Overall Script Concept

“CHHALAVA”

Title: "The Switch" (tentative title suggestion)

Gitika: Another suggestion is “Chhalava” meaning illusion or something deceptive or “Chhaya"
(Shadow).

Duration: 15 Minutes

Language: Hindi with English

Setting: Scene of friend group walking, Disha/Anchit’s place (living room, bedroom, kitchen, outside
area of the house)
Characters: Disha 1(original), Disha 2(doppelganger), Reet, Sanskriti, Deo, Shivain (in order of
death)

Overall script idea

The entire script is a personal twist on a Bengali doppelganger folklore, wherein the doppelganger
calls out the names of the relatives of people.

In the beginning we show all friends walking home, Disha included (D1). D1 is her usual self,
interacts with everyone and is laughing and having fun. The friend group reaches home (Disha’s
apartment or Anchit’s house) and settles into the living room area. The conversation continues among
the friends until suddenly D1 gets a call. She leaves the living room and goes outside the house to
attend to the call.
10 mins later Disha comes back, but this is her doppelganger and not her, i.e., now D2 comes into
filming. Personality traits that differentiate D2 from D1-
1. She has a pen which she keeps clicking on- especially while she is talking
2. She starts acting in a more hyper manner- this will be visible in how she responds in
conversations or when she gives her inputs
3. She has sometimes displays a slightly manic grin on her face- this gives her a little unhinged
look
4. She talks in a very sceptical manner- this is seen whenever she responds or offers inputs in
conversations.

Only the death of the first 2 friends is going to be shown from D2’s POV.
After D2 entry, she joins the group and conversation continues, but her new traits (pen clicking, hyper
responses and inputs, slightly manic grin) don’t go unnoticed by the friend group.

Reet, mid conversation, spills a drink on her top. Disha offers her top for Reet to change into. The
setting now changes to a room where only D2 and Reet are present. Reet is going through Disha’s
cupboard to find a top when suddenly Reet’s mom’s voice is heard, telling her to hurry up and find
something to wear (voice of Reet’s mom inserted). Reet turns around to find D2 manically grinning
and vigorously clicking the pen. Reet immediately begins choking and is unable to breathe. The next
minute she starts puking blood and collapses on the floor, dying. (This entire is shown from D2’s
POV)

D2 comes back out and tells everyone that Reet has gone to the washroom. Then D2 walks away to
the kitchen and fills a glass of water. Sankriti follows behind, chatting away, and requests Disha to
pass the glass of water to her. D2 turns and responds to her in Sankriti’s mom’s voice (voice of
Sanskriti’s mom inserted). Sanskriti looks shocked and begins choking. The next minute she starts
puking blood and collapses on the floor and dies.
(Only the death of the first 2 friends is going to be shown from D2’s POV)

D2 comes out of the living room and tells Deo and Shivain that Sanskriti has some work on the phone
and will be coming soon. Shivain suddenly gets a call, to attend to which he makes his way out of the
 “CHHALAVA”

house. When he opens the front door of the house, he finds D1 lying haphazardly on the floor,
unconscious. He frantically starts calling out to his friends and turns around, about to go in search of
them. Upon turning around, standing at the front door (from Shivain’s POV) D2 is seen standing over
Deo’s lifeless body, which is lying in a pool of blood. The camera will switch 1-2 times from D1's
unconscious body on the floor to D2 standing above Deo’s body to show viewers that there are two
Disha’s present in the scene.
The end scene is from Shivain’s POV, with D2 slowly turning her head towards Shivain, and a slow,
manic grin appearing on her face while she is staring at Shivain. The screen then blacks out, and only
the sound of the pen clicking vigorously is heard for a few seconds (indicating Shivain’s death), and
then silence. The End.

SCRIPT
Opening Scene:

(COMING BACK FROM CLUB)

A group of four friends— Shivain, Sanskriti, Deo and Reet—are walking back home after a late night
out. They’re chatting and laughing. It’s a casual conversation as they talk about the fun they had.
Disha, a friend who had earlier called in sick, is walking quietly in a distance behind them.

Deo (walking)
(smiling) bhai this was so fun. We should totally do it again. But shivain next time drink less dance
more

Reet:
Noo deo please we shouldn’t torture ourselves

(them walking and laughing. In a dark shady corner sanskriti sees a shadowy figure)

sanskrit:
Halting to stop
“Guys wait….disha?”

Shivain:
Nah can't be she’s sick dont you remember

Deo:
Oooooo must be a doppelganger

Sanskrit:
Hat bey ye sab kuch nahi hota

Reet
No guys that is disha…Huh?? Disha, what are you doing here?

Disha
Tonight is very important…How could I miss it?

Reet and sanskriti

Bhai disha ajeeb si nahi lagri
Yeah man i don't feel so good
Chod bey

(group walks back a little sceptical but boys go back to normal)

 “CHHALAVA”

Scene 2:

(INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT)

They all enter shivain’s house. The mood is still light as they sit down. Disha, however, stands at the
door, looking around strangely.

Deo:

sitting down

"Weekend hamesha jaldi nikal jata hai, lekin aaj idk why but time feels slow"

Sanskriti:
nods
"Haan, pata nahi kyun, kuch ajeeb si vibe hai aaj. Sab kuch theek toh hai na, Disha?"

Disha (D2):
Silently clicking the pen

Reet:
frowning slightly

Deo:
Yaar Disha, Kya hua?

Disha(in an unsettlingly cold voice repeats the sentence):

Yaar disha kya hua

Shivain (joking, trying to lighten the mood):

Laughing saying cough syrup zyada ho gayi hogi

Shivain chuckles but Disha does not. Disha doesn’t respond. Everyone awkwardly tries to laugh and
brush it off

(everyone sitting and talking while disha is sitting silently and copies one person jo khujli karra)

Shivain
Disha don't do that i thought you were over that scratching habit of yours

Disha smiling and scarily and robotically intensely scratching the under eye. To the extent it bleeds

Deo standing up and stopping disha

Disha bhai stop!!

Disha
Laughing

Deo bumps into Reet and she spills her drink

 “CHHALAVA”

Reet:
Bhaiiiiii shivain can i borrow a shirt

Shivain not paying attention on his phone

hmmm

Scene 4:

Reet's Death
(Reet and D2 are in the room, Reet is searching through the cupboard. Suddenly, a voice is
heard—Reet’s mom.)

Voice of Reet’s Mom (off-screen):

Reeeeeeeet

(Reet turns around to see D2 manically grinning and clicking the pen.)

Reet:
What the- (she turn around and sees disha standing at the door frame

creepy scares expression

(Suddenly Reet turns around and starts choking, struggling to breathe, coughing violently until she
vomits blood and collapses.)

(D2 doing the weird scratchy and closes the door)

Scene 5: Sankriti’s Death

(D2 returns to the group.)

Sanskriti:
Reet kidhar hai?

Disha:
She's fine. She's resting

Sanskriti:
Oh….okay :(

(Sanskriti goes to the kitchen to get me water. Meanwhile deo ke mooh se dhooa and shivain gets a
call and goes up the stairs)

Shivain shot
(already shot it blahblahhblahhh….)

Deo shot

Bhai vibe thodi set karo, light vight off kardo yar
 “CHHALAVA”

( Close up of smoke coming out of his mouth )

Shot list

Shot 1
(from behind the water cooler ~ Sanskriti (middle of the frame))

Shot 2
(Disha (behind sanskriti) pov ~ Sanskriti in front of disha ~ turns around ~ chokes, dies)

Shot 3
(Sanskriti coughing blood, falls down ~ disha pov)

Shot 4
(Same shot previous wala ~ eye level)

dialogues

Voice of Sanskriti’s Mom (D2):

kikiii……….

(Sanskriti freezes, shocked, and starts choking just like Reet. Moments later, she too pukes blood and
dies.)

Shot list

Shot 1
(deo first line- MCU- little below the shoulder)

Shot 2
Disha standing behind deo’s chair
(camer pans slowly from deo ashing to disha standing behind him) MEDIUM SHOT

Shot 3
Deo startled and turns around
(DISHA POV EYE SHOT OF DEO TURNING AROUND)

Shot 4

Shot 4
Medium level shot of disha rocking back and forth from INFRONT OF THE CHAIR

Shot 5
Deo scared expression ECU

Shot 6
 “CHHALAVA”

Scene 6: Deo’s death

Deo:
(Looking really confused, putting the ashes away/cup of coffee)
Yaaar, it's been too long for reet to be gone

Disha:
Sanskriti is in the washroom and Shivain just left for a call

Deo:
Tujhe kaise pata? Shivain just got a call?

Disha:
Mujhe kaise pata? Shivain just got a call (the manic scratch)

(Disha walking back and forth scratching. Disha snaps deo’s neck and blood spews out of deo’s
mouth)

Deo chokes, deo dies, deo sleeps)

Scene 7 : Final Revelation

Shivain:
Deo already so gaya yaar, what a buzzkill man

Disha:
Maniac creepy smile laugh while walking towards Shivain

Shivain:
Chokes, falls, and spews blood all over himself.

As soon as shivain’s body falls to the ground, the real disha enters the house

Camera angles for climax:

From the doppelganger’s pov : real disha’s feet
From the real disha’s pov : doppelganger's eyes with the scratch

From the doppelganger’s pov : real disha’s raincoat cap

From the real disha’s pov : doppelganger's side profile face

Black out …..

The End

Props List

- Clickety pen
- Fake blood
- Coffee cups (with something inside)
SCRIPT
“CHHALAVA”
 “CHHALAVA”

FADE IN :
1

1. EXT. SHIVAIN’S HOUSE FRONT ROAD - NIGHT

A STRAIGHT WIDE SHOT, of an insanely creepy lane with the yellow dim street lights to
be the only source of illumination for the scene. The characters walk into the scene, returning
from a party, being slightly deranged and with low levels of conscious thought. As they
slowly get near

THE CAMERA CLOSES IN, following the Deo, Shivain, Reet and Sanskriti (in the order of
revelation) , over the shoulder leading to a conversation …

DEO
(fun-lovingly)
… Bhai, this was so fun, we should totally do it again. But, Shivain next time less
drinking and more dancing

REET
(sarcastically nodding at Shivain)
Oh, please! Let’s not torture ourselves with that at least

(Everyone breaks into a laughter)

The characters walk out of frame,

CUT TO :
2
2. EXT. SHIVAIN’S HOUSE PARKING SHUTTER GATE - NIGHT
A CLOSE IN MID RANGE SHOT, of all the character’s getting inside the apartment building
by following their shadows on the adjacent wall. 4 shadows pass by in quick succession
accompanied by their laughs and conversations with a tense music leading up to a mysterious
fifth shadow which pauses at the gate for a little too long …

CUT TO :
3

3. INT. STAIRCASE LEADING TO SHIVAIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

A TOP DOWN ANGLE FOLLOW UP SHOT, of Sanskriti, Reet, Shivain and Deo (in order
of occurrence), as they climb the stairs, the power goes off in the building …

SANSKRITI
(annoyed)
… Arey yaar, bhai, light chali gayi hai
(everyone switches on the torch lights)

REET
(confusingly)
…Wait, is that Disha?

SHIVAIN
(nonchalantly speaking in an unbothered tone)
…Yaar kaise ho sakti hai, she is sick, don’t you remember?
 “CHHALAVA”

(Sanskriti by that time, looks up and realises that it is indeed Disha (the
doppelganger)

SANSKRITI
(gets startled)
…Guys, it is Disha…

CUT TO :
4

4. INT. STAIRCASE LEADING TO SHIVAIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

A LOW ANGLE SINGLE SHOT, of Disha (the doppelganger) standing creepily looking
down upon Sanskriti, Reet, Shivain and Deo (in order of revelation) …

THE CAMERA SHIFTS TO A POV SHOT from Sanskriti’s perspective, where a slight jerk
signifies Reet is getting startled.

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(creepily walking down a few steps)
… Tonight is a very important day, how could I miss it?

(tilts her head in a weird manner)

CUT TO :
5

5. INT. DOOR FRAME OF SHIVAIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

A STRAIGHT MEDIUM SHOT, of the party entering the house, removing their shoes and
sitting on the couch…

DEO
(enters the house, and..)
…Yaar ek sutta laa de

SHIVAIN
(opening the door, with the keys…)
…Haa room mei pada hai, I will get it now

SANSKRITI
(while removing her shoes, in ear-shot of Disha (the doppelganger))
…Yaar yeh disha thodi si weird nahi lag rahi aaj

REET
(agreeing with a hesitation)
…Yeah man, I don’t feel so good. But, chhod de yaar

Disha (the doppelganger) stood at the door for the longest time even after everyone
had settled …

CUT TO :
6
6. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone has settled into the house, the mood is still light and they sit down. Disha (the
doppelganger, however, still is standing at the door, while looking at everyone strangely…
 “CHHALAVA”

DEO
(finally getting the cigarettes box, speaking metaphorically)
…Yaar weekends hamesha jaldi khatam ho jaate hai, lekin aaj I don’t know why time
just feels so slow

SANSKRITI
(nods)
…Haan pata nahi kyun, kuch ajeeb si vibe hai aaj. Sab kuch theek toh haina, Disha?
…

CUT TO :
7
7. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Camera pans towards disha, it is a medium close up shot of Disha (the doppelganger) where
she creepily tilts her head towards Sanskriti, looks at her and smiles

CUT TO :
8
8. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone feels cold, as the energy of the creepy outlier lingers around…

DEO
(frowns)
…Yaar Disha, kya hua?

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(looks deadpan in the face of deo, and repeats the exact same thing he said,
emotionlessly, she walks in front as speaking)
…Yaar Disha, kya hua?

SHIVAIN
(joking, trying to lighten the mood)
…Lagta hai cough syrup zyada ho gayi hogi

Shivain chuckles but Disha (the doppelganger) does not. Disha doesn’t respond.
Everyone awkwardly tries to laugh and brush it off. Shivain’s chuckle is the last one
heard.

CUT TO :
9
9. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A continuous shot with a variety of medium close ups, to extreme close up of Disha (the
doppelganger). Reet is scratching her forehead trying to fix her bangs. Disha (the
doppelganger) copies the action and continues it until…

SHIVAIN
(confused)
…Disha yaar, mat kar. I thought you were over that scratching habit of yours.

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(intensifies scratching her forehead until she starts bleeding)

CUT TO :
10
10. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
 “CHHALAVA”

A medium shot of Deo sitting on the recliner sofa, panning towards Disha (the doppelganger),
who is smirking manically…

DEO
(gets up in a hurry)
…Disha bhai stop!

In his hurry, he shoves Disha (the doppelganger)’s hand, which ends up knocking over the
glass of water in Reet’s hand. Reet is visibly annoyed.

CUT TO :
11
11. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A long shot of the living room, where all the friends are sitting and Reet decides that she
needs to change her top, the camera follows Shivain, who is inattentively playing games on
his phone …

REET
(irritatedly furrows)
…Deo bhaiii… Shivain, can I borrow a shirt please?

Camera pans towards Shivain in a medium range shot, where he nods, silently. Disha (the
doppelganger) is laughing maniacally all this while.

CUT TO :
12
12. IN T. STAIRS TO SHIVAIN’S ROOM UPSTAIRS - NIGHT
A mid close up of Reet walking upstairs to get a change of clothes for herself.

CUT TO :
13
13. INT. STAIRS TO SHIVAIN’S ROOM UPSTAIRS - NIGHT
An extreme close up of Reet’s feet through the lines of the stairs climbing the stairs.

CUT TO :
14
14. INT. STAIRS TO SHIVAIN’S ROOM UPSTAIRS - NIGHT

CUT TO :
15
15. INT. SHIVAIN’S BEDROOM- NIGHT
A single full shot of a shadow passing by in the balcony, camera pans to Reet entering the
room, where now there is no one seen in the balcony any longer. Reet walks up to Shivain’s
cupboard and opens it.

CUT TO :
16
16. INT. SHIVAIN’S BEDROOM- NIGHT
Full back shot of Reet opens the cupboard and sifts through the clothes she hears Disha (the
doppelganger)’s voice behind.

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(spine-chilling soothing voice)
 “CHHALAVA”

…Reet…

Reet turns around towards the voice.

CUT TO :
17
17. INT. SHIVAIN’S BEDROOM- NIGHT
Medium close-up shot of Reet beginning to choke, following which she stumbles and falls to
the ground, and pukes blood.
Ground shot of her dropping dead on the floor.

CUT TO :
18
18. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Medium level two frame shot of Disha (the doppelganger) rejoining the group in the living
room, and talking with Sanskriti.

SANSKRITI
(turns towards Disha)
It’s been too long for Reet to be gone

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(repeats with a manic edge to her voice)
It’s been too long for Reet to be gone

Sanskriti is not convinced with the reply, but decides to leave it off for the time being.

CUT TO :
19
19. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Medium level two frame shot of Sanskriti getting up to get water from the kitchen.

SANSKRITI
Accha mai paani leke aati hoon

Sanskriti leaves the living room.

CUT TO :
20
20. INT. KITCHEN- NIGHT
Close-up single shot of Sankskriti filling a glass of water from the water can.

CUT TO :
21
21. INT. KITCHEN- NIGHT
Close-up single back shot of Sanskriti filling a glass of water from the water can, from POV
of Disha (the doppelganger). Sanskriti hears Disha (the doppelganger)’s voice behind.

DISHA (the doppelganger)

(spine-chillingly soothing voice)
Sanskriti…

Sanskriti turns around, spots Disha and begins trembling. She drops the glass of water and
begins to choke, following which she pukes blood and drops dead on the floor.
 “CHHALAVA”

CUT TO :
22
22. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A close-up knee level shot of Shivain getting a call, which he leaves the room to attend.

CUT TO :
23
23. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
An extreme close-up shot of Deo smoking on the recliner sofa in the living room.
Deo gets up to switch off the light, changing the setting to a blue hue. He also starts playing
music.

DEO
(drunk and high)
Bhai…thodi vibe set karo yaar

CUT TO :
24
24. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
An extreme close-up single shot of a cigarette in Deo’s hand. The camera continues to pan
from his hand to ashtray to Deo’s face. The camera then pans out to knee level to show Disha
(the doppelganger) standing behind Deo. Disha (the doppelganger) puts her hand on Deo’s
shoulder, startling him.

DEO
(startled and confused)
Yaar, it's been too long for Reet to be gone.

DISHA (THE DOPPELGANGER)

(spine-chilling soothing voice)
Sanskriti is in the washroom and Shivain just left for a call

DEO
(confused and panics)
Tujhe kaise pata? Shivain just got a call?

DISHA (THE DOPPELGANGER)

(spine-chilling soothing voice, while manically scratching her face)
Mujhe kaise pata? Shivain just got a call
CUT TO :
25
25. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Disha (the doppelganger)’s point of view, medium shot of Deo who gets scared and jumps out
of the recliner sofa and walks back until he falls on the other side of the sofa…

DEO
(scared, running away)
Disha…Disha… Yeh kya kar rahi hai tu…Disha

CUT TO :
26
26. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
An extreme close up point of view shot from Disha (the doppelganger) towards Deo, who
chokes while trying to get away from Disha (the doppelganger), he falls back on the sofa
 “CHHALAVA”

itself.

CUT TO :
27
27. EXT. AT THE TERRACE OF SHIVAIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
A long shot zoomed into Shivain, who is walking through his terrace where he is seen trying
to have a conversation walking back and forth from his place.

CUT TO :
28
28. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Disha (the doppelganger) is sitting right next to Deo’s body and smiling in a ghostly manner.
A medium shot with Disha (the doppelganger) in the middle of the scene where Shivain gets
down from the terrace in his house…

CUT TO :
29
29. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A close up mid angle shot from Shivain’s point of view of Disha (the doppelganger) where
she is manically scratching herself and looking in a very creepy tilted manner towards him.
When suddenly there is a knock on the door. She turns her face to look at someone on the
door.

CUT TO :
30
30. INT. SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The camera switches from Disha (the doppelganger)’s point of view to Shivain, turning the
camera to a bottom up angle. Where the camera gets closer to Shivain, and he freezes in the
moment.

SHIVAIN
(scared, walking backwards)
Disha, what are you doing? Disha…

CUT TO :
31
31. INT. STAIRCASE IN FRONT OF SHIVAIN’S MAIN DOOR - NIGHT
A mid length shot of Disha walking from the stairs up in a raincoat. The camera shifts to the
inside of the house in the same shot and Disha is struggling to find reality in finding her
doppelganger standing in front of her with her friends around the doppelganger.

CUT TO :
32
32. INT. CCTV CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The CCTV camera shot is a wide angle view of the entire living room where the lifeless body
of Deo on the sofa is seen, Disha (the doppelganger) is standing beside him staring at a scared
and anxious Shivain all the while when there is seen someone entering the house who is
revealed to be Disha when she looks up to the scene in front of her eyes.

CUT TO :
33
33. INT. MAIN DOOR AT SHIVAIN’S HOUSE - NIGHT
 “CHHALAVA”

The camera shifts to Shivain’s point of view. There is a knock at the door and then it is pushed
open by someone in a raincoat, which is revealed to be Disha and she is seen with a shocked
and scared expression.

CUT TO :
34
34. INT. MAIN DOOR AT SHIVAIN’S HOUSE & SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM -
NIGHT
There are continuous parallel shots of Disha (the doppelganger)’s eyes and Disha’s eyes.

CUT TO :
35
35. INT. MAIN DOOR AT SHIVAIN’S HOUSE & SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM -
NIGHT
There are continuous parallel shots of Disha (the doppelganger)’s smile and Disha’s scared
and shocked expression.
CUT TO :
36
36. INT. MAIN DOOR AT SHIVAIN’S HOUSE & SOFA IN THE LIVING ROOM -
NIGHT
The final shot includes a close up of the face of Disha (the doppelganger) and Disha in
parallel where Disha (the doppelganger) leaves with a smirk and Disha has a really scared and
betrayed expression.

BLACK OUT.

THE END.