In Treatment (2008–2010): Season 3, Episode 9 - Sunil: Week Three - full transcript

I'm glad that you're here.

You and I will speak
and my pain will heal.

I wish it was that simple.

Can I ask you how
things are at home?

I had to use Arun
and Julia's bathroom.

Julia came in.

She was preparing to
take the shower too.

Can you say a bit more
about how you felt?

I don't understand the
rules in this house.

Is that Kamala, your wife?

How often do you find yourself
thinking about Kamala?



I often think of her
when I see Julia.

The differences between them.
It's impossible not to.

You wish you'd
stayed in Calcutta?

Do you think about come back?

It's not possible.

- So here you are.
- Here I am.

Hey.

Hey.

So how are you...

How are you feeling?

The same.

Hmm, you're still a bit warm.

Can I get you
some more orange juice?

No, thanks.



This is...
this is really cool.

Whose point of view is it?

I don't know.

Nobody's, I guess.

Okay.

I want you to get
some sleep, okay?

Okay.

The shopkeeper gave me
clear instruction

That it should not steep
more than three minutes

Or the tea will turn bitter.

It smells a bit
like roasted peanuts.

Oh, it will be much more
pleasing, believe me.

Oh, by the way, you...

You left this last week.

Paul, I suppose
you are familiar

With this reality
television program...

"survivors"?

Oh yeah, sure.

But I haven't seen it.

What it is... two teams
of American citizens

Are stranded on an island.

And they compete in the
most unpleasant conditions.

There's no food.

And they compete in they have to
pleasant costruggle for water.

They have to battle for water.

And the women walking
and jumping around naked...

Almost naked, practically
naked, without dignity.

And during competition

They fight each other
in the mud

And run like crazed animals.

And they do all this
willingly, Paul.

Did you find that disturbing?

I could not help imagining
what their husbands,

Wives and children
must think, you know.

They are willing to compromise

Any principle
they might possess

For one million dollars.

I suppose this is the cost
of one's dignity in America...

One million dollars.

I'd better go back to India

Before I start building an
obstacle course in my bedroom.

Are you afraid that watching
this show might get to you,

That it might tempt you
to lose your own dignity?

I would not worry about that.

So are you planning
to watch the show again?

Thursday, 9:00 P.M.

I was just thinking
this is the first time

I've... I've experienced

Such excitement from you.

Excitement?
I was repelled.

Yes, but you must have been
kind of fascinated too.

And you even wrote down
the time that it airs

So that you can
watch it again.

Time.

Try.

Careful careful.

Thank you.

Very good.

You would be pleased
with me, Paul.

- Why?
- I have been trying

To make an attempt
to be different.

- How so?
- I have been thinking

Quite a lot
about your exercise...

How I should begin

To express my frustration.

This is not easy.

It's like learning
to bowl a cricket ball

With your opposite hand.

It makes your head
feel very heavy.

Well, I'm really glad

That you've been trying
to do something different.

Two nights ago

Julia was in her exercise room

On the second floor, right?

So I was trying to read,

But I could not concentrate

Because her music was so loud.

I could...
I could feel it

Vibrating through
the floor, you know.

So I thought I'll
go down and ask her

If she could please turn the
music down a little bit.

But I could not bring
myself to do this, Paul,

Because she was running, bending,
dancing, sweating so much

That I did not want
to embarrass her.

Julia was like
a desperate animal,

Wanting so badly to keep up.

She was even punishing
herself when she could not.

She was yelling, "come on, Julia.
Julia, come on.

Come on, Julia.
Julia, come on."

So much sweating,

So out of breath, you know.

Doom-doom doom-doom doom-doom
doom-doom... constant.

I have never seen her
in that state before.

So you watched her for...
for quite a while then.

I suppose
you find this amusing.

Why would I find it amusing?

The ways in which
I choose to spend my time.

I do think it's interesting

That you described Julia in the
same way that you described

The female television
contestants...

Desperate, primal,
like crazed animals.

And yet, even though
you were repelled,

You still kept watching.

And I can't help
but notice how your energy,

When you talk about
this TV show...

I see the same
kind of excitement

When you talk about...
about Julia.

My excitement, you said?

I think that's accurate.

The last time you were here,

You spoke about arun and Julia's
first visit to Calcutta.

Do you remember
how you described him...

That he was like a...

An excited kid
with a special dessert,

Barely able to breathe?

Quite a vivid image.

And it just came back to me now

As you were telling that story.

Initially you said
you were happy for arun,

That you shared his excitement
about Julia. Would you...

My son, I think,
seemed amazed, surprised

That a woman like Julia
agreed to be his wife.

A woman like Julia...
what do you mean by that?

Let me explain it
to you in this way...

When arun was away at school,

His mother kamala...

She had identified
a Bengali girl

That she thought would be
a good match for him.

She came from a very
well-respected Brahmin family,

But she was somewhat fat
and not terribly bright.

And her name was Amolika.

Her face was
like a giant bullfrog.

So now Julia is

A great contrast
to Amolika, you know.

- You have seen her in person.
- Yes.

- She's... - she's not
like a bullfrog.

- Yes.
- She's quite beautiful.

Do you think she's beautiful?

It was clear that

Arun felt fortunate
to be with her.

When they visited that fall,

He had to be near her
all the time,

As if he had to be touching her

Or she would disappear.

When they were being
affectionate with each other,

Was that hard for you to watch?

It was more
than just affection.

One evening at supper,
we all were sitting.

Julia kept adjusting
her sari...

She borrowed it from kamala.

Because it was large for her,

It was falling
off her shoulder.

It could be
a very difficult wear

For a new person.

So arun tried to help her
several times,

His hands grazing
her bare skin.

Julia... more than once

She nudged him with her elbow

In a very playful manner.

Kamala saw it and
she was so embarrassed

That, you know, she excused
herself from the table.

Were you embarrassed as well?

I managed to stay at the table.

So the following morning...

The moment arun woke up,

He went to meet Julia
at the hotel.

Now Julia wanted to do
some kind of shopping,

So we planned to meet her
at the hotel at lunch.

We waited nearly 10 minutes
down in the lobby,

Then I went up to the room.

So I heard some unusual noises.

At first I thought

It's the sound
of Julia weeping.

Then I realized...

My son's voice as well.

You heard them...
you heard them talking?

Not talking.

They were engaged...

I mean, intimate.

And the things they were
saying to each other, Paul...

Anyway, so...

I simply stood there.

And eventually kamala
came up and she said,

"do you realize
how long you were gone?"

And then
she heard them as well.

How long had you
been gone?

It was terrible
terrible terrible...

The look on her face.

She just turned
and ran to the elevator.

After that we didn't sleep
for whole two days.

And I've never seen kamala
so so angry and so upset.

Kamala truly felt
that arun was making

The biggest mistake
of his life.

So was this the event

That precipitated your
conversation with arun?

Were you as passionately against
their engagement as kamala?

Paul, see, this is not
acceptable behavior

For principled
Bengali people, Paul.

Making love in a hotel, huh?

Moments before you are to
meet your parents for lunch?

You know, he is...
he is our only child.

Yet when you first met Julia,
you were excited for him.

I was excited
because he was excited.

But kamala was right...

Julia is not
a good match for arun,

And this is obvious to me now.

And Thursday night

Was the anniversary
of my marriage to kamala.

So arun and me prepared
a garland of flowers...

A beautiful garland of flowers

Which we arranged
on Kamala's photo.

We also prepared
her favorite meal...

Lamb curry.

So...

Julia came. She came
and took one bite

And then left
the rest untouched.

I thought maybe
she didn't like it.

It turned out she was
saving her appetite,

Going to a big dinner for a
young author, Ethan Barr.

And this upset arun?

It was his parents'
anniversary.

Yes, I understand that.
But did it upset him?

It clearly upset you.

I think it's terribly
terribly unfortunate for arun

That Julia places her personal
desires ahead of her family.

Personal desires?

But it sounds like she had...

That she had
a professional obligation.

This Ethan Barr is quite
young and successful,

And he looks more like a movie
star than an author of a book.

"the pale fox" by Ethan Barr.

Julia calls him
several times a day.

They even talk on the weekend.

She left Kamala's dinner

Wearing extremely
short dress...

Bright green
and extremely short...

With her hair
flatteringly styled.

You think that
she dressed like this

For this young writer?

As she was exiting the house,

I was sitting alone
at the table

Looking at Kamala's photo.

So she came and sat next to me,

And she looked me in the eyes.

She took my hand

And kissed my cheek

And said she was sorry
about kamala.

And she was wearing
this perfume

Which was very strong,

Just like black pepper
and Jasmine.

Arun spent the evening
with the children.

He gave them their baths,

Put them to bed.

And the whole time his wife

Is out with another man,

Wearing this perfume.

Must have been quite a surprise

To have been
dealt with by Julia

In such an intimate way.

I was still stunned.

How could she leave
Kamala's dinner so easily?

And after that,
I could not sleep.

Lying in bed, I wondered...

Even one year from now...
one year,

On the next anniversary
of my marriage to kamala,

If Julia would still be around.

Where else would she be?

I fear things will not
turn out good...

Good for arun and the children.

And what exactly is it that
you're afraid is going to happen?

Sunil, can I
ask you something?

Do you suspect

That Julia is having
an affair with this writer?

Do you?

Well, there's no way
that I can answer that.

Paul, Paul, if what you
suggest is true,

Then Julia would
bring great shame

Upon the family and...

And what?

She would deserve
a harsh punishment.

A harsh punishment?

What... what does
that mean?

I mean, I understand that in
certain cultures infidelity...

No no, the system...
the system in America

Has turned the human being
into consuming monsters.

You know, they just
want to pursue

Their immediate...

Immediate desires at all cost.

They will... they will
feast on whatever...

Whatever will fill
their craving,

Believing that there are
no consequences.

Don't get me wrong, Paul...

I'm aware from experience

That to be disciplined
is not easy.

It can be a struggle
sometimes that...

To put one's family and honor

Over personal gratification,

But it must be done.

There is nothing
more important than this.

Well, you clearly have

Some pretty intense
feelings on this topic.

Does my intensity
make you nervous?

No no, it's just I...

I just wonder
where it comes from.

You said you know
from experience

How being disciplined
isn't easy.

Well, can you tell me
what you mean by that?

What experience
were you referring to?

When I was
an undergraduate student, I...

I became close
to a female classmate.

Okay, and this was

Before you met kamala?

Three months before, yes.

So we met in the library.

We were seated beside each
other at a study table.

But I could not concentrate

Because her face
and her hair...

You must be aware of this
painting by el Greco...

"the lady with a flower
in her hair."

It's a beautiful painting.

It's... the woman's face

Is filled...
filled with longing.

Sorry, what was your
classmate's name?

- Malini.
- Malini.

I convinced her
to join me for lunch.

And shortly after that we...

We found ourselves spending
nearly every moment together.

You were a couple.

A couple?

You were together.

Yeah, together.

And what happened to malini?

Sunil, what happened to malini?

We stopped... we stopped
seeing each other

Before graduation.

Things became very
intense quite quickly.

We broke off the relationship
and within a year

Kamala and I were married.

And this is... this is
what had to be done.

See, malini and I were not
suited for each other, Paul.

She was not
from a Brahmin family,

And it was not meant to be.

So you chose
to be with somebody

From the same caste.

Honoring the dignity
of my family

Was important to me.

Have you ever told anybody
about malini?

No no no.

I have not told a single person

About malini in 30 years.

Not even kamala?

No no no, you are the first
person I'm telling, Paul.

I... I had considered

Telling arun when he
came to Calcutta, but...

But you chose not to.

No. Paul,

You must never speak
to anyone of this.

Of course not.

You must promise me.

Sunil, I give you
my solemn word

That whatever you say in
here stays between us.

Are there any circumstances

In which you might
disclose this information?

Only in the most
extreme circumstances.

What do you mean?
What does this mean?

It means that the only time I would
betray the confidence of a patient

Is if I felt somebody
might be in danger,

Including the patient.

I promise you that everything
you share in here is safe.

Do you ever wish you told
your son about malini?

It would not have made
any difference.

He would have simply told me,
"you made the wrong choice.

You gave up
on your passion."

And he would have
married Julia anyway.

Do you think arun was right...

That...

Maybe you did make
the wrong choice?

No no.

No, I do not regret
the choice I made.

I have... I have
no patience for those

Who do not live
a principled life.

You doubt me?

No.

You seem a little
suspicious about my answer.

I'm not suspicious.

I just think that it's possible

To be...

To feel several things
at the same time...

Conflicted emotions.

I'm sure that kamala was

A wonderful,
supportive wife to you

And you honor her memory

With dignity.

But it's also possible

That you may be
experiencing regret

Over your decision

To end things with malini.

They're not mutually
exclusive emotions.

I got the sense that you...

that you were disturbed

When... when... when...
when you heard

Your son and Julia

Making love
in their hotel room.

But you stayed
and you listened.

I listened because

It was like listening
to a disaster.

I understand that.

And I would understand
you feeling critical

Of your son's marriage,

But at the same time

Intrigued,

Fascinated,

Maybe even

A little

Jealous.

Why would I be
jealous of a marriage

In which a vain
and immodest wife

Is having a love affair
with another man?

You seem convinced that
Julia is having an affair.

To me it's obvious.

She's living her life
for some other person.

And do you think
it's obvious to your son?

That I'm not sure.
I'm not certain.

Do you think he's jealous
of this other guy?

He has said nothing
of being jealous.

When you talked
about Julia earlier on,

You talked
about her in detail...

The length of her skirt,

Which you said it was short,

That she had her hair done
in a particular way,

And her perfume.

And...

She took your hand
and kissed you.

It's just a sense
that I have

That you

Might feel betrayed by Julia...

Not just on your son's behalf,

But personally.

What an interesting tea
we have had.

Paul...

Please check
if the amount is right.

Will you please?

Is it correct?

I just want to say
that I'm sorry about

How the other evening
turned out for you.

I...

I'm sure the first anniversary
without your wife

Must have been... must have
been really tough for you.

And...

Thank you.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Thank you.