Hurry up, come on. Bring him in.
Boss has to go back today.
Move! Move!
-Sunny? -Firoz?
-Sunny! -Are you okay?
They fucked me up, man.
-Are you okay? -I am.
-Did you do something? -I didn't. Did you?
No! I was just watching some videos.
Be quiet. Someone is coming.
Mr. Artist.
Who made this?
To tell you the truth,
we printed the picture of the most honest man on Earth
on the most dishonest object in the world.
What the fuck were we thinking?
Is this van Gogh yours?
Yes, sir.
I can hardly see a difference. It's too good.
-Thank you, sir. -How much for it?
6,000 rupees.
I could get the original for that. Make me a deal.
I think it's worth 1,000 rupees.
It takes talent to make a true copy, sir.
It's an exact replica.
Come on. It's still a fake in the end.
If I hang it up, will people think it's an original?
If you're worth a 100 crore painting on your wall, then they will, sir.
My final offer is a thousand. Take it or leave it.
People know shit about art.
Put a famous painter's signature on it and everyone wants it, for a bargain.
So that's what I do.
Some specialize in landscapes, some in portraits, some in still life,
some modern art, some make oil paintings, or watercolors, or sketches.
I'm an expert in all of these. I make copies of all of them.
I don't have any other choice.
If the painter isn't famous, no one will buy it.
My grandfather is an amazing artist. He's made quite a few originals.
He's great.
But he's not famous.
But he has something else to fall back upon. His Kranti Magazine.
KRANTI MAGAZINE
He loves it more than anything, even more than me.
Hey, Firoz! What's going on?
Grandpa is looking for you.
If he's not waking up, let him sleep.
Wake up! Take these over there.
Don't make him work so hard. He'll die.
Easy. You have all the time in the world.
The new copies are here. Right?
Did you manage to sell a painting?
This week's issue looks fantastic, uncle!
Sadly, only we like it. Look over there. No one's buying magazines these days.
The scrap dealers are making a killing.
-Is Grandpa upstairs? -Yes.
Listen. Please, take him home.
He makes us work for 15 hours.
Why do you complain so much?
Let him be. Staying active at work keeps him healthy.
-Otherwise, he'd be bedridden. -He won't, but we will.
Use sleeping pills if necessary, but take him home!
-Like that's possible. -Sunny...
Finish this, Sunny.
I don't know why, but my hands are shaking today.
Did you read today's issue?
Yes. Superb, Grandpa.
Bullshit. You haven't even seen it.
Grandpa, I'm here with you every day. I know what's written in here.
That's the problem with your generation.
You see a lot of things, you hear a lot of things,
but you don't understand anything.
If we post these issues online, at least the kids would have a look.
It's not even selling offline, Grandpa, and you want an online edition.
We must awaken the masses, child. I want to take Kranti to the people.
If not on paper, then through any other means.
I can work around the clock. I just wish someone would show me the way.
Here.
As they say, we can choose our friends, but not our family.
Firoz is my friend.
But this shabby Kranti Magazine from a bygone era, is my family.
No matter how much I hate it, I'm stuck with it for life.
Grandpa started this magazine to galvanize our society.
The staff here shares Grandpa's ideology.
-Did you get homework? -Yes.
While others played after school, like normal kids do,
we'd be out selling the newest issues of Kranti.
And no one bought it.
Please, buy a copy!
Grandpa says Kranti will change the world.
But for that, people must read it first.
I don't think even the people who buy it actually read it.
-Keep a watch outside. -Go ahead.
We put all the money we saved in his drawer.
He never figured out where the money was coming from.
-Two Pepsis, please. -No. Just one, please.
Are we saving money here too?
120 rupees, minus 5 rupees for the soda, that's 115 rupees!
We need to find a way to make 500 a day.
-That's too much, make it a 100 rupees. -Let's do 250.
-So, in how many days will we be... -Millionaires?
No. Billionaires.
We'll be billionaires in 109.75 years.
Has anyone ever become rich by saving up?
As kids, we spent all our time at the press.
I loved Grandpa's paintings, and Firoz loved the machines at the press.
So, Grandpa taught me to paint,
and Uncle taught Firoz how to print.
Things got so rough one year, that we had to survive on buns.
Dusk and dawn, day and night, buns and buns.
All we had was buns.
Life had turned into a, "Bun-den."
Cut it!
At least this has tutti-frutti on it.
What had our lives become? Nothing more than a bun.
Look at that! Worth 25,000 rupees.
No. At least 50,000.
Hey, look! That one's at least one lakh!
-75,000 rupees. -20,000 rupees.
50,000 rupees.
That one's also one lakh.
One crore!
When you're broke, the only thing you see is money.
How are you so pretty?
I guess you don't see my efforts.
-I'll take you there. -Don't worry about it. It's too expensive.
You think I can't take you to that club?
What's up with you today?
Step out after five minutes, okay?
And leave the car keys on the tire.
Hey, you! Bikes aren't allowed to park here.
Yes. I'm going.
-I'm leaving. -Good. Beat it!
Sorry! I slipped.
What do you even see in her? They're all the same!
A poor boyfriend is fine but the husband must be rich.
They'll pet a mutt on the street, but only buy a Shih Tzu.
You're good enough for a cuddle, but she'll never let you into her circle.
You should try being nicer. All you do is badmouth others.
She is my girlfriend.
Girlfriend? Only in a parking lot.
If she really thinks of you as her boyfriend,
why haven't you met her friends yet?
No one but me will tell you this bitter truth.
-And I'll tell you one more bitter truth. -Tell me.
You only want to be with her because she's out of your league.
You think I don't know you?
Listen.
Just let it go, man.
Stop wasting our money on an uptown babes.
We'll end up broke and she won't care. Do you get it?
I promised her.
We'll earn back the money next year. How expensive could it be?
-27,000 rupees. -You don't need to translate it.
Wait a minute.
Sir, this venue hosts very lavish parties.
Listen, forget these gouged prices. Can't you give us a discount?
Here's an idea. Get out of here, buy some bottles of booze,
hang lights on a terrace, play the music you like,
and party with friends of your own class. It'll be fun. Now, out.
Kuldeep. Kuldeep Sharma.
How much do you make?
For the party tonight,
could you afford a ticket?
No, right?
At least we're trying.
Who are you to discuss class?
People wearing slippers are not allowed.
Leave, before I smack you with them.
Hey, fuck you! I'll buy this hotel one day, got it?
-Idiot. Let's go. -Throw them out!
-Come on! -Kick them out!
Let's get out of here!
Do you feel good after that humiliation? There goes our dignity!
Do we really look that poor?
Why are you wearing slippers? Don't you have shoes?
-Sure. Blame my slippers. -Yes.
Because rich people don't wear them! When I'm rich, I'll dance here with these.
I'll show you too!
I'll be back.
Let's go over here. These guys are just going crazy.
Play some good music.
Something peppy.
-Yeah, of course! You did. Club Velocity. -Yes!
We couldn't get tickets.
That's odd. Why didn't you call me? You should have...
Listen, can you chill for a bit?
If you want, we can go somewhere else.
-Is that Nikhil? -I asked him to pick me up.
-What a car! -It's a bimmer.
Bro, that's not a beemer, it's an Q7 Audi.
It's worth one crore, bro.
-Yes. -That's right, bro.
-Should I walk you downstairs? -No, don't worry.
For the next three months, if you rip off Picasso, van Gogh,
da Vinci, their cousins, friends, step brothers and sold those paintings,
you'd make just enough to attend that party.
What's the point?
The party would be over by then.
-Life... -Not another life lecture, please!
Whenever you start talking like that it gets depressing. Stop it.
But it's true.
Respect... is beyond the reach of middle-class people like us.
We can't afford any respect.
We pay taxes, make small savings,
manage expenses with credit cards,
take out loans, then take out another loan to pay off the first one.
We spend most of our lives paying off loans.
First, to become employable, an education loan.
If you land a job, to travel to work, a bike loan.
If you get promoted, a car loan.
Then, the most fucked up loan. Guess.
Which loan?
A wedding loan. Marriages don't last, but installments do.
Then the biggest one of all, a home loan,
where you end up on the streets trying to pay it.
Then the fucking kids.
Their education loans, this loan, that loan,
you get a heart attack paying them and your life is over.
Then insurance agents come in and tell the widow,
"Ma'am, you defaulted on a payment seven years ago,
"so you won't get the payout."
Insurance cancelled! Fucking hell.
That's why the babies are born crying. They know they're gonna get screwed!
We're the fucking majority.
But no one gives a fuck about us.
We're not middle class,
-we're middle finger class. -What?
Two, one... Happy new year, motherfuckers!
Happy new year, bro.
We survived another year.
Just a few more years of struggle.
I had helped you back then, so I thought...
It's all right. I hear what you're saying, but I wanted to give it a shot anyway.
Why isn't anyone working, Grandpa?
-Uncle Yasir? -The recovery guys showed up.
-Ratanlal? -Ratanlal and his son too.
-What did they want? -Full payment, in a month.
We're doomed.
Hello. Can I talk to the boss, please?
Him too?
Did you see that? He's calling everybody who owes us money.
Half of them are dead, the other half were so desperate,
they had to borrow from us.
They were in need, so I helped them.
And I never felt like asking them to repay me.
There must be a way out, Grandpa.
I had such big plans.
I wanted Kranti to revolutionize the country.
And what happened? I steered Kranti straight into a rock.
I think it's all over, Son.
I guess you were right all along.
Nobody gives a damn about this worn-out knowledge.
Grandpa, it'll all work out.
But what about them? They wasted their lives following me.
Get the machines ready. I'll write down my last editorial.
The very last one.
You talk about Grandpa, I'll focus on Kranti.
Talk a bit about the struggle and I'll take the legacy angle.
-I have a speech too. Wanna... -Wait a minute, Firoz!
They know and respect Grandpa. Let's just be honest and they'll agree.
Please! "Let's be honest." Really? Let me do the talking.
Bring them some tea.
Mr. Ratanlal, you've traveled this road with us.
Through thick and thin, you...
Finish your tea, son.
Mr. Ratanlal, you've traveled this road with us.
Through thick and thin, you've stood by Kranti,
and we thank you wholeheartedly.
You know about Kranti, the publication.
However, did you know that Kranti is not just a press,
but a potential national heritage site?
Let me tell you about its history.
Kranti was founded in 1975 by Mr. Madhav...
We know the history.
Get to the point.
The point is, sir, we have been lagging in repaying you.
You've been very patient and we're grateful for that.
I hear you. But patience has its limits.
Dad and your Grandpa are friends. So, out of goodwill, we've kept quiet.
But, the truth is, Kranti is over.
It's not just about Kranti, Ashirwad.
It's about Grandpa, sir. Kranti means the world to him.
-Please, don't take it away. -We are not taking anything.
The press was already pawned to us.
Even if we extend the deadline, what would you do?
You couldn't repay this debt in a hundred years.
Ashirwad, I'll work to set things in order at the press.
Remind me, what do you do again?
I'm an artist.
An artist? Good heavens! Even thieves make profits to pay us back.
But an artist never will.
Dad used to tell your grandpa,
"Revolutions can wait, you must arrange your rations first."
Don't get too emotional and complicate your life.
It was out of emotion that Grandpa helped your father
set up this business.
Your family owes him that much.
Can't you give him a little more time?
Emotion is the bane of their generation.
I give you a month. That's it.
Is that clear?
The rich have this system,
where the poor keep repaying loans,
while they enjoy the interests.
We need a revolution to change this system.
The difference between rebellions and revolutions,
is that rebellions are lost,
and revolutions are won.
Because, the truth is, history is written by the victors...
our Kranti will be counted among the rebellions of this world.
We're not sure if we'll ever return,
but we hope you keep the flame of revolution within you alive.
Always.
Should I talk to Anees?
-No, don't bring him into this. -Who else can help us?
Look, he's had great ideas to bail us out of trouble in the past.
He should save those ideas for himself. Every time he steps out, he gets arrested.
Great ideas indeed.
How much have we saved?
Add it all up.
How much is in your account?
I added it already. What else?
Let's sell my bike.
Mine too. But that won't get us much.
And?
Let's sell all my paintings. We can sell them all at once.
How?
You know Hitesh? Let's sell them to him.
No. He pays wholesale rates.
We don't have time to find someone else. I'll paint another 50 and sell those too.
Let's assume you make 50 and we manage to sell them.
-I can borrow money from friends. -Okay.
THEY'RE ALL THIEVES
What's the total now?
Just enough to buy the doors.
Listen, let's talk to Anees. We don't have any other choice.
Do whatever you like.
-How are you, Rozie? -Rocking all the way!
You motherfucker!
Don't rock it here or we'll be screwed.
-You're looking great! -I have a reputation to maintain.
Come in. Why stand outside all day?
So, how's Sunny?
He's worried about the press.
Don't worry, guys. We'll sort things out for Grandpa.
We'll save Kranti. Right, Gramps?
He must be in deep shit if he's asking for your help.
Don't mind him. Have a seat.
Both of you are so talented, how did it come to this?
When the times are bad, you have to do what you can.
Here.
I have a scheme.
I have a buddy, Sketch Manja.
-Sketch what? -Manja.
Stop it. Sit here, you!
-Who's he? -Manja, I just said it.
-Who the hell is he? -A fucking talent.
-What's your name, dear? -Why?
Go on. Don't talk to these low lives.
Is all your family crazy?
They are kings of forgery.
They rip off everything under the sun.
Within a week of release, they have the first copy ready.
He's a crook, but he's your man.
Hey, Manja!
Manja!
Where have you been?
Manja, meet my bestie, Firoz.
Listen, I have a friend,
an artist whose rip offs are better than the originals.
I'd like to meet him.
This business requires talent. I need a good artist.
Good? No. He's the best.
-I've never seen a better artist. -He's fast too.
Bring your best works, and I'll get you the best price.
We're all about quantity.
-Quantity is no... -Shut up.
The more you work, the more work you'll get.
Okay.
See you soon then.
When someone's drowning, they try to grab onto anything they can.
They flail desperately.
Like when you need six runs off the last ball,
there's no right or wrong shot,
you just swing the bat.
It's either a six or total doom.
We have a chance!
I say, we talk to Anees and set up a deal with Manja
at 20... No, 30% profits!
Anees is our bro. He'll make it happen. Wait, let me do the math.
If we don't sell the design and go for sub-contracting,
guess how quickly we can hit our target?
Not in this lifetime.
Bro, let's try it at least. It's a great scheme.
People forge a ton of papers for the sake of this paper, right?
What do you mean?
Let's print money directly.
Are you crazy?
Are you kidding me? You wanna make fake bills? That's illegal.
You even know how to do it?
We'll end up in jail instead of saving Kranti.
Do you remember what Grandpa said?
"Don't let the system be your master, master the system instead."
That is not what Grandpa meant! What he meant was...
Well, that's what I understood!
What's your plan then?
To paint bills one at a time?
Who's the design expert?
Me.
Who's the printing expert?
You.
And who has a printing press?
Us.
We've spent our lives in this printing press.
These bills are also made by people.
Let's make some money.
November 2016,
the 500 and 1000 rupee bills were demonetized
and the Mahatma Gandhi series was launched with brand new security features.
Gandhi's portrait at the center, with a watermark on the side.
At the bottom right, a, "500 rupee," denomination,
among other features.
This isn't an easy job.
And doing it just...
Sucks!
But it's not impossible.
The first step for forging bills is the design.
And I've always been great at designs.
My biggest lesson from school was that, to be successful,
you either cram everything, or you bypass the whole system.
The new bills have more lines and details.
Then there's the micro letters on Gandhi's collar.
Even high-resolution scanners can't match them exactly.
The lines are superimposed on each other.
It's called the... What's was it? Moiré effect.
You can't use a scanner, you need an artist.
The next step is printing.
Firoz knows ink and ribbons better than the machine.
And, for what we don't know, we have the internet.
For printing you need a master dye, which requires a tough process to make.
First, you copy.
Then, you fix it.
Then, there's friction.
After that, you treat.
And then, magic.
Now, the printing begins.
Unfortunately, our measly little printer only does one color at a time.
So we have to print four times over.
A motorized machine would've made it easier.
But our obsession with making money helped numb our aching hands.
The most important security feature is the security strip.
Who knew a 10 rupee strip of glitter could turn into a 500 rupee bill?
Mind-blowing, right?
Next is the serial numbers.
The digits are not of the same size, but Firoz has a solution for everything.
Finally, we have the perfect bill.
Or maybe not.
What do you think?
Hand me the tea.
What are you doing?
Give me half a bottle, bro.
Wait here.
What do you want? Come.
What do you want?
One Citra, please.
Hey, I didn't do anything!
Hey, let him go!
-Tell him... -Come on, Firoz! Let's go!
Get up! Run!
Get him!
Hey!
Don't let those bastards get away! Get them!
-After them! -Come on, quick!
Over here!
-Sunny, this way! -Where are you going? Come this way!
Shit! A dog!
Get back!
I know karate. I'll beat you up!
I'll fuck you up!
Quick, Firoz!
Stop! Let's go this way!
Hurry up! They're up ahead. Go!
-Here. -Get them! Over there!
What are you doing? Come here!
Fuck!
Look at the unemployment in this country!
They don't even know why they are chasing us.
Fucking idiots!
What a stupid idea that was. We were total jerks.
We thought it'd be easy. Simply printing some bills.
Grandpa always said,
"A little mistake separates art from trash."
I am an artist. I can't make trash.
I'll make a better bill.
What?
I'll make a better bill.
-Bilal. -Everything's set, boss.
They're doing a good job.
Even if we get two batches a week,
we'll easily cover 150 crores in three months.
Why are you pacing? Are you cold or scared of the mission?
No, sir. I... Nothing, I'm fine.
Have a drink. That'll calm you down.
No, sir. I can't drink while on duty.
Is he upset with me?
It was a test.
He would've shot you if you failed. Be careful.
What nonsense is this?
Sir, I created a messaging group for us to coordinate better.
I'll delete it, sir.
Let it be.
The target's headed to the hotel.
Sir, we should move now.
Sorry, sir. I'll delete it.
This whole area is covered.
with Bilal Qureshi.
-Who is he? -His right hand.
Shekhar.
You have to leave. Come on, go.
Hands up!
Take him.
-Spread out. This way. -Don't move!
-Hi, Mansoor. -Don't move!
Michael.
Fuck! These assholes have a fake currency factory here.
Relax, he's my friend.
They print Indian currency in the Middle East, package it in Nepal,
and distribute it in India.
-This is true globalization. Right? -Correct.
-But this is outside your jurisdiction. -Outside what?
Juri...
My English isn't great and you wanna rub it in, right?
Juridi...
Outside of your area.
So, I brought them.
How are you, guys?
You're double-crossing us, assholes?
You put on some weight, but you're still the same. Full macho.
You look handsome too, fucker.
-How long have we known each other? -Six years, seven months.
And I thought only I kept count.
What can I say? You are my one bad habit.
You're a trove of them.
What?
How are you still alive, Michael?
I messed up your life and the government added to it.
I thought you'd be...
-Hey! -Shekhar.
Shekhar?
A new partner?
You are my motivation. Do you know why?
I want to kill you one day.
And when you look at me with a bullet inside you,
I'll have a special expression for you.
I really missed you, Michael. Don't go disappearing like this.
-It won't happen again. -Settle down. Lower the gun.
One misfire and it'll be a mess.
It won't be a misfire.
Don't even try to move. You're gonna die anyway.
I can see it in your face.
You're asking to die.
Mansoor, enough of your bullshit.
-Come on. -Let's go.
What?
Get off me!
Michael, you motherfucker!
You bastard!
Aslam, get me out of here!
Run, motherfucker!
Get the bike!
Oh, Lord!
Come on! Get the fuck out of here!
Sir, I found Mansoor.
-Where is he? -Right in front of me.
In the market...
Mansoor!
Officer down.
Everyone, report to the market area.
Here, eat this.
I cleaned out the press.
Grandpa won't even get a whiff of this fiasco.
Close your eyes.
-Why? -Come on, do it.
Here, hold this.
-What do I do? -Which one is fake?
Are you still stuck on this?
This one.
-You get it, right? -What?
We're not using the right paper.
The bill must look real.
Fair enough.
But what's more important, is that the it needs to feel real.
And that's only possible with the right paper.
Wrong paper, wrong bill.
Please, send all your paper samples for 70 to 90 GSM.
250 microns, 60 to 90!
Should I write it down for you?
Anything in 70 to 90 GSM range will do.
How many microns thick is the 80 GSM? No, 1,000 won't do.
Hey, Firoz.
Check this out.
It's too thin.
Touch it now.
What the fuck?
How will we do it?
We'll bleach the paper first.
Then print each side of the currency on different sheets.
Will that work?
It'll work like a charm.
We'll perforate the front to thread the silver strip,
then join both sides. Sandwich note.
It's a superb idea!
But, there's another problem.
-What is it? -OVI.
-Optically variable ink. -What can we do?
We could mix that with regular ink?
-Will it work? -It'll create a color-shifting effect.
What about the bill's crispness?
Lacquer?
A coat of lacquer will make it crisp.
Mind-blowing.
-And the final touch? -Tea!
Why am I always the scapegoat?
It's your creation. You should test it.
Okay. Stop crying.
Just hold my hand tight.
Come on.
-Blackberry. I'll get blackberry. -Great. Thanks.
-Hold me! -It's crowded. Let's come back later.
Ready? Hold tight.
One Citra, please!
Who made this?
This is yours, right?
I'm asking you for the last time. Who made this?
I made it. I told you already, I made it.
-Who's your supplier? -We don't have a supplier.
We supply ourselves and distribute ourselves.
Shoot him.
What? Fuck!
-Wait! No! -He's innocent!
-Why me? -Don't shoot him!
-No! -Firoz!
-No! Let me go! -Stand still, you fucker!
-No! -Calm down, idiot!
Stop this!
How can I shoot if you keep moving?
Don't shoot me!
-No! -Stand still!
No!
Translated by Sheela Sijin Mathews
Creative Supervisor - Subbaiah KG