A complete cast list, line-by-line, with recording specs, file-naming, and direction. Each voice corresponds to a labelled role in the script. The background score (the existing cinematic orchestral bed, "TRIUMPH") stays as is — voices will be mixed on top, with the music ducking under each spoken moment.
44.1 kHz, 16-bit (or higher)-6 dB · no clipping · normalisation done in postvo_##_role_lineN.wav — see briefThe full script v2 is 3:00 (180 s). The current animatic and music bed are 1:35 (95 s). Two paths:
A · Trailer (1:35) : condense narration → keep all 5 Sam moments + the most-impactful narrator beats only · same TRIUMPH bed, no extension
B · Opening Sequence (3:00) : record everything in this brief · we extend the TRIUMPH bed by looping or layering the second half quieter
You can record full-length now (path B); we'll trim down for the 1:35 trailer cut without re-recording. Recommended.
Sam speaks five times in three minutes. Each is a turning point. Less is more — never raise the voice. The vow at 22 is the same voice as the answer at 84. He earns gravity by withholding it. The actor should record at all five ages but with the same emotional spine: a man who keeps a promise.
"माँ — मैं वापस आऊँगा।"
Mother — I will come back.
"Mrs. Gandhi —"
"एक डॉलर सालाना — बस यही माँगता हूँ।"
I will work for one dollar a year.
"क्या एक देश — अपने बच्चों को — आवाज़ दे सकता है?"
Can a country — give its children — a voice?
"हाँ।"
Yes.
"पिताजी..."
Father...
"...अब देश बोलता है।"
...the country speaks.
Third-person, mythic, observational. Never sentimental. The voice that tells a child a true story — calmly, with weight, knowing how it ends. Pace: unhurried but never slow. Think of how the camera moves: the narrator is the camera. Record the full 16 beats in one session, in script order, with 2–3 seconds of silence between each line for editing.
"सन उन्निस सौ बयालीस। ओडिशा के जंगलों में एक छोटा सा गाँव — टिकर। एक बढ़ई। एक हथौड़ा। नौ बच्चे। और एक सपना — जो उस आदमी से बड़ा था।"
vo_02_nar_b01_tikar.wav"उसका नाम था गंगाराम पिटरोडा। हिंदी नहीं आती थी। अंग्रेज़ी नहीं आती थी। पर एक रात — उसने अपने तीसरे बच्चे की आँखों में देखा — और एक वादा किया।"
vo_02_nar_b02_promise.wav"उस बच्चे का नाम था — सत्यनारायण गंगाराम पिटरोडा। दुनिया उसे साम कहेगी।"
vo_02_nar_b03_name.wav"बारह साल का बच्चा वल्लभ विद्यानगर भेजा गया। पाँच सौ किलोमीटर दूर। पहली बार माँ की गोद से अलग।"
vo_02_nar_b04_vallabh.wav"फिर बड़ौदा। फिर एम.एस. यूनिवर्सिटी। और एक रात — एक चिट्ठी — जिसने सब कुछ बदल दिया।"
vo_02_nar_b05_letter.wav"इलिनॉइस इंस्टिट्यूट ऑफ टेक्नोलॉजी। शिकागो। दिसम्बर, उन्निस सौ चौंसठ। बम्बई बंदरगाह। जेब में पच्चीस डॉलर। चालीस दिन का सफ़र।"
vo_02_nar_b06_departure.wav"और बम्बई समंदर में डूब गई।"
vo_02_nar_b07_bombay.wav"शिकागो। पहली बार बर्फ़। पहली बार एक ठंड जो हड्डियों में घुसती है। और एक तीसरी दुनिया का लड़का — जो पहली दुनिया में अपनी जगह बनाने आया था।"
vo_02_nar_b08_chicago.wav"आठ साल। पच्चीस पेटेंट। एक मिलियन डॉलर। एक टेलीफोन इंजीनियर — अमेरिका का।"
vo_02_nar_b09_velocity.wav"पिटरोडा का सपना — आधा पूरा हुआ था।"
vo_02_nar_b10_half.wav"उन्निस सौ इक्यासी। बम्बई। एक होटल का कमरा। और एक टेलीफोन की घंटी — जो एक देश की तरफ़ से थी।"
vo_02_nar_b11_calling.wav"वन सफ़दरजंग रोड। दिल्ली। राजीव और इंदिरा। चाय। एक कप। और एक देश — जो किसी से जवाब माँग रहा था।"
vo_02_nar_b12_safdarjung.wav"एक शब्द। बस एक शब्द। और बम्बई से बासठ साल पहले निकले हुए लड़के के सामने — एक देश खुल गया।"
vo_02_nar_b13_oneword.wav"उसने अमेरिकी पासपोर्ट जला दिया। मिलियन डॉलर वाली कुर्सी छोड़ दी। और घर लौट आया।"
vo_02_nar_b14_camehome.wav"उन्निस सौ छियासी। दिल्ली। सी-डॉट। दो सौ इंजीनियर — पाजामे में। चाय में। एक काले बोर्ड पर — एक देश का नक़्शा।"
vo_02_nar_b15_cdot.wav"और एक आदमी — जिसने एक सवाल पूछा — जिसने सब कुछ बदल दिया।"
vo_02_nar_b16_question.wav"उन्होंने हाँ कहा। और काम पर लग गए।"
vo_02_nar_b17_yes.wav"दो साल बाद — महाराष्ट्र के एक गाँव में — एक पीला बूथ। एक काला फ़ोन। और इतिहास में — पहली बार — एक घंटी।"
vo_02_nar_b18_yellowbooth.wav"और उस दिन — पहली बार — एक देश ने अपनी आवाज़ सुनी।"
vo_02_nar_b19_voice.wav"उन्निस सौ नब्बे। दिल की धड़कन रुकी। डॉक्टरों ने एक वाक्य कहा —"
vo_02_nar_b20_heart.wav"लेकिन साम काम करता रहा। चलता रहा। बोलता रहा। और फिर —"
vo_02_nar_b21_kept.wav"इक्कीस मई, उन्निस सौ इकानवे।"
vo_02_nar_b22_21may.wav"उसने अपना दोस्त खोया। अपना भाई। अपना देश-भाई। एक झंडा आधा झुक गया।"
vo_02_nar_b23_lost.wav"और साम पिटरोडा — तेरह साल — चुप रहा।"
vo_02_nar_b24_silent.wav"दो हज़ार चार। शिकागो। एक गर्मी की दोपहर। एक बासठ साल का आदमी — जो भूल चुका था कि एक फ़ोन की घंटी का क्या मतलब होता है।"
vo_02_nar_b25_2004.wav"बासठ साल। उसने फिर हाँ कहा।"
vo_02_nar_b26_yesagain.wav"आज। शिकागो। पाँच बजे सुबह। चौरासी साल। एक मेज़। एक कॉफ़ी। एक लैपटॉप। और दीवार पर — एक तस्वीर।"
vo_02_nar_b27_today.wav"उस तस्वीर में — एक बढ़ई। एक हथौड़ा। और एक सपना — जो चौरासी साल पहले कहा गया था।"
vo_02_nar_b28_photo.wav"उसने अपना वादा निभाया।"
vo_02_nar_b29_kept.wavA father speaking to a five-year-old in a village by lamplight in 1942. He cannot read. He has decided his children will. The line is the entire reason this film exists. Speak it like a vow given in a temple — slowly, quietly, eyes wet but voice steady.
"बेटा। मेरे बच्चे — मेरी हर साँस — वो उस भाषा में बोलेंगे जो मैं नहीं जानता।"
Son. My children — my every breath — they will speak the language I do not know.
vo_03_gangaram_l1_promise.wav"बेटा — वादा याद है?"
Son — do you remember the promise?
She is at the dock at Bombay. Her son is leaving for forty days at sea, alone, with twenty-five dollars. She cannot afford to cry. She gives him his blessing in two syllables. The line is more silence than sound.
"जा बेटा। जा।"
Go, son. Go.
vo_04_mother_l1_go.wavA professor at Illinois Institute of Technology speaking to a brown 22-year-old who has been washing dishes for a week. He has just seen Sam's circuit sketch. He is impressed but pretends not to be. American. Direct. Brief.
"Pitroda — there's something in your head. Show us."
vo_05_professor_l1_show.wavA long-distance call to a Bombay hotel room. The aide does not introduce themselves. They simply deliver the summons.
"Mr. Pitroda — Mrs. Gandhi will see you. One Safdarjung Road. Tomorrow. Eleven o'clock."
vo_06_operator_l1_summons.wavNote on likeness: we are not impersonating Rajiv Gandhi's voice. The actor should bring the casual, English-medium ease of an Indian man of his class and generation — not a sound-alike performance. The line is what matters; the mood is informal, almost careless, as if he's introducing a friend at a dinner party.
"Mom — this guy. Sam. He has ideas. Phones. Computers. He says we can do it ourselves."
vo_07_rajiv_l1_intro.wavNote on likeness: not an impersonation. The actor should bring authority and economy — a woman who has been listening for a long time and decides in one word. "अच्छा" should land like a gavel, not a casual remark. Two syllables. Long pause before. Long pause after.
"अच्छा।"
Good.
vo_08_indira_l1_achha.wavThe most important moment of the trailer. A boy in a Maharashtra village runs through dust to find Radha — Sanjay's mother — because the new yellow PCO booth has rung for the first time, and Sanjay (in Bombay, working) is on the line. The boy has never seen a phone before. He is shouting because he is the messenger of a miracle. Three "RADHA!"s — escalating. Cast a real child if possible; an actor pitching up will not match.
"राधा! राधा! राधा! संजय का फ़ोन है — बम्बई से!"
RADHA! RADHA! RADHA! Sanjay is on the phone — from Bombay!
vo_09_boy_l1_radha.wavShe is inside her hut, grinding spices, when the boy shouts her name. She does not believe him at first. The line is half-laughed, half-questioned. She drops what she is holding. She runs.
"अरे! सच? मेरा संजय? बम्बई से?"
What — really? My Sanjay? From Bombay?
vo_10_radha_l1_sach.wavA cardiologist over Sam's hospital bed. The diagnosis is six months. The voice is professional but human — they know what this means.
"Mr. Pitroda — six months. We're sorry."
vo_11_doctor_l1_sixmonths.wavHeard from a transistor radio in another room. Will be processed with telephone-band EQ in post — record dry, clean, plainly. Doordarshan-era cadence: measured, formal, no editorialising.
"...श्रीपेरुम्बुदुर में... राजीव गांधी की मृत्यु... पूरा देश शोक में..."
...in Sriperumbudur... the death of Rajiv Gandhi... the country in mourning...
vo_12_anchor_l1_news.wavNote on likeness: not an impersonation. Bring the gentleness — never the impression. Manmohan Singh's defining quality on the phone was that he asked, he did not order. The line is one of the most important "asks" in modern Indian history. Soft. Brief. Unmistakable.
"Sam. This is Manmohan. We need you home."
vo_13_manmohan_l1_home.wav| # | Role | Lang | Lines | Approx duration | File prefix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sam Pitroda · protagonist | Hindi + English | 5 | ~14 s | vo_01_sam_* |
| 02 | Narrator · third-person | Hindi | 29 beats | ~115 s | vo_02_nar_* |
| 03 | Gangaram · Sam's father | Hindi | 2 | ~9 s | vo_03_gangaram_* |
| 04 | Sam's mother | Hindi | 1 | ~2 s | vo_04_mother_* |
| 05 | The Professor (IIT Chicago) | English (US) | 1 | ~3 s | vo_05_professor_* |
| 06 | PMO Aide · phone | English (IN) | 1 | ~5 s | vo_06_operator_* |
| 07 | Rajiv Gandhi | English (IN) | 1 | ~5 s | vo_07_rajiv_* |
| 08 | Indira Gandhi | Hindi | 1 | ~1.5 s | vo_08_indira_* |
| 09 | The Boy · village | Hindi | 1 | ~5 s | vo_09_boy_* |
| 10 | Radha · the village mother | Hindi | 1 | ~3 s | vo_10_radha_* |
| 11 | The Doctor | English | 1 | ~3 s | vo_11_doctor_* |
| 12 | News Anchor · radio | Hindi | 1 | ~5 s | vo_12_anchor_* |
| 13 | Dr. Manmohan Singh | English (IN) | 1 | ~4 s | vo_13_manmohan_* |
Drop all WAVs into a single folder, named exactly as vo_##_role_lineN.wav per the brief above. The order doesn't matter — I'll match by filename.
One zip is fine. Or a Drive / Dropbox link. Or share the folder with me directly.
If a take goes long or the talent improvises, that's fine — I'll edit. Send the full take, don't trim.
When the files arrive I'll: ① process each (level, telephone EQ where needed, room reverb), ② layer into the existing TRIUMPH music bed, ③ rebuild the animatic with the new dialogue overlays, ④ deploy the updated trailer to the same URL.
Turnaround on my side: same day once files are in.