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Synopsis

In an unspecified time in the future, surveillance is the norm. Citizens are required to speak a certain number of minutes and fulfil a daily quota of social media engagement in order to qualify as a functional, socially healthy individual. Not doing so invites visits from communications department investigators. In this new system, writers may only write on a digital grid; notebooks are forbidden as are analog recorders. Vishwas, a middle-aged writer of speculative fiction, is one of a handful of artists who has successfully adapted to the new rules. His wife Dina is a school-teacher whose sister is employed with the department of communications. However, struggling with writer’s block, and influenced by old friends who are part of an artistic resistance, Vishwas begins to write off-grid. Satyajit, a senior Communications’ Investigator, and former classmate, pays Vishwas a visit after reports of a house party attended by another non-compliant writer, Kamal. Satyajit warns Dina too, and tries to enlist her help in getting Vishwas to comply more fully with the new rules. Eventually, a surprise raid yields incriminating evidence and Vishwas is arrested and put on trial for sedition and other crimes, including claiming to publish ‘Untitled 1’. The book is hand-made and is deemed anarchic for it defies structure and genre. Incriminating himself further, Vishwas has set up a trick software called ‘Infinite Monkey’ that auto-generates words on the grid. Vishwas denies all charges and defends himself in court. In jail, Satyajit confronts Vishwas as a fraud and offers him a plea bargain – if he can blame Kamal as an instigator, his own punishment will be lighter. Vishwas refuses, but in court, Dina pleads insanity on behalf of her husband and implicates Kamal instead. Vishwas is sent to a psychiatric rehabilitation program instead of prison. Satyajit visits and admits that Untitled 1 continues to be circulated underground, despite its incoherence. He offers Vishwas a legal loophole whereby he can start writing again via therapy even though he is no longer permitted a writing career.

Duration

95   Minutes

No of characters

5