Gram Chikitsalay (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

[birds chirping]
[water dripping]
[Prabhat hums]
[door thuds shut]
[scooter engine hums]
Good morning, sir!
Good morning, Gobind.
Good Lord!
Sir, you only had two bags, right?
Did you bring anything else,
or is it just shoes?
I love shoes.
You love shoes?
That's wrong, sir.
Will you be cooking for yourself?
I love cooking too.
You don't need to cook anymore, sir.
Mom sent food for you.
Roti, vegetables,
and mashed eggplant.
[joyful music plays]
[in English]
Oh, wow! That's so sweet. Thank you.
Please say thanks to her.
Sir, my mom said
she'll keep sending you food,
even if you're staying at the guest house.
[joyful music continues]
[Gobind in Hindi]
Sir, let's go explore the village today.
This lake is very famous.
[Prabhat in Hindi] I'm here to
treat patients, not to sightsee, Gobind.
Take me to the PHC.
Did Phutani ji get the road built?
He probably did.
PRIMARY HEALTH CENTER
-[joyful music fades]
-[rooster crows]
[Ram Avatar baba] I'm ruined.
I'm completely ruined.
[Phutani] How much would you get
if you sold it as scrap?
-Would anyone pay for it?
-He didn't even listen to me.
-Why are you crying, baba?
-[birds chirping in the distance]
We had to harvest it sooner
or later anyway.
One day you're in a lungi,
the next you're wearing trousers.
Now you're going
to teach me how it's done?
I wore these for work.
Why are you so bothered?
Do you think Dr. Prabhat
is going to stay here forever?
He'll leave in a few days.
Then you can go back to farming.
Grow okra, spiny gourd,
ridge gourd, whatever you want.
-I'll join you. We'll farm together.
-[horn honks]
-Good morning, Phutani ji.
-Good morning, sir.
[cow moos in distance]
[in English] Nice.
-Looking professional.
-Sir…
Ram Avatar ji, thank you.
And sorry.
[in Hindi] But if there's no road,
how are patients supposed to get here?
What now? Even patients are going
to start coming here?
[playful music builds]
Forget the paddy.
It's here today, gone tomorrow.
Get lost!
You fool!
Trying to explain things to me?
The son of a patriot
is now turning into a clown.
-We'll need more bricks, Phutani ji.
-[Ram Avatar baba] I won't spare you all.
Your father already has
three cases against him.
-[Prabhat] Will he be okay?
-[Phutani] Yes, sir. He'll be fine.
[Gobind] He's talking nonsense.
-I'll destroy every one of you!
-[Gobind] He seems really broken
-after losing his crops.
-[Prabhat] Thank you.
[Ram Avatar baba continues blabbering]
-Hello, sir.
-[in English] Good morning, Chanesar ji.
[Chanesar in English]
Good morning, sir.
-[in Hindi] This is Dhelu.
-[Ram Avatar baba stops blabbering]
Stand up.
He'll be working here as a sweeper.
-Greet him.
-[playful music continues]
He's already been told
about the rules and regulations.
But aren't you the sweeper?
I'm the sweeper here, sir,
but I'm a senior.
He's the junior sweeper.
He's a hardworking boy, sir.
You won't have any complaints.
We won't. He's good.
[sighs]
All right, sir. Time for my workout.
I'll take your leave.
Goodbye.
You should exercise too.
-That's odd.
-[playful music] fades
He assigns the work
to someone else and walks away.
Let him be, sir.
For the last 15 years,
no one's been hired as a sweeper.
The post was handed over to contractors.
These contractors,
through political connections,
divided up the health centers
among themselves.
What's your real name, Dhelu?
Dhelu.
[motorcycle engine hums]
I got a new fan installed, sir.
The rest of the clinic is being cleaned.
-[in English] Well done, Phutani ji.
-Sir.
Hey, Dhelu! Bring three cups of tea.
Brother Phutani, should I tell sir?
Go ahead. Why are you hesitating?
-Prabhat sir.
-Hmm.
I saw your photo
with the dog yesterday.
I love animals too.
He eats every animal.
Well, I started following you, sir.
But you didn't follow me back.
Please do.
[Gobind] in English]
"Official Gobind Bhagat."
Please, sir. That's what people
are into these days.
-Followers and all that. Right?
-[Gobind in Hindi] No.
Sir, it's your first day at work.
How about a photo?
-Sure. Go ahead.
-Let me click one.
I'll get more followers.
Brother Phutani, come closer.
-First, take one with sir.
-Okay.
Sir, take this BP machine. Hold it.
-Sir, smile, please. Let me hold this.
-Come, sir.
Let's click with--
[Prabhat in Hindi]
What's going on here?
Is this your first day at work?
Get to work!
Go on. Get to work.
Put your foot down, Phutani ji!
[playful music plays]
Looks like he's in a bad mood.
Not a bad mood. He's irritated.
Then go and talk to him.
[bristles scrape across concrete]
An irritated man is like a hot iron.
Touch him and you'll burn your hand.
I learned that as a kid.
How?
Back when I was a child,
my dad got suspended
for a couple of months.
A man who lives for his work
won't just sit idle.
[Phutani] Of course not.
So he started growing okra
on the plot next to our house.
[soft piano music]
Seeing the okra on the farm
-made my mom really happy.
-I see.
But soon,
it was okra with roti for breakfast,
okra with rice for lunch,
and okra again for dinner.
Okra, okra, okra.
The more Dad got it,
the more Mom would cook it.
Mom started hating okras.
But Dad's love for okras
was at its prime.
Brother Phutani, whenever I saw
Dad washing okras,
I wondered if he ever
bathed me with such love and affection.
This went on for a couple of days.
-Then Mom lost it.
-[soft piano music fades]
[Gobind] She dumped all the okras
in front of Dad
and told him to either
feed it to the cattle
or send her to Mirganj.
Mom hails from Mirganj.
Don't I know that?
-I went there to attend Suresh's wedding.
-[Gobind] Yes.
Then Dad was in a dilemma.
Think about it.
He loved okra deeply, then how could he
-feed it to the cattle?
-[playful music fades]
-That is when Dad said
-[playful music plays]
[Gobind] that he will sell
the okra in the market.
[Dhelu] Then what?
Dad carried a sack full of okra on
his head and went to the market.
After around an hour,
Mom gave me 20 rupees and said,
"Dear, get brinjals."
I was happy. I thought she'd cook
potatoes and brinjals for dinner.
I rushed to the market.
-Do you know what I saw there?
-[Dhelu] What did you see?
The sack full of okra that Dad
had taken was there as it was.
[Gobind] Not one single okra was sold.
[Phutani] Oh, my.
Now the catch was
I had to buy brinjals.
Dad hadn't managed to make any sales.
How can I walk past him
and buy brinjals from someone else?
-[Gobind] Yes?
-[Phutani and Dhelu in unison] No.
[Gobind] Now, an idea struck me.
Do you know what I did?
With 20 rupees in my hand,
I went to Dad.
I said, "Hey, mister.
Give me okra worth 20 rupees."
Your father's eyes must've
welled up with tears of joy.
[cow moos in distance]
That is what I was also expecting.
He was already fuming.
He pulled my ear and thrashed me
as he dragged me across the market.
As if I had told everyone
not to buy okras from him!
Since then I have stayed away
from short-tempered people.
-Mr. Phutani…
-[playful music ends abruptly]
[birds chirping in the distance]
What's going on?
I told you people to do some work.
[Prabhat] Come inside, Mr. Phutani.
[Phutani] Get on with your work.
Why are you sitting idle?
I have marked some medicines.
-Okay, sir.
-Keep them on my table.
Sir.
We don't have these.
What? These are basic medicines.
Yes, sir. They are basic.
But we don't have them here.
Then where are they?
The refrigerator here was not working.
So, I got them kept at my home.
No problem. Get them from home
and get the refrigerator fixed.
[soft rustling of paper]
[sighs]
[bee buzzing]
What is it, Mr. Phutani?
Why do you look worried?
Mr. Prabhat is asking for medicines.
You sold some to people.
I know.
The rest are here. Aren't they?
Did you sell all the medicines?
Medicines worth 25,000
to 50,000 rupees?
Ram Avatar hadn't merely cut the crops,
Mr. Prabhat called the cops.
[percussive rhythm plays]
[percussive rhythm fades]
Spread this properly, Dhelu.
The bed sheets should
be changed every day.
Okay, sir.
-Indu ji.
-Yes.
Today is your Wednesday Vaccination.
Right?
Yes, sir. It starts at 11:00 a.m.
That's where I am headed.
Good to see that
at least somebody is punctual here.
After many years, I see a doctor here
waiting for patients.
-[Indu] I am also happy to see that, sir.
-[soft music plays]
Perhaps, nobody knows
that PHC is active once again.
Also, that a doctor
is waiting for patients here.
Shall I accompany you to the camp?
Sure, sir.
[in English] Yeah.
That will be a good way to tell people.
Dhelu, you don't do drugs, do you?
No.
Who's there in your family?
[in Hindi] Gobind, do you see him there?
Even he is doing something.
Do something.
Go to surrounding areas and tell
people that the PHC is active now.
If you see anyone ailing,
bring them here.
Shall I tell you about my family?
[in English] Do something.
-[man 1] Four Ranitidine.
-[man 2] Yes.
-Half a strip of Oxetol. Naresh.
-[dogs wailing]
-Hmm.
-[dogs barking]
-Mr. Arvind.
-Yes, sir.
-Hepatematol.
-[woman 1 coughs]
This is meant to be given to horses.
You want to have
these medicines! Get lost!
[street noise and overlapping chatter]
Darned addict!
[paper rustles]
-Mr. Arvind.
-Tell me, sir.
The last time, I gave you
a stock of medicines,
is anything left of it?
I have some and the rest was sold. Why?
-I mean… Please don't mind.
-Hmm.
But I wanted some of it back.
[lighthearted music starts]
Sir, the entire stock is sold out.
You just said some of the medicines
are still there with you.
There goes the last lot.
-Mr. Arvind.
-Yes, sir.
Please return whatever is left of it.
I will pay you for it soon.
Tell me one thing, sir.
I took medicines from you
after paying you money.
Right?
Will it be fair to give you
medicines on credit?
-Please arrange for it.
-Not at all.
I am saying it because I am worried.
If you are worried,
ask Daak Sahab for medicines.
But don't go right now.
Go after two hours.
-[Arvind] Look at the queue.
-I will deal with you later.
[Arvind] Okay.
What are you doing? Hey, Phutani!
What are you doing? Put it back.
Phutani ji!
-Phutani ji!
-[lighthearted music ends]
PRIMARY SCHOOL
-[in English] Hi.
-[tongue clicks]
[in Hindi] Hello.
My name is Prabhat Sinha.
I am the resident doctor
of your Primary Health Center.
The main reason behind
my coming here is to inform
you people that
the health center is now open.
You people can avail treatment
at that place for only one rupee.
Medicines will be free of cost.
If anybody here is suffering
from some ailment
or if anyone known to you is ailing
or suffering from some disease,
please come to the health center
and avail treatment.
Spread the word that
the health center is now open.
-Has everyone understood that?
-[everyone in unison] Yes.
Do inform the people who could
not make it here today. Okay?
-[in English] Thank you.
-[infant fusses]
[woman 1] Sister, another doctor
is here in the village.
[playful music plays]
[infant continues fussing]
HEPATITIS B
VACCINATION CAMP
[indistinct background chatter]
[in Hindi] Indu ji.
-They call me the other doctor.
-[playful music fades]
Is there one here already?
Yes, sir. There is a quack.
-A quack?
-Hmm.
He is the one who treats the villagers.
Didn't Mr. Phutani tell you about him?
Mr. Phutani has cordial ties with him.
Is it?
Although you made an announcement
that the villagers
will get the medicines free of cost,
but where are they?
Forget it, sir.
I keep blabbering all the time.
No, please tell me, Indu ji. This is…
AWARENESS, PREVENTION
AND VACCINATION WORK
Here…
I won't be able to tell you
anything more.
[pages rustle]
[Indu sighs]
[overlapping chatter fades]
-What's the name of that quack?
-[bicycle bell rings]
DISPENSARY
DR. CHETAK KUMAR
[lighthearted music starts]
I feel tired all the time.
[Daak Sahab] Hmm.
-And gas issues too.
-Hmm.
-If I eat something,
-Hmm.
it just won't get digested.
Also, I remain quiet all the time.
-My joints and legs ache a lot.
-Hmm.
-I see.
-Well…
-And, Daak Sahab.
-Hmm?
Sometimes, my chest hurts.
-Oh.
-[man 1 coughs in the distance]
TIREDNESS, GAS, ACHING JOINTS
[Daak Sahab] Hmm.
Indicates a thyroid issue.
-Thyroid?
-Yes.
But I need to check.
Come closer.
And look up.
Yes.
Look at that side and uncover your ear.
-Uncover it.
-Yes.
-Do you feel hungry?
-Not much.
Yes.
It is thyroid.
-Thyroid?
-Hmm.
But there's nothing to worry about.
I am giving you
thyroid medicines for five days.
Do take them. If you recover,
it means the diagnosis was correct.
If you do not recover,
I will be right here.
Meet me again.
-Okay?
-Okay.
-Arvind will explain this to you.
-[lighthearted music ends]
-Okay, sir. Goodbye.
-Goodbye.
[clears throat]
[Daak Sahab chuckles]
Phutani ji!
Any problem?
Yes.
I heard that the new MO is here to stay!
-That is the problem.
-Isn't it?
Yes.
Now what?
Can you lend me some money?
-Money?
-Yes.
How much?
75,000 rupees.
[baby wails loudly]
75… Why?
-Sir has asked for medicines.
-[Daak Sahab laughs]
And you have already sold them.
I sold them to you.
And, for that, I paid you in full.
-Money just never lasts, does it?
-That's true.
Not like it ever stays with you anyway.
The MO is quite a strict person.
Hmm.
Aren't the medicines
likely to be recognized?
I'll take that risk. I have no choice.
How much risk will you take?
Phutani ji is going to be
lent money again,
but this time you get
only 12,000 rupees.
-Just 12,000.
-Hmm.
When will you repay it?
Little by little, in six months.
You have three months to return it.
-Okay?
-Okay.
-[Ram Avatar baba snoring]
-[lighthearted music starts]
Ram Avatar baba! Wake up!
-Hey!
-Hmm?
Get up! Won't you get up?
Watch what I do to you now.
Get up. Now.
-Get up.
-Hey.
Get up.
What is happening here?
I went out for a break.
He comes here drunk and passes out.
Ram Avatar ji.
This is not done. You need to leave.
Ram Avatar ji.
Leave or else I'll call the police.
-What?
-Leave.
Police.
Police.
PRIMARY HEALTH CENTER
BHATKANDI
Hey. You.
-You, too. Leave.
-[lighthearted music ends]
Sir, he is Jawahar baba.
A patient.
Bring him inside. Please come.
Come in. He's the doctor.
[drawer opens]
[dissonant notes grow louder]
[dissonant notes continue]
Won't you ask him what the problem is?
Jawahar ji.
Since when do you have it?
Since many years.
What? Why didn't you
get it treated then?
Is this even a disease?
Of course, it is.
It is called Hydrocele.
In Hindi, it is also called Potha.
There is a fluid buildup
near your testicles.
-It's getting worse.
-Screw that.
How much will you pay me?
Hi… ♪
What?
How much will you pay me
to get it removed?
I won't agree to just a blanket and 500
rupees like in the vasectomy campaign.
No, sir. I won't be
performing a vasectomy on you.
I am helping you.
Show it to me. Come here.
Get away.
Your assistant had come
to my place to help me.
I don't wish to get it removed.
Hey! What do you mean?
It's become as big as a rock.
You need treatment!
Baba, don't you feel
like wearing trousers?
No.
The dhoti is comfortable.
-Sir, hear me out…
-Sir.
[in Hindi] Talking to him is of no use.
The entire village advised him
to get treated but he won't.
Jawahar ji, you won't be paid
to get this removed.
I suggest that you get this
operated as soon as possible.
Without getting paid?
He thinks he's carrying a treasure.
Sir, he won't get operated upon.
The last few times, he got
it shaved and bolted right after.
He thinks the dispensary is a salon.
Why do you bother and waste my time?
How much will you pay me to examine it?
[dissonant notes fade]
Jawahar ji.
I can't force you
to get it operated upon.
I am prescribing a test. Do get it done.
If an injury to the scrotum
causes a swelling,
it can be dangerous.
Please.
You should start working in a circus.
People will buy tickets to see you.
Come on. Drop me home.
I'll drop him home.
I had promised him that I'd bring him
here and then drop him off.
[Dhelu] Sir, you told him
to "do something".
So, he did "something."
[dissonant notes grow louder]
[dissonant notes fade]
[distant engine hums]
[clock ticking]
Mr. Phutani, all good?
You had gone to get the medicines.
I'll get them tomorrow.
You said they are in your refrigerator.
Then why didn't you get them?
They aren't in stock right now, sir.
They aren't?
I got my hands on the inventory register.
It says the stock of medicines
was delivered three days back.
[Prabhat] And you're saying that we
ran out of the entire stock in three days.
Phutani ji.
Are you stealing the medicines?
Stealing? Sir!
I am arranging for it, sir.
Arranging for it?
Okay. I will tell the CMO that
our stock of medicines is missing
and our compounder, Mr. Phutani,
is arranging for it.
You may talk to him.
Sir.
Sir, I will lose my job.
You should have
thought about it earlier.
Sir, I am arranging for it.
[Prabhat in English] I don't care.
Sir, I am paying it from my pocket.
Don't you see that?
[Gobind] Sir, if you could give him
a couple of days,
Mr. Phutani would have arranged for it.
Why file a complaint
over a trivial issue?
[Prabhat in Hindi]
Did I seek your advice?
Did I ask you?
Sorry, sir.
[in English] Hello.
-[in English] Hi.
-[insects chirping softly]
Prabhat.
Dr. Gargi.
Bhatkandi PHC.
Panapur PHC.
I am Gobind. The ward boy.
[dogs barking in the distance]
[power shuts off abruptly]
[in Hindi]
Why don't you call an electrician?
[in Hindi]
Nobody turns up.
That's not done.
You should file a complaint.
What all do I complain against?
We get water supply
only between 09:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m.
The drainage system is a disaster.
The tender for painting
hasn't been issued in years.
This is what I used to think initially.
That if something doesn't work,
we should complain about it.
Then I thought that if a place
doesn't accept you,
then you should accept that place.
[soft music plays]
Now, all is fine.
[melancholic harmonizing]
Goodnight.
[keyboard clicking]
[melancholic harmonizing fades]
[birds chirping]
[soft music fades]
Brother Phutani!
From wearing a lungi
to wearing trousers
and now these boxers!
[bell tolling]
I will remain like this forever.
[street noise and overlapping chatter]
Why?
Really? Don't you know why?
I will not go to PHC.
-I am taking leave.
-Leave.
Suraj is writing the leave application.
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
It's been more than an hour
and you can't write a letter.
Dad, it's almost done.
Dear, show me what you have written.
"Respected sir.
You need to read between the lines."
[cow moos in distance]
Is this a love letter?
"Golden…" Golden?
How much did you score in Hindi?
I know I have made some mistakes.
Some mistakes?
This is more of an essay
than an application.
[cow moos in distance]
Come here.
Come here. Come.
Is this why I am sending you
to a private school?
I pay 300 rupees for his tuition.
I pay 300 rupees for his tuition!
Who's going to pay for it now?
Brother Phutani.
Well, duty is what it is.
To hell with such a job.
Where do you make the money from?
It is from your job.
Am I making money only from my job?
My ancestors have left behind
four acres of land for me!
[Phutani's wife] Will your uncle
let you claim even an inch of it?
Who asked you to open your mouth?
It's 07:00 a.m. and she still
hasn't prepared breakfast!
Crazy woman. She's going
to have it from me someday.
Brother Phutani.
You did nothing wrong
by selling medicines.
If you hadn't sold them,
they would have expired.
In the end, they did reach the patients
although they paid for them.
But they got it.
You just need to explain this
to Prabhat sir.
I will not explain anything to anyone.
I don't have the time for it.
Your wife is right.
Your uncles are scoundrels.
They won't let you take
an inch of this land.
Suraj's future seems to be in the dark.
What else do you have?
A government job…
that you're planning to quit.
[playful music plays]
[Gobind] Why hesitate to talk?
-[Phutani] I won't talk.
-[playful music fades]
-You talk to him.
-I won't talk.
-Why hesitate to talk?
-I won't.
[Gobind] Go and talk to him.
Dhelu, where is sir?
Why keep two? Take one away.
Sir…
The average number of patients visiting
this place in a day was 25?
Yes, sir.
The last MO has signed it.
Will you complain about that as well?
Sir, Phutani bhai wants to talk to you.
Please talk it out
and resolve the matter.
Why are you sitting here?
Come on, apologize to him.
Why should I apologize?
You made a mistake.
I made no mistake.
I am a part of the system put in
place by Bhatkandi's former MO.
What system?
The previous MO
would take a 30 percent cut.
You may take 35.
Have you lost it?
Forty?
The previous MO was corrupt.
Prabhat sir is honest.
How dare you offer him a cut?
Dear, initially, everyone
pretends to be honest.
He will readily agree
to a 45 percent cut.
Hey. Sir!
I don't get this man.
He speaks nonsense.
File a complaint.
Where's the envelope? Let me do it.
I will go to the CMO office
and personally hand it over.
Sir.
How much percent
are you offering me, Phutani ji?
[clock ticking]
Sir, 45 is my last offer.
I won't agree to 45.
-I want 100 percent.
-[chair creaks]
It will take me two minutes
to complain against you
and get you suspended.
[Gobind in English]
But that's not what I want.
I want this PHC to function.
[somber music plays]
[in Hindi] It's not like whatever
you are doing is wrong.
On my word, you got
Ram Avatar's crops cut down.
You are feeling uncomfortable.
Still, you are wearing trousers.
You are trying hard.
Make one more attempt.
For as long as I am here,
none of this should happen again.
I need 100 percent.
100 percent of your commitment.
100 percent of your support.
Look, I can either fight this
on my own or with all of you.
I want to fight this
with you people by my side.
One more thing.
[somber music fades]
Where can I get good local food?
[joyful music plays]
Brother Phutani, you know
Prabhat sir likes eggs and fish.
I see. So, I believe
you also have drinks.
It will be better if you don't
talk about medicines, Phutani ji.
Yes.
He keeps going on.
Phutani… sir's humor has
gotten better after hanging out with us.
Yes, it has!
[indistinct chatter]
All right, sir.
-Okay, Brother Phutani. See you later.
-Yes, alright.
One second. Phutani ji.
Yes.
I heard there is another doctor
in the village. A quack.
-[percussive rhythm plays]
-[engine hums softly]
I'd like to meet him.
DISPENSARY
[percussive rhythm ends abruptly]