why hasn’t the reward on my head got multiplied?

Renuka: It’s no time to joke as we’re at the crossroads of life.

Narsimma: You know that’s the sacrifice the revolutionaries have to make.

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Renuka: But still we’re human with human wants, aren’t we?

Narsimma: True, but there is no way we can be parents.

Renuka: What’s that we’ve achieved after all the self-denial?

Narsimma: Don’t you see the changes around? Now nobody dares demean the dalits.

Renuka: Maybe, but they still remain poor, don’t they?

Narsimma: Do we have a magic wand to make them rich.

Renuka: Now I am sure they remain poor as long as we’re around.

Narsimma: Renu, don’t you sound reactionary?

Renuka: So be it. Until we vacate the stage, no entrepreneur would ever step onto it, and unless industry goes rural, the village poor remain poor. And I’m sure about it.

Narsimma: What if we give up arms, won’t the peddollu rule the roost all again.

Renuka: Why don’t you realize, it’s as farmhands that dalitsare at the landlords’ mercy. If only the villages are industrialized, won’t the landlords lose their grip over the peasants?




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