A dream and in the dream a story. Of Khojpuri and its people, of the King and mosquitoes ....... of Hunshi.
The film is a fable about a fictitious country Khojpuri. Khojpuri where contended citizens sleep and work, is ruled by King Bhadrabhoop. However, a strange illness is spreading. Bitten by mysterious mosquitoes, some people are becoming restless, and agitated. They question the King, his order.
When the King dies amidst sadness and chaos, his son King Bhadrabhoop II is elected to the throne and sets out to eliminate the mosquitoes in great earnest. Propaganda, education, awareness and scientific methods are employed to counter the spreading illness.
Hunshilal. Born in the village of Doongri, he has grown up amongst onion and popular films, two major influences on his life. Young, ambitious, and loyal to his King and the country, he joins in the battle against the mosquitoes. At the Queen's Lab. Hunshilal begins work on anti-mosquito medicines to be made from onion extracts. There he meets Parveen; his colleague at Queen's Lab. He falls in love with her. She likes him. They get along well, till he discovers that Parveen too is affected by the mosquito illness.
Alongside, the King's loyal soldiers keep track of Hunshi and Praveen as they do of other citizens. To reach to the source of the mosquito menace.
Meanwhile, the mosquitoes spread their tentacles. News has reached the King that the mosquitoes have bitten a young promising scientist, Hunshilal. In his dreams!! The King puts a ban on dreaming.
Hunshi is dispatched to the Vigilance Office for a checkup. He becomes violent and runs amok. The police are sent after him. He makes a date with Parveen and they decide to escape to the land of the mosquitoes beyond the Black Hills.
But, as Praveen waits, Hunshi is arrested and taken in for the only cure available for such terminal illness. As the operation gets underway, the King watches a wrestling match - where two urchins assassinate him; with a toy gun.
Even as Hunshi is successfully operated upon, the new King, Bhadrabhoop III, ascends the throne with the promise of a new dawn.
Life continues in Khojpuri as usual; Praveen walks away into the setting sun....
Sanjiv Shah studied film making at the Film and television Institute of India in Pune. He has produced, directed and edited several documentaries on varied subjects; ranging from the impact of sustained scarcity on Pastoral communities to re-visiting the route of the Salt March; which was a key event in the movement for India’s Independence. He has also worked as independent editor of documentaries and feature films; besides assisting on documentaries made by other filmmakers. He edited the Hindi film Mirch Masala, which won the National Award for editing in 1986.