Ganga is a rich housewife who lives in Darjeeling along with her husband Senthilnathan aka Senthil and their adopted son Dinakaran aka Dinu.
Ganga is in her mid-thirties. She always wears sarees and is most comfortable when her abdomen, along with her deep navel, is exposed at regular intervals.
Senthil, Ganga’s husband, is in his early 40s and is a businessman who runs a construction company called “Senthil Constructions”. He’s a bit obese and sports a moustache while his beard is shaved off.
Dinu, Ganga’s adopted son, is 11 years old. He was found in Chennai by Senthil and Ganga as a 5-year old orphan and they took him to Darjeeling in the hope of giving him a better life. But till today, Dinu remains cold and distant from them in general and from Ganga in particular. This is because he still misses his biological parents.
On one fine day, Dinu returns home from playing. Ganga opens the door and calls Dinu affectionately as “Dinu ma”.
GANGA: Come in, Dinu ma.
Dinu enters and his eyes remain on the floor, not meeting those of Ganga. Ganga feels hurt but is determined to bridge the gap between her and her adopted son.
A few minutes later, Dinu has taken a bath and is wearing a fresh set of clothes but his hair is still wet.
Now comes Senthil.
SENTHIL: Dinu dear, did you just take a bath?
Dinu continues to stare at the floor and he silently nods his head.
SENTHIL: OK. But your hair hasn’t dried yet. Can I help you?
DINU: (with a faint smile) No, thanks. I can manage it.
Then comes Ganga. She realizes that Dinu has just taken a bath and notices his hair being wet. Ganga wants to use this situation as a golden opportunity to bridge the gap. She moves closer to her adopted son.
GANGA: Dinu ma, your hair is so wet. You might catch cold. Wait. Sit down and let me help you.
Dinu sits on the chair and listens but doesn’t respond and he continues to stare at the floor. Ganga picks up a towel and starts drying his hair along with some hope in her eyes.
But Dinu still refuses to look at Ganga and continues to stare at the floor.
After Ganga is done drying Dinu’s hair, she puts the towel on the balcony clothesline and she returns to Dinu.
GANGA: Dinu, I need you to look at me.
Dinu continues to stare at the floor. The determined Ganga grabs Dinu’s chin and forces him to look into her eyes.
DINU: (looks irritated) What do you want?
GANGA: (feels hurt but forces a smile on her lips) Dinu ma, I want you to talk to me.
DINU: About what?
GANGA: (smiles faintly with unshed tears) Why aren’t you talking to me?
DINU: (pants and looks down) I just don’t feel comfortable with you.
GANGA: Why, dear? We have promised you a better life and we never broke our promises.
DINU: (still looking at the floor) Parents are irreplaceable. I hope you understand what I mean.
Ganga sheds a small amount of tears but eventually wipes it with her saree. She then grabs Dinu’s chin again and makes him look into her eyes.
GANGA: I understand, Dinu ma. But from now on, I’m your mom and Senthil is your dad. Why can’t you accept us?
Dinu looks into Ganga’s eyes deeply and this time he doesn’t get irritated.
DINU: That’s not possible.
GANGA: (feels further hurt but she forces a bigger smile on her lips) Why do you say that it’s impossible?
DINU: I just told you that parents are irreplaceable.
GANGA: (sighs and continues to smile) Dinu ma, I know you miss your parents and that must be hurting you. But do you know why we brought you here?
DINU: Is it to make me forget my past?
GANGA: Yes, chellakutty. You have to move on from your past and stop thinking about it. From now on, I’m your mom and Senthil is your dad.
Dinu looks surprised and his eyes widen on hearing what Ganga just said.
DINU: You really mean that?
Ganga nods her head with a smile.
GANGA: Dinu ma, I’m seriously telling you. From now on, I’m your mom and Senthil is your dad.
DINU: (sighs) Whenever we were in public, I called you “Amma” and Senthil “Appa” only to avoid embarrassment. It was never from my heart. But from now onwards, it will be from my heart.
Dinu gets up from the chair and hugs Ganga tightly. Ganga hugs him back.
A few seconds later, the hug breaks but both don’t leave each other so soon. Dinu holds Ganga’s waist with both of his hands and looks into her eyes with a big warm smile. Ganga smiles back at her adopted son and she enjoys feeling his right hand on her bare waist.
DINU: I love you, my beloved Amma.
Ganga feels further delighted on hearing her adopted son calling her “beloved Amma”.
GANGA: Dinu ma, you know? It really warms my heart when my loved one calls me his “beloved Amma”. Thank you for accepting me as your mom.
Dinu chuckles softly.
DINU: You are welcome, Amma.
Ganga smiles, grabs Dinu’s hand that rests on her bare waist and slowly leads it towards her navel.
Dinu smiles at Ganga with unshed tears.
DINU: Amma, I know what you are thinking.
Ganga looks surprised.
GANGA: Really? Tell me what I’m thinking.
DINU: You wish I was housed in your tummy. Am I right?
Ganga’s eyes widen. She blushes but she eventually admits.
GANGA: Yes, chellakutty. I wish I was your biological mom.
Dinu continues smiling with unshed tears.
DINU: Amma, in our next birth, I’ll be born as your son.
Ganga is deeply touched and she squeezes Dinu’s hand that rests right on her navel.
GANGA: Dinu ma, I find nothing more pleasurable than being so close to you.
Dinu chuckles softly.
DINU: I too feel the same way, Amma. It feels really good to bask under your love and warmth.
Both remain in this position for some time until they eventually break free from each other’s grip.
Ganga then reaches Senthil with immense happiness.
Senthil notices this and looks surprised as Ganga, who used to look sad most of the time, is suddenly immensely happy.
SENTHIL: Ganga, you look so happy. What’s the matter?
GANGA: (places her hands on Senthil’s shoulders) I have got some happy news.
Senthil is excited.
SENTHIL: Really? What is it?
GANGA: Dinu has accepted us as his parents after so long.
Senthil smiles warmly.
SENTHIL: Really? That’s really great news. After so many attempts to convince him, Dinu has finally accepted us as his parents.That’s really great.
GANGA: Yes, Senthil.
SENTHIL: How did you succeed in that?
GANGA: I told him to assume that he is a new person from now on. So he accepted me as his mom and you as his dad.
SENTHIL: Wonderful, Ganga. You are marvelous.
GANGA: Thank you, Senthil.
SENTHIL: Welcome, Ganga.
An hour later, Senthil, Ganga and Dinu are having dinner together.
DINU: Appa, Amma, so far I was just pretending to consider you as my parents. But now I’m considering you as my parents for real. It’s from my heart.
SENTHIL: Thank you, Dinu. We are glad you have accepted us though it took you long.
DINU: Welcome, Appa. From now on, you are my father and Ganga is my mother.
Ganga smiles and pinches Dinu’s cheeks. Dinu responds to the cheeks with a mild giggle.
After the dinner is over, Dinu washes the utensils and this impresses Ganga.
GANGA: You are great, chellakutty.
Dinu’s cheeks turn red.
DINU: Amma, please don’t call me “Great”. There’s nothing so special about me. I’m just helping you.
GANGA: That’s what makes you special.
Ganga pinches Dinu’s cheeks again and she eventually hits the bed.
As the sky gets further darker, Ganga, Senthil and Dinu drift off to sleep with a happy and smiling face. And Ganga is immensely happy because Dinu has wholeheartedly accepted her as his “beloved Amma”.