Perplex City

By: Naseha Sameen

Narrated by: Sharmila R Udupa

Perplex City paints an intrinsic layer of the city in its three different lockdowns, decades apart, telling the story of a night as Khali Dera, Blossom Haveli and Jharokha Apartment remained a silent witness to the unprecedented acts of love, hate, jealousy, regret, and redemption that changed the lives of everyone around. The colossal events looked distant and insignificant; all they wanted and prayed was the night to end.

Year 2020, a night before the lockdown starts, a barkeep finds herself in possession of ICE, ecstasy drugs. She empties the contents in the water tank of her society, Jharokha Apartment, just before the cops show up at her place. During the night, the water is consumed by the cops who came for the search to the unaware resident. Under the influence of the drugs, ICE, the residents come face to face with their demons—their anger, their guilt, their lust, their greed, and their love. How many demons would surface and who would be their casualty?

In 1947, greed and hatred had divided the country. A girl in her 20s, Libni finds herself stuck in a rioting city. Stranded, Libni had to stay a night in this city. Searching for a shelter, Libni reaches Blossom Haveli. Little did she know, she was walking right into a sinister plot. Shreya and her husband Onkar were in the midst of their heinous plan to kill Onkar’s enigmatic younger brother Arin. Libni unwittingly became a part of a perplexing situation of love, deceit, and loyalty. Will Libni’s presence deter Onkar’s plan or is Libni a part of a bigger conspiracy? What turn will this night bring in the lives of Onkar, Shreya, Arin, and Libni? How will one night under a lockdown and curfew confined to a mansion change their lives forever?

Year 1857! Sepoy mutiny changed the course of history. India was losing this fight for independence; the freedom fighters were being rounded off. Imam asked the group of freedom fighters taking shelter in an unknown mosque to disperse and go under hiding including his daughter Meher. Meher managed to reach the road leading to Gurugram or Gurgaon as it was called then. The road was barricaded by the army. Meher had to hide in a small, desolated house in a deserted kasba. The residents of the house had moved on and it had turned into ruins. In those ruins seeking refuge were another couple, Guneet and Eshana. They were on their way to meet Eshana’s brother for the last time, who was caught during the uprising in 1857. But Eshana’s was due soon and the travel induced pain. They took shelter in Khali Dera. They were not alone. Terror ran high as they faced the forces unseen and unknown, namely Ajooni, who walked in the ruin, the whole night, night after night, claiming anything in it as hers.

©2028 Naseha Sameen (P)2028 myAudioBits