One Way

ONE WAY Format: Concept:

Feature T.Yeshi

The film “One Way” is about one-way journey in life. There is no turning back in life. One either catches the train on time or misses it forever. The film highlights the consequences of rash decisions one makes in life. It also explores the profundity of love in light of emotions, practicality, motif, passion, and sacrifice and positive approach towards life. The film opens at the Bus Stand of SJ. A bus slowly moves forward. A man, with a bag, comes running and climbs on the bus. The bus pulls over at Kanglung Lower Market. The man and few Sherubtse students climb down from the bus. The man, on his first trip to eastern Bhutan, finds out that he had boarded the wrong bus. He was to travel to Pema Gatshel. Tshoki, a young woman, says that he could catch the following day’s bus to Pema Gatshel. Kesang, a young man, comes from behind and adds that it is only a matter of one day. The man says that it is not the same and that he requires another ticket to travel to Pema Gatshel. Tshoki picks up her luggage, turns and leave. Kesang sees her serene face jeweled with a distinct dimple and freezes. It is a fatal stroke of destiny. They are in the same class. Tshoki, independent, principled, strong, adventurous, practical, beautiful and full of life, captures Kesang’s heart and imagination. Kesang, intelligent, proud, philosophical, independent, and adventurous, gains her respect but fails to capture her heart. He tries and portrays the best of him and hides the worst of him. He is excessively good to her and goes out of his way to befriend her. Many times, he goes into depression, which he captures in melancholic poetry. All these make him an emotional fool to her. She finds his poetry pessimistic about life. Tshoki falls sick and is admitted at Mongar Hospital. Kesang follows her to the hospital and never leaves her bedside. Though she appreciates his gesture she asks him to go back to the college, as there is nothing he could do to help. He accompanies her on her referral to Thimphu Hospital, where she is diagnosed with failure of both kidneys. He provides her moral support and helps her look for a kidney donor. She asks him to go back to the college because he will fall short of attendance and miss one year. Unable to find a donor he volunteers to donate his kidney, which she is not willing to accept. She tells him that it is not going to change her feelings for him but only make her feel guilty. To her, he is being stupid and putting her in uncomfortable situation. She would rather die than let

him jeopardize his life. Love cannot be bought even with the noblest deed and kindest gesture. No. He had made up his mind. The operations are successful and Tshoki and Kesang are discharged and back in the college. At the Romantic Bench, Tshoki sheds tears because she cannot reciprocate his love. But he understands her stand. She walks away leaving him staring down at the valley of Rongthong. Tshoki and Kesang graduate. They work and live in Thimphu. Tshoki meets Kalden, whom she grew up with, after five years. Both jovial, high spirited, intelligent and smart, they capture each other’s fancy. Soon they are married. Yuden, a humble and homely woman, sees her neighbour Kesang and is captivated by his charm. Though he finds her too meek and dumb he gets her physical companionship. She comes to his bachelor’s apartment, cleans up the mess and washes his clothes, all to his dislike. Nevertheless, he is fond of her and respects her humbleness and purity. He hints her to leave him and look for someone who will marry her. In the course of time she gets pregnant. With no desire to marry her he asks her to abort the child. He says he will do anything for her except marry her. But she isn’t expecting anything from him, except his love. She can do anything for him except abort her baby. Kesang falls unconscious. He wakes up in the hospital and finds seven months have passed. He recovers and finds out that Yuden had a miscarriage but married to a loving and caring man. A year later Kesang finds out that he is living with one of Yuden’s kidney. She had given up her baby and risked her life to save his. Uncontrollable tears well up from his eyes and unbearable pain slices his heart. Kesang, wanting to go away from Thimphu, boards a bus. It rains heavily. The bus maneuvers through fallen rocks and trees on the road only to be stranded in the middle of the road. A woman with a baby in the front asks the driver to turn back and head towards Thimphu. The driver says that there is no turning back. The road will be blocked. Kesang says that they could at least try and see. The woman with a baby turns her head back and Kesang stares at the face of Tshoki. She looks old and meek. She had lost her confidence and liveliness. The passengers hike forward. Tshoki and Kesang walk side by side. She found out that Kalden was a drug addict and had violent natures. She had divorced him after two years of marriage. She tells Kesang that she had thought a lot about him and about what he had done for her. Her only wish is to repay him in whatever way she could. He smiles and wags his head. Whatever she gives will have no value to him. Times have passed and things changed. Life is a one-way

journey. They cannot go back on time and undo things that had been done. However, he wishes that he could turn back the clock- if he could he could relive every moment of togetherness with Yuden that he had wasted. Main Characters Kesang is an intelligent and philosophical man but his overpowering feelings for Tshoki make him an emotional romantic hero. Love is the purpose of existence and sacrifice an integral part of it. Later as a recipient of Yuden’s selfless sacrifice he realizes that love is not absolute but relative to life; that profound love stems from his feelings that someone cares for him and someone wants him; and profound love is that feeling of appreciation for that person. Tshoki is an intelligent, smart, principled, independent and jovial woman. Her practicality protects her from becoming a prey to emotions represented by Kesang. Life is a practical thing and so is love. Only when she sees the other side of her husband does she realize that practicality is as susceptible as emotions to deception. She sees the same lights of wisdom which Kesang sees. Yuden is a simple and homely woman. She has no principles and philosophies in life. Purity of heart rules her life. She accepts Kesang’s rejection in good faith. Both emotions and practicality do not matter much to her. Love is not everything but living is. Life is a continual process- one has to do what needs to be done and move on with time.