PEBBLES
Hello, who are you? Barging in like this wearing a lungi?
Do you like me? Or your mother?
Answer me.
Me? Or your mother?
Hey! Give me 300 rupees.
Looks like you're already drunk. What now?
Screw the explanation. Just give it to me.
Here. This is all I have.
Hey! Come.
Has the 10.30 bus left? - Not yet, son.
Give me that bottle.
Need anything, kid?
Get me some bidis and matches.
Take off that bag.
Keep it here. I'll pick it up when I get back.
What are you doing, boy?
What's this for?
For little sister.
Useless!
Tickets?
Where to?
Idaiyapatti.
Help me with this pot, brother.
- Tickets! - Ettimangalam.
Tickets? For these small pots?
Small or big! It's the number that counts.
Hey, fucker! Are you stupid? Smoking on the bus?
Fuck you! You hit my head to tell me that?
You want a cuddle instead? Smoking when women are around?
Carry on like that and I'll bash your face in.
Don't mess with me.
Why would I bother you, if you behaved yourself?
You're getting me mad. You've no idea who you're messing with.
Always the same shit with these guys.
Fuck! Behave yourself. Does this bus belong to your mother-in-law?
You scum.
Grandpa, blow hard! There's hardly any smoke.
Catch it, Ma.
Tell her what I told you and bring her with you.
Wait!
What will you say?
Father asked you to come now. If you don't, he will marry someone else.
Go! Say it exactly like that.
Oh God! Why is he coming here alone?
And in this scorching heat. Didn't you go to school?
Father sent me to get mother.
She left this morning as she wanted to see you.
Ok, come. Have something.
Is your father standing at the corner?
- Hmm. - Selvi! Come here.
He drags a poor school-going kid here.
Hey, Selvi.
I'm coming.
What did he say this time?
If mother isn't coming back, he said he'll marry someone else.
I told you, didn't I?
I should've killed him. I spared him for my sister's sake.
You're to blame, Ma.
I didn't want her to marry him as I knew about his tantrums.
You wanted us to maintain family ties. Now reap what you sow.
Selvi! Bring him some food.
Hold him.
Your mother starved herself and kept lamenting about you all night.
These chaps come here often because of this old lady!
It's all my fate.
Am I only here to cook and feed them?
The Gods blinded me back then.
Or else why would I let my sweet girl marry a drunkard?
Here, have some food.
Son, don't be proud like your mother. Just eat!
Paandi! Talk to him and bring him here.
People will gossip, if they see him there like that.
Why should I? He came all the way just to wait in the corner?
If he can have that attitude, I can too...
Whatever! We are the bride's family. We must be patient.
You keep saying that while he keeps messing with us. Shut up!
If I bump into him again, I'll tear him apart.
All men have such failings.
We woman have to adjust.
Take me, for example.
Why are you bringing up your story? Just go inside.
Hey, Selvi?
What's all this yelling? Aren't you coming to the market?
How can I come now? You carry on.
Why are you grimacing like that?
When did the boy come? Are you fine, kid?
Ah, the old lady has started to complain again.
I can't listen to it.
Damn, now she has started too.
Hey! Meena?
Yeah...
Are you ready?
I'm coming.
Is it my job to organize and gather everyone to go to the market?
I'll go on my own from next week.
I am here already.
Isn't Selvi coming...?
No, she isn't.
I saw Shanthi this morning. It seems she's gone back to her village.
Now her son is here.
What it is now? New trouble?
What's new? This isn't the first time it is happening.
What do you expect if you marry a drunk?
Only when she's dead will her problems be over.
She can just get rid of him and bring the kids back to live here.
Oh! Will that do it? I doubt that bitch Selvi will leave them alone.
She can't stand her mother-in-law as it is.
I feel sad for Shanthi. She was so beautiful before she married.
Now she looks like a chopped firewood.
Anyone else in her place would be already dead.
She just lives for her children. Nothing else.
If her husband dies of some illness, Shanthi would somehow survive with her kids!
But he isn't dying.
Damn it! This madman is standing here!
Let's keep moving. Don't let out a breath.
I curse myself having married a woman from this fucking village.
Hey! I sent you to bring your mother and you're sucking up to these fakes?
Shanthi, you bloody bitch!
Come out, little bitch!
Hold your tongue, brother-in-law. She's gone back to your village.
Behave yourself. I am already furious with you.
Furious? You'd be peeing your pants if I stick around. Touch me if you dare!
Brother, make these threats to your wife,
but not my husband!
I've been miserable ever since I got my daughter married to you.
My husband died. He wasn't fated to see all this.
Be quiet, you women! A man is talking.
Are you man enough to take me on?
Let go! I'll slit your throat.
He sold the jewels I gave my daughter for her wedding and drank the money up.
I am a drunkard! But am I having an affair, like your son?
But isn't his wife accommodating?
I chased your daughter away because she fucks with my head!
How dare you say that about my daughter, you dog!
Who are you calling a dog? Bitch!
Son of a bitch! Can't even manage a family? Trying your luck here?
Let go! I'll kill him. Even if my sister becomes a widow!
Stop! Let the drunkard go. Don't kill him and make my daughter a widow.
Let him get away alive please.
You humiliating me for coming here?
Your sister is in my house, right?
I'm taking the bus now. You come by the next one.
You'll find her dead.
Do that first! It would be a favour.
You can count on it, bitch! She'll be dead.
I will bring death to your house today for sure!
Get lost, scum.
Why are you going with that crackpot? Stay here, my boy.
My little one is leaving.
My daughter's life has been destroyed.
Oh god! What will I do now?
You have only me from now on. Forget about your mother!
Come here.
Bitch. I got humiliated because of her.
Shanthi (mother), Lakshmi (sister), Velu (the boy)
Hey fucker, the bus is here. Come at once.
What the hell are you doing?
You little fuck!
See if I don't rip your proud ass!
Learnt all this from your mother, right?
All these sons of bitches take me for a dumb fucker, don't they?
Dog, fucking dog!
Thought you could save your mother by tearing up this money? Fuck you!
Who do you think your father is?
A few more steps and I will be in my village. Fuck you!
Hey, hand me the bidi packet.
Who'll give me matches? Your mother?
I don't have it.
Hey, Ganga. Come here!
Why are you so grumpy?
Why must we visit them in this heat? When they didn’t even attend our wedding?
It wasn’t convenient then. That's why they couldn't come.
They have invited us with love today.
What's wrong with visiting them? Come quietly!
You're not saying anything?
It's all for your sake.
Hand over the bike when we near the village.
If they see me they might say, 'This man is clinging to his new bride.'
Careful.
Look! If you don't keep your hand to yourself, I'll crash the bike.
What can I do? Even if I want to be quiet, my hand won't listen to me.
Really? You'll know when I break that hand.
Go on. You're there to feed me.
Why aren't you at school?
Who is this big man? - A student in the school where I teach.
Is that your father?
Brother! We're going past your village.
We'll drop him there.
Why must he walk all the way?
Come!
Give me the bike, I will drive.
Why are you holding this? Want to hurt yourself?
Hop on! -Here.
You fucker! Are you taking revenge on me?
You've become a comfort-seeking bitch.
A comfort-seeking bitch!
Come home! I will kill you and your mother!
Shanthi (mother), Lakshmi (sister), Velu (the boy), Ganapathy (father)
Where is that fucking bitch?
She's gone to fetch water.
Go, get her!