Nothing: The Conclusion (The Empty Theatre)

The Empty Theatre

"Make the true film, even if the hall is empty."

~ Sudhir Singh

In a dream, I saw a movie playing.

It was a film about multiverse reality and Human psychology. Classical. Logical. Exceptionally well made. The first time such a film had ever been made.

I thought, Yes, this must become popular.

But no one had come to watch it.

The movie was playing to an empty hall. So I went and sat alone. I watched it. I appreciated it.

Then people came and started abusing the hero of the film. And do you know who the hero was? A superstar - the kind you would never expect to make such a film. Of course, he is a very good actor, but this was not his style. The style was unshakeably Hollywood. But he wasn't appreciated. However, he said nothing. He just listened.

Then some started beating him. They looked villainous. I decided to help him, but people stopped me. They said, "You have back issues."

I have back issues in real life too. But I did not listen.

I gave him my shoulder and took him towards the car so he could get treatment. I asked a boy to open the door and help me make him sit.

Then people started abusing me too. They said I was doing something illegal. Even he, the hero too, said so.

I was confused. What is going on?

Suddenly, he woke up and started laughing. Everyone started laughing. They said they were just kidding. It was all part of the script.

In another dream, I saw a woman sitting in a public hall. She said she had a barcode on her tongue. She was talking in a strange way I could not understand, yet people were listening to her very carefully.

Then I saw, a child came to meet me. He said his name is Nachiketa.

He told me, "The world will abuse you, beat you, blame you - and then laugh and say it was just a script. People will speak in barcodes - scanned, labelled, priced - and the crowd will listen carefully but you must still make the true film, even if the hall is empty."

Then I heard a heavy voice saying, "One viewer is enough. If that one viewer is you."

A dark image emerged from a corner. It wasn't clear. I didn't get who he was.

NOTHING SERIES ends here. But truth does not.