Threads - Script - By Shanthanu Gnanasekar
Written By: Shanthanu Gnanasekar
Category: Script Writing
Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026
In the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Shanthanu Gnanasekar presents "Threads," a compelling script exploring the intricacies of teenage identity, emotion, and existential crises. This work delves into the narrative potential of a non-linear, hyperlink film format, showcasing Gnanasekar's innovative approach to storytelling. The script intricately weaves mixed cinematic styles to portray the complexities and invisible connections that define the teenage experience.
About the Work
"Threads" captures the delicate and tumultuous journey of adolescence with a poignant blend of melancholy and hope. Shanthanu Gnanasekar utilizes rich imagery and varied narrative techniques to explore themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. The script's mood oscillates between introspective solitude and vibrant companionship, reflecting the multifaceted nature of youth. Gnanasekar's adept use of dialogue and visual storytelling invites readers to ponder the intricate web of relationships and experiences that shape one's identity.
Threads - Script
Original Submission by Shanthanu Gnanasekar
Threads
Written by
Shanthanu Gnanasekar
Based on the EPQ question: "To what extent can a non-linear, hyperlink film effectively explore teenage identity, emotion, and existential crisis through mixed cinematic styles?"
FADE IN:
EXT. WALL - DAY
QUIET GIRL (16), plays a ukulele. Her fingers move across with deliberate slowness.
She plays a melancholic melody.
The camera slowly circles her, maintaining the stillness of the composition.
CUT TO:
INT. JISHIN'S BEDROOM - MORNING
JISHIN (16), dark hair falling over his eyes, sits on the floor with his back on the wall. We then cut to Jishin sitting at a small wooden desk. Notebooks scattered around him, some with torn pages. He writes with intensity, occasionally pausing to stare out the window.
JISHIN (V.O.)
(reading his poem, voice
raw with emotion)
We broke up on April Fool's day, so
I took it as a joke.
He scratches out a line, frustrated.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
She was the summer I never wanted
to end... and I was the autumn that
came anyway."
On his desk: a small photo of GRACE (16), beautiful, laughing. Jishin's fingers trace the edge of the photo.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Grace. Even her name sounds like a
poem I'll never be good enough to
write.
Thunder rumbles outside. Rain begins to tap against the window.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe that's what heartbreak is -
being left with all these half finished poems about someone who's
already moved on to the next story.
2.
He closes the notebook and leans back in his chair, watching the rain.
CUT TO:
GOLDEN HOUR FLASHBACKS - "MY KIND OF WOMAN" BY MAC DEMARCO BEGINS
A series of beautiful, hazy memories:
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD - FLASHBACK
Jishin and Grace walking together, her hand brushing his. She laughs at something he's said.
EXT. ESPACE - FLASHBACK
They watch the view, sharing earbuds. Grace rests her head on Jishin's shoulder as waves crash in the distance.
INT. LIBRARY - FLASHBACK
Grace writes in Jishin's notebook, sticking her tongue out in concentration. He watches her with complete adoration.
JISHIN (V.O.)
(over montage)
I used to think I understood love.
Thought it was just... two people
who fit together like puzzle
pieces.
EXT. PARK - FLASHBACK
They're on swings, going back and forth in sync. Grace jumps off mid-swing and lands Gracefully. Jishin tries to follow and stumbles, making her laugh.
JISHIN (V.O.)
But love isn't a puzzle. It's more
like... catching lightning in your
hands. Beautiful and impossible and
it always burns you in the end.
The montage slows, becomes more melancholic. We see them sitting further apart, conversations that look strained.
3.
INT. HALLWAY - FLASHBACK
Grace walks past Jishin without acknowledging him. He watches her go, devastated.
The music fades as we return to:
INT. JISHIN'S BEDROOM - PRESENT
Jishin stares at the blank page in front of him.
JISHIN (V.O.)
And now I'm left writing poems to
the ghost of what we used to be.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROM - DAY
The room is empty except for Jishin, Tommy and Mike.
A Twin Peaks track is playing play. They start dancing. Not well but just freely, like no one’s watching. The camera watches from above, static and distant.
The scene lasts thirty seconds and the aim is for it to be awkward, hypnotic, kind of beautiful.
FADE OUT.
INT. SCHOOL BENCHES - DAY
Jishin sits with his friends: TOMMY (16), energetic with wild curly hair, and MIKE (16), quieter, always eating something. They're at a table covered in lunch trays and crumpled papers.
TOMMY
(mouth full of sandwich)
Dude, remember when you first met
Grace? In this exact area?
MIKE
Oh man, that was peak goofiness.
JISHIN
(defensive but smiling
slightly)
It wasn't that bad.
4.
TOMMY
Bro, you literally walked into a
wall.
JISHIN
I was distracted!
FLASHBACK WITHIN FLASHBACK:
INT. SCHOOL BENCHES - THREE MONTHS AGO
Jishin walks through the cafeteria carrying a box of food. He spots Grace sitting alone, reading a book. Everything slows down.
JISHIN (V.O.)
(from present)
Okay, so I saw her sitting there,
reading! and I thought, "This is
it. This is my moment.
Young Jishin approaches her table confidently.
YOUNG JISHIN
(trying to be smooth)
Pretty heavy lunch reading huh.
GRACE
(looking up, amused)
Hmm... yeah
Jishin, takes a step backward to seem casual and walks directly into a support pillar and trips.
GRACE (CONT'D)
(standing up, concerned
but still laughing)
Oh my god, are you okay?
YOUNG JISHIN
(trying to maintain
dignity)
Totally. This is just...
performance art. It was about the
chaos of modern teenage existence.
GRACE
(grinning)
Well, it's certainly absurd.
She helps him clean up. Their hands touch as they both reach for the same napkin.
5.
BACK TO PRESENT:
INT. SCHOOL BENCHES - DAY
TOMMY
And she still said yes when you
asked her out!
MIKE
That's true love right there. Love
at first disaster.
JISHIN
(wistful)
Yeah... maybe disaster was a
warning sign I should have paid
attention to.
An awkward silence falls over the table.
TOMMY
(trying to lighten the
mood)
Hey, you know what? Forget about
her, man. There are other girls.
Like that quiet girl who plays the
ukulele.
JISHIN
What quiet girl?
MIKE
You know, dark hair, always writing
in that notebook. She's actually
really pretty if you look.
JISHIN
I don't really look.
TOMMY
Maybe you should start.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - DAY
Quiet Girl sits alone on a bench, legs dangling over the edge. She writes in her diary, occasionally pausing to watch students below in the courtyard.
6.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
(diary narration)
Sometimes I watch people... and
wonder what it would be like to be
part of their stories instead of
just... observing them.
She watches Jishin and his friends below, though we don't see them clearly from this distance.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
There's this boy who always looks
like he's carrying the weight of
the world in his backpack. I see
him in the hallways sometimes. He
has sad eyes.
She turns to a fresh page in her diary.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I wonder if sad people recognize
each other. Like some kind of
secret language written in the way
we walk, the way we sit alone.
A gentle breeze flips the pages of her diary. She catches them, revealing previous entries filled with small sketches and poetry.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe loneliness isn't something to
be cured. Maybe it's just...
another way of seeing the world.
Like switching to black and white
film - you notice different things.
She closes the diary and stands up, looking out over the city.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But sometimes... sometimes I think
it would be nice to try color
again.
CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY
A group of students stand around talking. The atmosphere builds with whispered conversations:
7.
STUDENT 1
(hushed, dramatic)
They say he controls half the
school's underground economy.
STUDENT 2
I heard he once made a kid
disappear for a whole weekend.
STUDENT 3
My cousin's friend saw him driving
a white van with tinted windows.
The camera slowly zooms in on their faces, building mysterious tension.
STUDENT 1
They call him... The Don.
Suddenly, epic music begins. The camera swirls dramatically as we see a silhouette approaching through the parking lot.
STUDENT 2
(whispering)
He's coming.
Tommy and Mike are mid-conversation when the sound of Mexican salsa music blasts from nowhere.
And then we see:
KRITHIC (16), wearing a suit and dark sunglasses, carrying a burrito in one hand and a smoothie in the other. The camera follows him in slow motion as he emerges from behind a row of cars. He's trying very hard to look intimidating but mostly looks like a kid playing dress-up.
He stops in front of a very cool white van.
KRITHIC
(deep voice, trying to
sound menacing)
Time to handle some... business.
He opens the sliding door of the minivan. It makes a horrible squeaking sound.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(still trying to maintain
his image)
My... uh... mobile headquarters.
He gets in the passengers seat. The van makes several concerning noises before starting.
8.
As his driver and him drives away, we hear him playing extremely loud hip-hop music. The van backfires.
The students watch in confused silence.
That's it?
STUDENT 3 STUDENT 1
(still trying to maintain
the mystery)
That's just what he wants you to
think.
CUT TO:
INT. KRITHIC'S VAN - DAY
Inside the van, Krithic talks into a toy walkie-talkie.
KRITHIC
(into walkie-talkie)
This is Don Krithic reporting to
base. The eagles are flying south
today. Repeat: the eagles are
flying south.
Static response. Then:
VOICE ON RADIO
(his mom)
Krithic, honey, you need to pick up
milk on the way home.
KRITHIC
(breaking character
momentarily)
I told you not to call me when I'm
doing business, Ma!
VOICE ON RADIO
And don't forget your retainer is
on the kitchen counter.
Krithic quickly turns off the radio, embarrassed. He adjusts his rearview mirror and practices his intimidating face.
KRITHIC
(to himself)
You got this, man. You're a boss. A
kingpin. A...
He notices his "Baby on Board" sign in the rear window.
9.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(muttering)
Gotta get rid of that.
EXT. PARK - DAY
The van pulls up to a park where Jishin, Tommy, and Mike are hanging out on picnic tables.
TOMMY
(looking at the van)
Who's that?
MIKE
I think that's the guy everyone's
been talking about.
Krithic steps out of the van, straightening his suit jacket. He approaches them with exaggerated swagger. As he walks he trips, but quickly gets up.
KRITHIC
(trying to sound tough)
I hear you boys have been...
talking about certain people.
JISHIN
(confused)
What people?
KRITHIC
People in... positions of
influence. People who might not
appreciate their names being thrown
around carelessly.
TOMMY
(whispering to Mike)
What is he talking about?
KRITHIC
(getting flustered)
Look, just... be careful what you
say, okay? This is a warning. A
friendly warning. From a friend.
Who's warning you.
MIKE
Are you okay, man?
10.
KRITHIC
(trying to recover his
intimidating persona)
Just... watch yourselves.
He walks back to his van with attempted menace, but trips slightly on a stick. He quickly gets in the van and drives away, honking the horn aggressively.
The three friends watch him go.
JISHIN
That was weird.
TOMMY
Kind of sad, actually.
MIKE
Should we be worried?
JISHIN
About what? Getting run over by a
soccer mom van?
They all laugh, but there's something almost endearing about Krithic's earnest attempt at intimidation.
CUT TO:
INT. JISHIN'S BEDROOM - EVENING
[DIMMER LIGHTING, MORE MELANCHOLIC]
Jishin lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His notebook is open beside him, but the page remains blank. Rain continues outside.
JISHIN (V.O.)
Day thirty-seven since she said we
needed "space." I've been counting.
He sits up and looks at himself in the mirror across the room.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Everyone keeps saying I should
"move on." As if heartbreak was
just another homework assignment
you could finish and forget about.
He picks up his guitar and strums a few melancholic chords.
11.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But some songs don't have endings.
Some poems don't have last lines.
Some stories just... stop, and
leave you wondering what you did
wrong.
A montage of Jishin's daily routine, all tinged with sadness:
- Walking through school hallways, head down
- Sitting alone at lunch while Tommy and Mike try to cheer him up
- Staring out the window during classes
- Writing half-finished poems and crossing them out
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The worst part isn't missing her.
It's missing who I was when I was
with her. That version of myself
who was funny and confident and
knew what to say.
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Jishin brushes his teeth, but catches his reflection looking tired, older somehow.
JISHIN (V.O.)
Now I'm just... this. Whatever this
is. A rough draft of a person,
waiting for someone to come back
and finish writing me.
He turns off the light and the screen goes dark.
CUT TO:
EXT. SUBURBAN STREETS - NIGHT
Quiet Girl walks slowly through empty neighbourhood streets. Streetlights create pools of light and shadow. She carries her diary tucked under her arm.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
I take these walks when the world
gets too loud. Even when it's
quiet, sometimes the silence of
everyone else is louder than any
noise.
She passes houses with lit windows, glimpsing fragments of other people's lives.
12.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Everyone seems to know exactly who
they are and where they're going.
Like they all got some instruction
manual for being sixteen that I
missed.
She stops at a bus stop and sits on the bench, even though no buses run this late.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I keep waiting for my life to start
feeling like mine instead of like
I'm just... visiting it.
A cat approaches her. She reaches out tentatively, and it lets her pet it.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe that's why I write everything
down. To prove I was here. To prove
any of this was real.
She opens her diary and writes by the light of the streetlamp:
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"Tonight I talked to a cat. It was
the longest conversation I've had
all week."
She laughs softly at her own joke.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - MORNING
Quiet Girl plays the ukelele again, the same melancholic melody from the opening sitting on a bench. But this time, the camera reveals that she overlooks the courtyard where Jishin and his friends eat lunch.
She glances out the window while playing and sees them below. Her playing falters for a moment as she watches Jishin, who looks particularly dejected today.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
The sad boy is there again. I
wonder what his story is.
She continues playing.
13.
EXT. COURTYARD - SAME TIME
Jishin sits with Tommy and Mike, but he's not really participating in their conversation. Faintly, we hear ukulele music.
JISHIN
(looking up towards the
bench)
Do you guys hear that?
Hear what?
TOMMY JISHIN
Music. It's beautiful.
MIKE
Oh yeah, that's been happening every morning for weeks. Some girl practicing.
JISHIN
It sounds... sad. But like, beautifully sad.
TOMMY
Maybe you should go check it out.
Maybe.
JISHIN
But he doesn't move. Instead, he opens his notebook and begins writing, inspired by the music floating down from above.
JISHIN (V.O.)
"There's music in this sadness... A
melody that understands... What
words never could..."
The music and his voice-over blend together, creating the first real connection between their separate worlds.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. KRITHIC'S VAN - DAY
Krithic drives through the neighbourhood with his "crew" - three other boys who look equally uncomfortable playing gangster. They're all wearing mismatched formal attire.
14.
CREW MEMBER 1 (DANNY) (15), small and nervous, wears a bow tie.
CREW MEMBER 2 (REX) (16), tall and gangly, wears a vest that's too small.
CREW MEMBER 3 (SIMON) (15), quiet and bookish, wears thick glasses and keeps checking his watch.
KRITHIC
(into his toy walkie talkie)
Alpha Team to Base. We're
approaching the target location for
Operation... uh...
DANNY
(whispering)
You never told us what we're doing.
KRITHIC
(still into walkie-talkie)
Operation Respect BUSS.
SIMON
(adjusting his glasses)
That's not a real operation name.
KRITHIC
(breaking character)
Look, can you guys just... try to
be intimidating for like five
minutes?
REX
I feel ridiculous.
KRITHIC
You look great. Very menacing.
DANNY
My mom made me wear this bow tie
because she said if I'm going to
play pretend, I should at least
look nice.
KRITHIC
(frustrated)
It's not pretend! We're building a
reputation!
SIMON
For what? Driving around in a
minivan wearing our dads' clothes?
15.
KRITHIC
(pulling over)
Okay, everybody out. Time for a pep
talk.
EXT. EMPTY PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS
The four boys stand in a circle next to the van. Krithic tries to be inspirational.
KRITHIC
Gentlemen, we are not just boys
pretending to be men. We are
entrepreneurs! Visionaries! The
future leaders of... something
important!
DANNY
What exactly are we the leaders of?
KRITHIC
(pause, then with
conviction)
The underground economy of...
friendship. And respect. And...
candy sales.
REX
Candy sales?
KRITHIC
I brought Fun Size Snickers. For
intimidation purposes.
He opens the van and reveals boxes of Halloween candy.
SIMON
Krithic, it's March.
KRITHIC
Candy is timeless, Simon. Fear is
timeless.
DANNY
Are we going to threaten people
with chocolate bars?
KRITHIC
(getting defensive)
It's about the implication! The
psychological impact!
The other boys exchange glances.
16.
REX
You know what? I'm actually kind of
hungry.
They all start eating the candy. The "gang meeting" turns into an impromptu snack break.
KRITHIC
(sighing)
This is not how Tony Soprano would
have handled this.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - DAY
Jishin, Tommy, and Mike are hanging out at their usual spot, playing frisbee and generally enjoying a rare moment when Jishin seems almost happy.
TOMMY
See? Fresh air, physical activity,
vitamin D. This is exactly what you
need.
JISHIN
(catching the frisbee)
Yeah, actually, I do feel a little
better.
MIKE
Maybe we should start a "get Jishin
out of his room" campaign.
JISHIN
(smiling genuinely for the
first time)
You guys are ridiculous. But
thanks.
Suddenly, the minivan screeches into the parking lot. Dramatic music begins playing from the van's speakers.
TOMMY
(pointing)
It's that weird kid again.
The van doors slide open and Krithic's "gang" emerges. They're all wearing sunglasses now and trying to walk in sync, but they keep bumping into each other.
17.
KRITHIC
(through a voice modulator
toy that makes his voice
sound robotic)
Attention, targets. You have been
selected for... recruitment.
JISHIN
(confused)
Recruitment for what?
KRITHIC
(still using the voice
modulator)
That is classified information.
DANNY
(whispering loudly)
Should we tie them up now?
KRITHIC
(dropping the voice
modulator)
Danny! We discussed this!
REX
(to the three friends)
Look, we're really sorry about
this, but we need you to come with
us.
Why?
MIKE
SIMON
(checking his notes)
It says here we're supposed to "establish dominance through strategic inconvenience."
TOMMY
Did you write that down?
SIMON
Krithic dictated it. I take very good notes.
JISHIN
(starting to laugh)
Are you guys seriously trying to kidnap us?
18.
KRITHIC
(trying to regain control)
It's not kidnapping! It's...
involuntary hanging out!
The absurdity of the situation hits everyone at once. Even Krithic's crew starts giggling.
DANNY
(to his teammates)
Should we be using the rope now?
He pulls out what appears to be jump rope.
REX
That's not rope, Danny. That's your
mom's jump rope.
DANNY
She said I could borrow it!
MIKE
(to Jishin and Tommy)
Should we run?
TOMMY
I kind of want to see where this
goes.
JISHIN
(genuinely curious)
Yeah, me too.
KRITHIC
(realizing his
"kidnapping" has turned
into a social situation)
So... you'll come willingly?
JISHIN
Sure. What do you want to show us?
KRITHIC
(deflating slightly)
Well, when you put it like that, it
sounds kind of lame.
CUT TO:
INT. KRITHIC'S VAN - DAY
All seven boys are now crammed into the minivan. It's clearly not designed for this many teenagers.
19.
Mike is practically sitting on top of Tommy, and Jishin is wedged between Rex and Simon.
TOMMY
(looking around the van)
Is that a car seat?
KRITHIC
(defensive)
My little brother sometimes rides
with me.
The van hits a pothole and everyone bounces around. A box of the Halloween candy spills everywhere.
MIKE
(picking up a Snickers
bar)
Can I have one of these?
KRITHIC
(sighing)
Go ahead.
Soon everyone is eating candy and the atmosphere becomes genuinely friendly.
REX
So what's your story, man? You
always look super sad at school.
JISHIN
(surprised by the direct
question)
Oh. Girlfriend broke up with me.
DANNY
That sucks.
SIMON
How long were you together?
JISHIN
Three months. But it felt like...
longer.
TOMMY
He's been writing poetry about it.
KRITHIC
(interested)
Poetry? That's actually pretty
cool.
20.
JISHIN
You think so?
KRITHIC
Yeah! I tried to write a rap about
being misunderstood, but it mostly
just rhymed "respect" with
"inspect" and "neglect."
Everyone laughs.
MIKE
Where are we going, anyway?
KRITHIC
(realizing he never
actually planned this
part)
Uh... I honestly didn't think this
far ahead.
CUT TO:
INT. JISHIN'S BEDROOM - EVENING
Jishin is back in his room, alone with his thoughts. The brief happiness from the afternoon has faded.
JISHIN (V.O.)
It's funny how you can laugh for a
few hours and forget you're
supposed to be heartbroken. But
then you come home and the sadness
is still there, waiting for you
like a loyal dog.
He looks at his phone, scrolling through old messages with Grace. He starts to type several times but deletes everything.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I keep writing these messages I'll
never send. Apologies for things
I'm not sure I did wrong. Love
letters to someone who's already
reading someone else's.
He opens his notebook and continues writing his poem.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The ocean doesn’t apologize for
drowning you. It just keeps being
the vast ocean that it is.
(MORE)
21.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe I should learn to stop
apologizing for feeling so much.
He pauses, stares at the page the pen still in his hand, unmoving. He moves to the wall and sits down with a bottle.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
(softly)
Sometimes… I just feel so lost.
VISUAL — UNDERWATER
Jishin floats beneath the surface, fully clothed. Sound fades to a low, distant hum.
Light ripples across his face as he slowly drifts downward, suspended between calm and collapse.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Lost trying to sound like I know
who I am. Maybe it’s okay not to
know yet. Lost trying to sound like
I know who I am. Maybe it’s okay
not to know yet.
BACK TO: INT. JISHIN’S ROOM – NIGHT
He is still sitting down on the floor. He starts to drink from the bottle.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But what if loving too much is the
only way I know how to love?
MONTAGE - Jishin'S NIGHTLY ROUTINE OF SADNESS:
- Staring at the photo of Grace
- Playing sad songs on his guitar
- Looking out the window at the rain
- Writing and crossing out lines of poetry
- Lying in bed, unable to sleep
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Everyone says heartbreak gets
easier. But they don't tell you
that some nights it gets harder.
Some nights it feels like your
chest is full of ocean water and
you can't remember how to breathe
air.
CUT TO:
22.
EXT. BUS STOP - SUNSET
[BLACK & WHITE, GOLDEN HOUR TRANSLATED TO GRAYSCALE]
Quiet Girl sits alone at the bus stop, even though several buses have come and gone.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
I come here when I need to think.
There's something about watching
people get on and off buses, going
to places I'll never see, living
lives I'll never know.
A businessman in a suit gets on a bus, looking exhausted.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
That man probably has a family
waiting for him. Maybe kids who
will run to the door when they hear
his key in the lock.
An elderly woman with a shopping bag sits down next to Quiet Girl, then gets on the next bus.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
She might be going to visit her
grandchildren. Or maybe she's going
somewhere completely unexpected.
Maybe she's running away to start a
new life at seventy-five.
A teenage girl around Quiet Girl's age gets off a bus, talking excitedly on her phone.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And she... she's probably telling
her best friend about something
amazing that happened today. Some
small perfect moment that made
everything worth it.
Quiet Girl opens her diary and writes.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I collect these moments, these
fragments of other people's
stories. Maybe if I gather enough
of them, I'll understand how to
write my own.
She looks up at the sky, where clouds are moving in interesting patterns.
23.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Sometimes I think I'm not meant to
be the main character in anybody's
story. Maybe I'm just supposed to
be the person who notices things.
Who writes them down. Who
remembers.
A bus arrives, and the doors open. Quiet Girl looks at it for a long moment, as if considering getting on and going anywhere.
But she stays seated.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But maybe that's okay. Maybe the
world needs people who stay still
and watch. Maybe observation is its
own kind of adventure.
The bus drives away, and she's alone again.
CUT TO:
INT. KRITHIC'S GARAGE - DAY
Tommy, Mike, and Jishin are sitting in folding chairs, "tied up" with what appears to be colorful yarn. They look more amused than threatened.
TOMMY
(testing his bonds)
Is this... crafting yarn?
MIKE
It's actually really soft.
JISHIN
(to Krithic, who's pacing
in front of them wearing
his suit)
So what happens now?
KRITHIC
(trying to sound menacing)
Now... you wait.
DANNY
(whispering to Rex)
Wait for what?
24.
REX
(whispering back)
I don't think he knows.
SIMON
(checking his notes)
According to the plan, this is
Phase Three: "Psychological
Intimidation Through Suspense."
TOMMY
What was Phase Two?
SIMON
(reading)
"Drive around until someone feels
like talking."
MIKE
And Phase One?
SIMON
"Look cool."
The three friends exchange glances and try not to laugh.
KRITHIC
(overhearing)
This is serious! You're dealing
with professionals here!
JISHIN
(genuinely curious)
Krithic, can I ask you something?
KRITHIC
(suspiciously)
What?
JISHIN
What are you actually trying to
accomplish? Like, what's the end
goal here?
Krithic stops pacing. For the first time, he looks genuinely uncertain.
KRITHIC
I... I want people to take me
seriously.
TOMMY
About what?
25.
KRITHIC
About... anything. Everything. I'm
tired of being invisible.
MIKE
Dude, you're not invisible. You're
hard to miss.
KRITHIC
But nobody really sees me, you
know? They see the weird kid with
the van. The kid who tries too
hard. The kid who...
He trails off, suddenly vulnerable.
JISHIN
(gently)
The kid who what?
KRITHIC
(sitting down)
The kid who just wants to matter to
somebody.
An uncomfortable silence falls over the garage.
DANNY
(quietly)
We think you matter, Krithic.
REX
Yeah, man. You're like the most
interesting person in our grade.
SIMON
And you're definitely the only one
of us with a van.
KRITHIC
(starting to smile)
Really?
TOMMY
Can we be untied now? Not because
we're scared, but because this yarn
is making my hands itch.
KRITHIC
(laughing)
Yeah, okay.
As they start untying themselves, the mood becomes genuinely friendly.
26.
MIKE
You know, if you want people to
take you seriously, maybe you
should start with something smaller
than kidnapping.
JISHIN
Yeah, like what are you actually
good at?
KRITHIC
(thinking)
I'm really good at organizing
things and bussing. And I know
everyone in school. I can even fit
twelve people in this van if they
don't mind being cozy.
TOMMY
That's actually pretty impressive.
SIMON
We could start a party planning
business.
DANNY
Or a transportation service!
REX
"Krithic's Premium Van Experience."
KRITHIC
(getting excited)
That's... GREAT HOLY COWS.
JISHIN
See? You don't need to be a fake
gangster. You just need to be
yourself.
KRITHIC
(pause, he picks up the
script)
But what if myself isn't that
interesting?
JISHIN
(smiling sadly)
Join the club, man. Join the club.
CUT TO:
27.
EXT. ROOFTOP - LATE AFTERNOON
Quiet Girl sits on the rooftop, but this time she's not writing. She's just watching the world below. Students are leaving school, heading to their cars, their buses, their lives.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
I've been thinking about connection
lately. How some people seem to
create it effortlessly, like
they're speaking a language
everyone else understands
naturally.
She watches groups of friends walking together, couples holding hands, parents picking up their kids.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And then there are people like me,
who watch from the rooftop and
wonder if we're missing some
essential piece of the human
experience.
A paper airplane suddenly lands near her feet. She picks it up and unfolds it. Written inside, in messy handwriting:
"If you're reading this, you're not as alone as you think. - A fellow rooftop visitor"
She looks around but sees no one.
She takes out her pen and writes on the other side of the paper:
"Thank you for the reminder. Sometimes I forget other people can see this view too."
She refolds it into a plane and throws it off the rooftop, watching it spiral down into the courtyard below.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe loneliness isn't about being
alone. Maybe it's about forgetting
that everyone feels alone
sometimes.
She opens her diary and writes:
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"Note to self: Throw more paper
airplanes.(MORE)
28.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Send more messages to strangers.
Trust that someone, somewhere, is
listening."
CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD - SAME TIME
Jishin walks across the courtyard, heading home. The paper airplane lands at his feet. He picks it up, curious, and reads both messages.
JISHIN (V.O.)
(reading Quiet Girl's
note)
"Thank you for the reminder.
Sometimes I forget other people can
see this view too."
He looks up toward the rooftop but doesn't see anyone.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Someone else was up there. Someone
else sees what I see.
He carefully folds the paper and puts it in his pocket.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
All this time I thought I was the
only one who felt like I was
watching life instead of living it.
As he walks home, his pace is lighter. For the first time in weeks, he's not thinking about Grace.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Maybe heartbreak isn't the only
story worth telling. Maybe there
are other kinds of connection
waiting to be discovered.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. KRITHIC'S GARAGE - EVENING
[WARMER LIGHTING, MORE INTIMATE FRAMING]
Krithic sits alone in his garage, still in the suit. The van sits in the background, looking less like a gangster mobile.
He's on the phone with his mom.
29.
KRITHIC
(into phone)
Ma, can I ask you something?... Why
did you give me the van?
We hear her voice faintly through the phone, warm and maternal.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(listening, then)
I thought it was because Dad's car
broke down... No, I get it now...
You thought I needed my own space
to figure things out.
He walks around the van, seeing it differently now.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(continuing conversation)
Actually, I met some cool people
today... No, Ma, I didn't kidnap
anyone. It was more like...
aggressive friendship...
He laughs at something she says.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
Yeah, I know you raised me better
than that... Love you too.
He hangs up and looks at the van with new appreciation.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(to the van)
You know what? You're not a
gangster vehicle. But you're
something better.
He opens the sliding door and starts cleaning out all the fake gangster props - the toy walkie-talkies, the sunglasses, the artificial fog machine he'd been hiding in the back.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(continuing to talk to the
van)
You're a friend car. A road trip
car. A "let's-go-on-an-adventure"
car.
He finds a notebook and starts writing:
30.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
"Krithic's Taxi Service: Where
every ride is an adventure, and
every passenger is a friend."
He looks up, struck by inspiration.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
(to himself)
That's actually not bad.
EXT. JISHIN'S HOUSE - NEXT MORNING
We hear a knock at the door.
Jishin opens the door, surprised to see Krithic, in a suit.
JISHIN
Krithic? How do you know where I
live?
KRITHIC
I asked around. Don't worry, I'm
not a stalker. Mike told Tommy, who
told Danny, who told me.
JISHIN
Okay... what's up?
KRITHIC
I came to apologize for yesterday.
And to make you an offer.
An offer?
JISHIN KRITHIC
A ride to school. Free of charge. No kidnapping, just... friends giving friends rides.
JISHIN
(smiling)
That's actually really nice of you.
KRITHIC
Plus, I think you need to get out of your head for a while. And I figured out that my van is perfect for that.
How so?
JISHIN
31.
KRITHIC
(grinning)
You'll see. Go get your backpack.
CUT TO:
INT. KRITHIC'S VAN - MORNING
The van is now decorated more with colourful streamers, a small disco ball hanging from the mirror, and a sign that reads "Friendship Express."
Jishin sits in the passenger seat, looking around in amazement.
JISHIN
This is... completely different.
KRITHIC
I realized I was trying to be
someone I'm not. Turns out I'm much
better at being the fun weird kid
than the scary weird kid.
He turns on the radio. Instead of aggressive hip-hop, upbeat indie music starts playing.
KRITHIC (CONT'D)
First stop: Tommy's house. Then
Mike's. Then we're all going to
school together.
JISHIN
In a friendship van.
KRITHIC
In a friendship van.
As they drive through the neighbourhood, other students start to notice the van. Some wave. Some laugh, but in a good way.
TOMMY
(getting in the van)
Dude, this is awesome!
MIKE
(also getting in)
It's like a party on wheels!
KRITHIC
That's the idea!
32.
The van is now full of friends, all genuinely enjoying each other's company.
JISHIN
(to Krithic)
You know, you were right about
needing to get out of my head.
KRITHIC
Sometimes the best way to feel
better about your own problems is
to help someone else solve theirs.
TOMMY
What problems did you solve?
KRITHIC
I helped myself stop pretending to
be someone I'm not.
MIKE
And we helped you realize you were
already pretty cool?
Exactly.
KRITHIC JISHIN
(looking out the window)
You know, I haven't thought about Grace once this morning.
Progress!
TOMMY JISHIN
Yeah... maybe it is.
CUT TO:
INT. JISHIN'S BEDROOM - EVENING
Jishin sits at his desk, but this time he's writing with more energy. His notebook is open to a fresh page.
33.
JISHIN (V.O.)
(reading his new poem)
"I've been writing poems to ghosts
/ But maybe it's time to write to
the living / To the girl who throws
paper airplanes from rooftops / To
the boy who drives a van full of
dreams / To the part of myself
that's ready to start again."
He pauses, considering the words.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
For the first time in months, I'm
writing about hope instead of
heartbreak. About connection
instead of loss.
He looks at the paper airplane note in his pocket.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Someone else is out there, feeling
the same things I feel. Seeing the
world the same way I see it.
He continues writing:
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"I don't know your name / But I
know your loneliness / And maybe
that's enough / To start a
conversation."
He closes the notebook and looks out his window toward the school.
JISHIN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Tomorrow, I'm going to find the
girl who writes notes on paper
airplanes.
CUT TO:
INT. QUIET GIRL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
[BLACK & WHITE TRANSITIONING TO SUBTLE COLOR]
Quiet Girl lies in bed, her diary open beside her. For the first time, we see her room - neat, artistic, with sketches and photos on the walls.
34.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.)
I keep thinking about that paper
airplane. About the fact that
someone found it, read it, and
wrote back.
She sits up and rereads her diary entry from earlier.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"Note to self: Throw more paper
airplanes. Send more messages to
strangers. Trust that someone,
somewhere, is listening."
She gets out of bed and goes to her window, which overlooks the neighborhood.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
What if I stopped just observing
and started participating? What if
I stopped writing about connection
and started making it?
She takes out a fresh piece of paper and begins writing a new note:
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"To whoever finds this: I've been
watching from the rooftop for
months, thinking I was the only one
who felt invisible. But maybe we're
all just looking for the same thing
- someone who sees us. Tomorrow,
I'll be in the music room at lunch.
If you want to stop being
strangers, come find me."
She folds it into a careful paper airplane.
QUIET GIRL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
This is either the bravest thing
I've ever done, or the most
foolish. Maybe both.
For the first time in the film, a hint of color seeps into her black and white world - just a touch of warm light on her face.
CUT TO:
"EVAPORATED" BY BEN FOLDS FIVE BEGINS
A beautifully choreographed sequence showing Jishin and Quiet Girl almost meeting throughout their school day:
35.
EXT. SCHOOL ENTRANCE - MORNING
Jishin gets out of Krithic's van just as Quiet Girl walks into school through a different entrance.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING
They walk down parallel hallways, separated by one wall. They're moving at the same pace, like mirror images.
INT. LIBRARY - LUNCH TIME
Jishin sits reading at a table. Quiet Girl enters and almost approaches him, but loses her nerve and sits at a table behind a bookshelf. They're ten feet apart but might as well be worlds away.
EXT. PARK – AFTERNOON
The park is nearly empty. A few kids play basketball in the distance. Jishin walks slowly through the path, holding a crumpled note.
He looks up and spots a paper airplane gliding through the air and it lands near his feet.
He picks it up and unfolds it. Inside:
"Tomorrow, I’ll be here. Lunch time."
Tommy jogs over, out of breath, holding a bag of chips.
TOMMY
You’re not seriously going on some
paper plane date, right?
JISHIN
It’s not a date. It’s curiosity.
MIKE
That’s exactly what people say
before they fall in love.
Krithic shows up late, holding two tacos.
KRITHIC
Eyy my mamacitas, anyone want a
taco?.
They all laugh. The moment feels lighter, freer.
36.
EXT. BUS STOP - EVENING
Jishin sits at the same bus stop where Quiet Girl usually sits, but an hour later than when she's usually there.
JISHIN (V.O.)
Sometimes I feel like I'm looking
for someone I've never met, but who
I've been missing my whole life.
EXT. PARK GAZEBO – LUNCHTIME
[COLOR SLOWLY BLEEDING INTO QUIET GIRL’S BLACK & WHITE WORLD]
Quiet girl sits under a small gazebo in the park, ukulele in her lap, not playing — just waiting.
She glances at the time on her phone. Kids eat lunch on benches nearby, pigeons hover. No one comes.
She opens her diary and writes:
ARIA (V.O.)
"Maybe this was stupid. Maybe no
one actually cares about connecting
with strangers."
EXT. PATH LEADING TO THE GAZEBO – SAME TIME
Jishin walks down the park path, the original paper airplane note in hand.
Tommy and Mike trail behind him, trying to keep up.
TOMMY
You sure about this?
JISHIN
No. But I’m sure about not spending
another day wondering what if.
MIKE
What if she’s not even there?
JISHIN
Then I’ll wait. And if she doesn’t
come today, I’ll come back
tomorrow.
They reach the gazebo. Jishin stops, takes a breath.
37.
JISHIN (CONT'D)
You guys don’t have to come.
TOMMY
Are you kidding? This is the most
romantic thing that’s happened in
this town all year.
MIKE
Also, if she ghosts you, we’ll buy
you fries.
Jishin smirks, gathers his courage, and steps forward.
EXT. GAZEBO – CONTINUOUS
[FULL COLOR NOW]
Aria looks up as Jishin approaches.
For a long, awkward moment, they just look at each other — both realizing this is the person they’ve been missing without knowing it.
JISHIN
(holding up the paper
airplane)
Did you... were you the one who...?
QUIET GIRL
(softly)
You found it.
JISHIN
Actually, I found you. I’m Jishin.
QUIET GIRL
I know who you are. You write in
the courtyard. Or, well, used to.
JISHIN
And you play. Every morning. It’s
beautiful.
Tommy and Mike hang back, whispering.
TOMMY
(whispering) )
Should we leave?
MIKE
(whispering back)
Dude, obviously.
38.
They slowly retreat, leaving the two of them alone.
QUIET GIRL
I wasn’t sure anyone would come.
JISHIN
I wasn’t sure I’d have the guts to
show up.
QUIET GIRL
(smiling slightly)
But you did.
I did.
JISHIN
A beat of quiet between them.
Wind rustles through the trees.
QUIET GIRL
I write too. In my diary. Stuff
about people. Stories I make up.
JISHIN
I write poems. Mostly sad ones,
lately.
QUIET GIRL
About the girl everyone knows you
used to date?
JISHIN
(surprised)
You know about that?
QUIET GIRL
I observe people. You looked like
someone who was missing someone.
JISHIN
And you look like someone who gets what that feels like.
QUIET GIRL
Maybe we all miss people we’ve
never met yet.
That line hits Jishin like a revelation.
JISHIN
Can I... show you something I
wrote? About paper airplanes and
rooftop strangers?
39.
QUIET GIRL
Only if you let me play you the
song I wrote about someone I hoped
I’d meet someday.
JISHIN
You wrote a song about me?
QUIET GIRL
(smiling)
I wrote a song about the
possibility of you.
She strums her ukulele softly — the same melody we’ve heard throughout, now full and hopeful.
Jishin pulls out his notebook and sits beside her on the gazebo bench.
JISHIN
(reading over the music)
"I don’t know your name / But I
know your loneliness / And maybe
that’s enough / To start a
conversation."
Their words and notes blend perfectly in the afternoon air.
QUIET GIRL
(still playing)
So... what’s your real name? I know
everyone calls you Jishin, but what
do you call yourself?
JISHIN
Jishin. It means “self-confidence”
in Japanese. My grandmother chose
it.
QUIET GIRL
(smiling)
That’s beautiful. I’m... well,
everyone just calls me the quiet
girl. But my name’s actually Aria.
JISHIN
Aria. That's beautiful.
They laugh.
JISHIN (CONT'D)
Aria... I feel like I’ve been
looking for you without knowing
what I was looking for.
40.
ARIA
Maybe we were both looking for
someone who could see us the way we
actually are, instead of the way we
think we’re supposed to be.
JISHIN
You see me?
ARIA
I see a boy who writes poetry
because words are safer than
feelings.
Who sits alone because he’s scared of being alone with people.
Who carries sadness like it’s his favourite jacket.
JISHIN
(amazed)
And you?
ARIA
I see a girl who watches from a far
because the world looks prettier
from a distance. Who writes because
she trusts paper more than people.
Who’s been waiting her whole life
for someone to find her.
JISHIN
Well... I found you.
ARIA
And I let myself be found.
She strums the final chord. It rings out softly.
“EVAPORATED” BY BEN FOLDS FIVE plays.
EXT. CITY STREET – LATE AFTERNOON
Jishin walks home, hands in pockets, face calm. He passes the bus stop and smiles at it now.
A paper airplane glides past. He catches it, grins, tucks it away.
41.
EXT. PARK – GOLDEN HOUR
Aria sits cross-legged on the grass, ukulele beside her, sketching in her diary.
Jishin approaches with two sodas. The camera changes to a distant shot, we zoom in.
ARIA
You stalking me again?
JISHIN
Stalking’s a strong word. Let’s
say… casually orbiting around you.
She squints at him, amused.
ARIA
Uh-huh. And this “orbit” just
happens to include snacks now?
He holds out the soda with mock seriousness.
JISHIN
Hey, this is emotional support
beverage.
She takes it, trying not to smile.
ARIA
So what’s today’s excuse? Research
for a poem? Field study on awkward
reunions?
JISHIN
Nah. Just... testing a theory.
ARIA
Oh yeah? What theory?
JISHIN
That hanging out with you makes the
world suck a little less.
She blinks, caught off guard, then laughs — the kind that breaks tension instead of adds to it.
ARIA
That’s dangerously close to a
compliment, poet boy. You okay?
42.
JISHIN
No promises. Complimenting people
feels like skydiving without a
parachute.
She smirks, picking up her ukulele.
ARIA
Guess I’ll have to be the parachute
then.
JISHIN
Please don’t say that right before
you play something sad again.
She strums a few cheerful chords just to tease him.
ARIA
Relax. Happy songs exist too. You
just have to earn them.
They clink cans and sit back as the music drifts into the sound of Evaporated, blending naturally into the montage.
EXT. PATHWAY – SUNSET
They lean over the railing, watching the view.
ARIA
You ever feel like everyone else is
figuring it out faster?
JISHIN
Every day. It feels like I just
fake confidence sometimes.
She elbows him playfully.
EXT. BRIDGE – NIGHT
Streetlights shimmer on the water.
Jishin folds a paper airplane from a notebook page, tosses it into the breeze.
ARIA
What’d it say?
JISHIN
Something poetic and slightly
cringe.
Perfect.
ARIA
43.
They both laugh quietly.
EXT. EMPTY STREET – NIGHT
They walk side by side under soft streetlights. No big gestures, just a feeling of two kids who finally figured out how to look up.
JISHIN
(softly)
Feels like breathing again.
ARIA
Don’t make it weird, poet boy.
He smiles. She grins back.
The music fades as they disappear down the glowing street. [GOLDEN HOUR LIGHTING, WARM AND HOPEFUL]
A series of beautiful, connected moments:
EXT. SCHOOL ROOFTOP - SUNSET
Jishin and Aria sit together on the rooftop, no longer alone. She writes in her diary while he writes in his notebook. Occasionally they share what they've written and laugh.
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD - GOLDEN HOUR
Krithic's van is parked nearby, and all the boys - plus Aria now - are having an impromptu picnic on the grass. Krithic is telling an animated story while everyone listens and laughs.
EXT. PARK - GOLDEN HOUR
Aria plays the ukelele while Jishin sits nearby, both of them creating something new together. The music is no longer melancholic but it's complex, hopeful, alive.
EXT. CITY PARK – DUSK
The park glows with that soft, fading light between day and night.
44.
Jishin, Aria, Tommy, Mike, Krithic, and the rest of the group spread out across the grass laughing, talking, existing.
A small speaker plays Chloe’s nostalgic song.
Tommy chases Mike with the frisbee. Krithic’s filming everyone with his phone. Someone’s lying back in the grass, tracing shapes in the sky.
It feels like the end of something, and the start of something else.
Jishin and Aria sit nearby, watching the others.
JISHIN
You think we’d have found each
other anyway?
ARIA
Yeah. Maybe not the same way, but…
somehow.
JISHIN
You really think that’s how it
works?
ARIA
I think people find each other when
they’re finally ready to be seen.
They sit in silence for a moment, both looking out at their friends, the city lights starting to flicker on behind them.
The camera begins to pull back slowly, rising above the park as the group’s laughter fades into the music.
JISHIN (V.O.)
I used to think being sixteen meant
figuring out who you were supposed
to become. But maybe it’s about
figuring out who you already are
and finding people who like that
person.
The camera continues rising, the figures below growing smaller against the wide, dusky sky.
ARIA (V.O.)
Sometimes the best stories don’t
have endings. They just have... new
beginnings.
45.
The music swells. The park becomes a patch of colour in the fading cityscape as a small, bright moment in the vastness.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
FINAL TITLE CARD:
"Threads"
"A film about the invisible connections that bind us together, and the courage it takes to make them visible."
Based on the EPQ question: "To what extent can a non-linear, hyperlink film effectively explore teenage identity, emotion, and existential crisis through mixed cinematic styles?"
FADE OUT.
CREDITS ROLL
About the Competition
The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating diverse voices in literature. It invites participants worldwide to showcase their talents across various categories, including poetry, short stories, essays, and creative writing. The competition aims to foster creativity and inspire writers to push the boundaries of conventional storytelling, encouraging innovative and original expressions of art.
Thank you, Shanthanu Gnanasekar, for sharing "Threads" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your script's exploration of teenage identity and emotion through a non-linear narrative is both thought-provoking and captivating. We appreciate your contribution to this year's competition and look forward to seeing more of your creative endeavors in the future.
About Hashtag Kalakar
Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.
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