LIFEART STUDIO

Nick - just got kicked out of the Ashram - can’t believe what just happened. He is sitting on the floor in Rishikesh, a locked Ashram gate in front of him, and the glorious Ganges river at his back. Truthly he seems to be somewhat relieved, he gets up and walks to a coffee shop overlooking the Ganges just up the block.

At the coffee shop hut Nick meets 37 year old Shena , and her two girlfriends - a local Indian girl and an Australian traveler. The three are on a fun relaxation trip across North India, and have finished a yoga retreat at the very same Ashram just some days ago. 

The girls are in a particularly good mood and make fun of Nick as he walks in looking a little disoriented and hungry, trying to make sense of the menu and communicate his specific craving for some meat to the young Indian kid sitting at the cash register.

The four get into a fun conversation and Nick explains what had just happened, joking about how he always tries so hard with Claudia but manages to fuck it up. How the hell did he manage to get thrown out of a simple Yoga retreat just two days before the end?! 

They all laugh about it and Shena roasts him a little about the importance of a father being there for his daughter, if he’s lucky enough to have one (which seems to be a subject matter she knows something about from her own personal life). Nick takes it in but brushes it off, he’ll just have to wait for Claudia and Yulia till Monday afternoon (2 days from now) when the retreat is over. He’ll meet them at the exit, and they’ll continue their amazing trip together. No big deal.

The group parts ways with hugs and laughter, not before the girls point out a good place across the river where Nick can rent a room for the next few days while he waits for Claudia. Shena writes the name of the place on a napkin, along with her name and phone number and gives it to Nick “Mention my name at the reception, they’ll give you a discount. Call if they give you any problems”. Wink.

The next day  (Sunday) Nick enjoys Rishikesh all by himself, taking in the sites and sounds of the endless religious rituals happening in every corner - a deep spiritual experience and a most beautiful one visually. At sundown he passes a group of local women chanting on the banks of the Ganges river as they spread the ashes of a dear one. It is a deeply haunting sight.

He continues his walk through the market, walks by a cell phone shop, stops and considers. He then continues and walks into one of the many high-end silk scarf shops, looking for a nice present for Claudia. He’s having difficulty deciding, and a pretty young traveler that happens to be in the shop is being super nice and helps him choose. She then invites him to join her and her friends.

Nick finds himself surrounded by a group of fun guys who introduce him to smoking Chillum (a local pipe used to smoke the local weed). They teach him the full “ceremony” behind the smoking ritual, he coughs, they all laugh and have a good time. Nick tells them in excitement of his upcoming trek up the Himalayas along with his daughter, but nobody seems to have heard about that trek. “Are you sure the trek is open this time of year? The Himalaya roads at the top of the mountains can get tricky with the changing weather, sometimes blocking access to specific regions for months ahead until the weather changes again”. Nick didn’t know that but will take it into consideration, “I’ll double check with Claudia before embarking on this mission, that’s for sure!”. After some time hanging out Nick parts the group to continue his walk, not before one of the guys gives him a small piece of G’aras and a chillum as a parting gift.

The streets of Rishikesh are crowded with all types of cows and bulls who are considered holy. Those simply roam amongst the many people walking the streets. 

As Nick takes the turn away from where he had met the young travelers, he accidentally bumps into a young cow. The cow does not seem to appreciate this. A quick staring contest, and there starts a short chase with Nick running away from the raging cow. Nick runs surprisingly fast through the bazaar alley, looking back to see if he lost his chaser he stumbles upon a Baba (Holly Man), who without effort hushes away the raging cow. To Nick, who is utterly stoned, it seems like that Baba just saved his life! He sits next to him and the two begin a funny yet spiritual and almost mystical conversation. The Baba manages to touch a sore spot deep in Nick’s heart, and shares some wisdom: “to change flawed patterns in your life, you must make personal sacrifices and fight your inner ego”. 

The scene is surreal and brings Nick to tears, as he realizes that his entire life he has been neglecting the people most close to him. He regrets so many things now, from not being there for his partners, through his brothers and sisters back home, ex-wife, and most of all Claudia. How did he make such a mistake and left her to grow all alone on the other side of the world in a hippie community without her real father by her side?! It all hits him like a wall of bricks. 

Crushed yet elevated, Nick makes up his mind that he will never let Claudia down again, and will be a true father she can count on - whatever it takes. He’s excited to tell her all that as soon as he sees her tomorrow!

(Sunday evening) Nick in his hotel room. Flipping through local tv. Room next to him a couple is having very loud sex. Nick cums with them loudly. He then calls the only number he remembers by heart: his home in LA. 

His wife answers, he needs her help. “You have no shame?! Didn’t even make it to the deposition! How dare you call me?!” Nick: “I gave you everything, what does it matter now?!” Nick asks her to listen so he can explain, she finally agrees: “I’m in Rishikesh for a Vipassana retreat…” “What the fuck are you doing in Rishikesh?!” the loud sex noise from the room next door is now in full gear again. 

Nick tries to stay serious and explain the situation to his ex-wife in order to get her urgent help, but by now she is sure he is in some kind of a sex retreat… “don’t ever call me again! I’m blocking your number!!” she hangs up. 

Nick - super frustrated from not being able to communicate anything to his ex - is again cumming loudly and dramatically along with his neighbors. “Ahhhh… Ahhh, Yes, Yes!!”

The next day (Monday) Nick leaves his room all shaved and tidy at the same time as his neighbors leave their room. It turns out it is a gay couple. They give him a big smile - they enjoyed his vocal participation with their sexual actions last night - and he looks to them pretty gay himself. Nick is embarrassed.

Nick is standing outside of the Ashram at 5pm, all cleaned up and shining of excitement. The retreat is finally over and participants start pouring out of the gates, but as time goes by there’s no sign of Claudia or Yulia. Nick starts asking the people coming out if they’ve seen them. He then remembers that Leo was also there, but no one has seen him either. Nick asks people nicely at the start, but more desperately with time. The streets are crowded and it's hard to tell who’s just came out of the Ashram and who's simply walking the street.

No one knows anything that can help Nick and he is at a loss. Night comes and the gates to the Ashram close. No sign of Claudia or the others. Just as things look totally helpless a group of young girls stops by. “Are you the guy looking for Claudia? She left along with Yulia last night”. That’s as much as they know about it, and they continue walking.

Nick stands there puzzled and worried. He frantically searches for clues to his daughter’s disappearance. He asks around the Ashram but the monks won’t even let him in, asks people who have been to the retreat, the local police station, but no sign of Claudia, or any information as to where she might have gone.

Thousands of visitors are roaming the narrow Rishikesh street, finding anyone in such a setting is close to impossible. 

Nick becomes more frantic with every passing hour, but is completely lost in this situation and doesn't know what to do next. He’s without a phone, doesn’t have anyone’s number even if he could get to a phone, and his daughter is lost.

Nick goes back to Ashram, this time more adamant and demands to talk with the manager. Nick explains the situation, asks the manager: “Did she leave me any message?” Manager: “look at you. Coming to the Ashram - you disrespect me. Your daughter - disrespects me. Her friends - disrespect me. And now you're coming for my help. One thing you have in common with your daughter: you both feel entitled. Rishikesh is not a big city. Setup your intentions correctly, and if it meant to be - you’ll find each other”. Nick: “That’s great. So she didn’t leave me any message”? Manager had enough. Raises his hand, the same 3 monks that originally escorted Nick out of the retreat, now do it again.

Nick goes back to the police station, and raises his voice to get some help. The conversation with the police lieutenant quickly escalates to the wrong place. Loud and demanding tourists are the worst kind! The police officer stands up and starts shouting “Have you been smoking drugs sir? Maybe it's best if we keep you here tonight so you can let it all out of your system before going back in the streets!”.  Nick can’t believe this is happening and tries to passionately reason with this guy. Soon there are several officers around Nick, and next we see him sitting back at the officer’s table, handcuffed. 

Nick does not have any way of helping himself out of this miserable situation, but then remembers he has Shena’s number in his pocket. He calls her.

Shena arrives, settles everything with the officers, and Nick is released. 

Shnea: “Ok, so you made me miss my hot stones massage, wanna tell me what’s this all about?”

He tells her what has happened and she tries to calm him down: There could be many reasons for Claudia leaving early - she might have gotten angry at Nick for fucking up again and decided to leave. Or maybe she went on looking for him since he got kicked off the retreat early? The streets are so crowded, and you don’t have a hotel room she knows about, or even a phone. It makes perfect sense that even if she has been looking for you since yesterday, you wouldn't have known about it…

Nick is somewhat relieved by Shena’s potential explanations, but he urgently wants to find his daughter.

Shena reveals to Nick that she is a former police detective and can help him figure this out. She’s been fond of Nick since they first met, and his situation with his daughter touches a painful spot in her heart, making her compelled to help him. Nick is shocked to learn that Shena was a detective and is impressed by this sudden show of strength and decisiveness. He's more than happy for any help he can get. Shena makes a few calls to friends at her former work.

(Monday late evening)

Shena takes Nick to a nearby restaurant where they can wait it out until receiving some useful answers. They sit in a beautiful romantic spot on the banks of the river, drink wine, and the conversation slowly eases up and becomes personal. The two are having a deep connection sharing stories of regret and missing out on what’s truly important. They are feeling something they have not felt in a long time, and each seems to take comfort in the other.

There is no news about Claudia yet, it is getting late, and both Shena and Nick are drunk. They continue to Shela’s hotel room and make drunk and passionate love. 

The morning after (Tuesday morning) Shela wakes up from a text message containing a feed to footage from the street cameras surrounding the Ashram. Nick awakens from the noise. After going over some non related footage they see Claudia and Yulia sneaking out of the Ashram on Sunday, the night after Nick was thrown out. The two girls then hop on a motorcycle that stops next to them, and drive on.

Nick and Shena are puzzled, storming out of the hotel room brainstorming. Why did the girls leave so secretly at night? Why leave a day before the final end ceremony of the retreat? Claudia and Yulia have been dreaming about this experience since their first year of college! Who is the guy on the motorcycle? Where did they go? 

[as they step out to the street, a motorcycle with Leo and Claudia passes by them - none notices the other].

Shena snaps a frame of the motorcycle they’ve seen in the footage on her phone and texts it over to her sources with hopes of getting a read on the motorcycle’s license plate.

She then continues to drill Nick for more information. What were their plans for after the retreat. Where did they plan on going next? 

Nick answers that following the retreat they were planning to go up for a trek up the Himalayas that is to start on Saturday morning (four days from now). But why on earth would they go there too early, and why on earth would they leave without him?!

Shena then gets info about the motorcycle from the still frame she sent. It is owned by one Leo Shline, a small-time German crook with suspected ties to local drug trafficking groups. 

This doesn't feel right. Leo has been around Nick and Claudia back in Goa and all through the retreat. He’s a cool and normal guy, just a traveler like us. Or is he?

Nick can vaguely remember moments from his ecstasy trip back in Goa (flashback) where he might have seen Leo rough it up with a couple of girls during the party (was it Claudia?), and seemed to have been doing business with some shady people. It’s hard to tell, it was all a big blur that night… And then there was that incident with the girl in the beach restaurant that was picked up by her angry brother… Was Leo really who they all thought he is - or someone hiding a big secret??

(Back to now): 

Nick’s mind is racing: Claudia could be in trouble and not even know it!

[NOTE: consider moving Leo and Claudia passing by on motorcycle, from beat 2/18, to here]