The following is the recently de-classified transcript of a telephone conversation recorded in the Prime Minister’s Office.
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De-Classified Information
Subject: Telephone conversation between Mr. Vijay and Ms. Deepthi
Participants: Mr. Vijay, Ms. Deepthi & an unnamed security person in the Prime Minister’s Office
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Phone rings
Ms. Deepthi (D): Hello.
Mr. Vijay (V): Deepthi?
D: Yes!?
V: Hey, it’s me.
D: You got to be kidding me. I cannot keep doing this Vijay. Stop calling me man.
V: But Deepthi, please listen to me this one time.
D: Vijay….
V: You won’t believe where I am calling you from.
D: Oh my God! Are you watching me through the window again?
Scuffling noise
V: What? No. I already told you – I stopped doing that long time ago.. when my telescope broke. Besides, I am not even in Tamil Nadu now.
D: Where are you then?
V: I am in the Prime Minister’s Office.
D: Oh Vijay… Oh Vijay…
V: I am not joking Deeps. They finally agreed to listen to my pitch.
D: Have you stopped taking your medicine?
V: What? No Deeps. I’m not hallucinating. I am actually in the waiting room inside Prime Minister’s Office, in New Delhi.
D: WHAT?? ARE YOU SERIOUS??
V: Why are you shouting? Isn’t anyone home?
D: Appa (father) and Amma (mother) went to the temple. They will be back for breakfast.
V: This early?
D: Yah… (hesitates) some Pooja rituals I think.
V: For the engagement?
D: Yah… (further hesitation)
V: Please don’t go through with the engagement Deeps. You know this PM thing changes everything for me right?
D: It’s all over Vijay. Let’s stop it now. You tell me. Are you really in the Prime Minister’s Office?
V: Of course yes! I mean, I am in the waiting room for now. Meeting is at 9:30. I practically begged the security person to let me make this phone call. I really wanted to talk to you.
D: I am really happy for you Vijay.
V: Silence
D: Silence
V: I still love you Deepthi.
D: Come on Vijay. It’s too late now. We had this discussion hundred times now.
V: But this time it’s different Deeps. Are you even listening to me? I am making my presentation in front of the PM.
D: Yes, yes. That’s why I’m asking you to first focus on the presentation for now.
V: This is nothing to me compared to you Deepthi. I mean it.
D: Don’t do that Vijay. Please. You’ve been called a recluse, loner, weirdo; some even called you a psycho.
V: Wow, a psycho!? I didn’t know that.
D: That’s not the point. You’ve been working for so long on this. You’ve lost everything and everyone.
V: I don’t care about anything else Deeps. You are the only thing that matters to me.
D: Oh Vijay!
V: When did you say your parents will be back from temple?
D: By 9-9:30..
V: Silence
D: When is the presentation?
V: Around the same time. I will meet the PM first and then make the presentation.
D: Wow that’s really amazing. I am so proud of you Vijay.
V: Silence
D: Vijay? Are you there?
V: Whimpering sounds
D: Vijay? Are you crying?
V: All I ever wanted was you to be proud of me Deepthi. But I wasn’t crying. Some dust I think.
D: …
V: After that night we made love…
D: Shut up Vijay…
V: ..and your father walked in..
D: I said, shut up!
V: ..while I was on top of you..
D: Vijay… shut up! You are in the PM’s Office.
V: I was in the hospital for more than a week because of the thrashing your father gave me.
D: Vijay someone will listen to you..
V: I know that it meant more to me than you but it was the single greatest night of my life. Please Deepthi. Don’t get engaged tomorrow.
D: Vijay…
V: Or at least wait for me. I will reach Madras in two days and I will come and talk to your father once again.
D: It’s not that easy Vijay. He really likes Dhruv. He is a mechanical engineer. Please don’t do this to me.
V: I am in the PM’s Office GOD DAMNIT.
Security person: Yelling in hindi.. inaudible..
V: Oh sorry sir… sorry sorry. Yes, I will kept it low. No, no… 5 mins sir.
D: What was that?
V: Some security person came in and yelled at me.
D: I told you to shut up!
V: Listen to me Deepthi. My life is going to change after today. Everything is going to change. I am probably going to be on the headlines tomorrow morning.
D: I really wish you do.
V: Just tell me that there’s a chance Deeps. Wait for me and I will come and convince your father. Hell, I will bring a recommendation from the PM.
D: Haha.. you’ve always been cocky.
V: I’m telling you I have a really good feeling about the presentation. Even though no one in the PM’s Office seems to be interested, the PM listened to my pitch on the phone yesterday and really like it.
D: Wow, so you actually spoke to the PM on phone.
V: Of course. It was the PM who wanted me to make this presentation to convince everyone else. But if the PM likes it, it’s a done deal.
D: Wow, Vijay I am super happy for you. Aren’t you nervous?
V: Not really. I know I have this in the bag.
D: Great!
V: There’s some lame British dude called Peter Ustinov waiting to interview the PM. My meeting is immediately after that.
D: Wow that’s great. I know you will do well. But best of luck.
V: Thanks Deeps. So it’s basically a formality today. You know how powerful the PM is.
D: Vijay… hesitates
V: Yes Deeps. What is it?
D: You really think you can convince my father?
V: Of course. I am going to be headlines material by tomorrow Deeps. Your father will practically beg me to marry you.
D: You know what? Let me talk to him once he’s back. I will tell him about your meeting and I will ask him to give us another chance.
V: Wow Deepthi. You will really do that for me?
D: Of course I will Vijay. I believe in you.
V: (Silence)
D: I really do love you Vijay.
V: (Silence)
D: Vijay.. can you hear me?
V: Hahahah..
D: Vijay.. what’s wrong?
V: You say you love me?
D: Yes, I do..
V: Then why is it that until I called you just now, you did not give a shit about me? Never cared to see how I was doing?
D: … Vij..
V: You were getting ready to marry that chemical engineer..
D: Mechanical engi….
V: Yes, that mechanical engineer. But now that I am basically going to be friends with the Prime Minister, you suddenly believe in me and say you love me?
D: Is this some kind of a joke?
V: I don’t know you tell me? You made my life a big joke. Not any more you snake.
D: Oh my god! Are you serious? What is wrong with you?
V: Oh is something wrong with me? I don’t know let me ask the PM and tell you.
D: You are sick Vijay. Really sick..
V: Am I? No issues, I will ask the PM to take me to AIIMS for treatment. Haha.
D: You really are a psycho!! Starts to sob
V: Hahahaha….
D: Go to hell you psycho!!
Call ends
Dails again
V: Hahaha…
D: Sobbing … I said go to hell you psycho! Stop calling me.
V: Haha…
Loud noises followed by huge commotion
V: Wait, what is happening?
Alarm bells ringing
D: Sniffs.. What are you doing now you psycho?!
V: Nothing. Something happened here. Sir, sir… what is happening?
Security person: you…. inaudible.. leave at once.
V: But why? What happened?
D: What is happening?
Security person: ..incoherent sounds… get the hell out. Now!!
Line disconnects.
End of transcript.
Location: 1, Akbar Road, New Delhi
Date: 31 October 1984
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On 01 November 1984, Indian Express carried the following headline:
“INDIRA GANDHI SHOT DEAD”
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The Cannibal 