Amit woke up later than usual on a serene Sunday morning. His childhood friend, Sumit, was scheduled to join him for brunch. Amit, a celebrated computer scientist and a lifelong bachelor, had been eagerly anticipating the visit. Sumit, now a successful filmmaker with several acclaimed projects under his belt, was temporarily on his own—his wife, Maya, had taken their child to visit her parents in Kolkata.

Recently, Amit had made a groundbreaking discovery. His research on the human mind and its intricate workings had culminated in the development of a revolutionary device: a contactless simulator capable of interpreting and recording an individual's thought process. The invention had the potential to redefine the boundaries of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

At 11 a.m., Sumit arrived to find Amit bustling in the kitchen, preparing a mutton dish—Sumit's favorite. Amit had thoughtfully arranged for freshly baked naans to complete the meal, perfect for a sunny winter afternoon.

As they enjoyed the flavorful spread, the two friends caught up on each other's lives. Sumit shared updates about his latest film, which was now complete. He admitted he was searching for inspiration for his next project. A devotee of Michelangelo Antonioni's works, particularly the iconic Blow-Up (1966), Sumit longed for a story that would echo the subtle intricacies of human experience.

Amit then recounted a peculiar incident from the previous day. He explained how he often observed people in the park adjacent to his apartment complex. His latest experiment had involved a woman from the building across the street—a regular visitor to the park. Without her knowledge, Amit had used his device to access and record her current thought processes.

Pointing to the apartment in question, Amit said, “That’s where she lives.” He described how, just the day before, he had scanned her mind while she sat reading a newspaper in the park. The woman had been engrossed in a news report about a neighboring country in turmoil. As fundamentalists tightened their grip on the government, reports of atrocities against minorities had sparked outrage.

The device revealed vivid images from the woman’s memory: her eldest son, a brave army colonel, had died in a war to liberate that very country. Her younger son, however, was a stark contrast—an unscrupulous businessman who had climbed the ranks through bribery and corruption. Recently, he had been indicted for his unethical practices. The woman’s internal conflict—caught between the heroism of one son and the dishonesty of the other—was striking.

Sumit, intrigued, noted that this theme of maternal dilemma had been explored in films like Mrinal Sen's Mahaprithibi and Nabyendu Chatterjee's Atmaja. He saw the potential for a compelling narrative.

But the story didn’t end there. Amit revealed that when he tried to transfer the recorded data from his device to his computer, it mysteriously disappeared, a first in the two months he’d been experimenting with the technology.

Sumit, captivated, urged Amit to accompany him later that evening to visit the woman. Perhaps her story could spark the idea for his next project. Amit agreed.

That evening, the two friends arrived at the building Amit had pointed out earlier. Amit knocked on the door, and a stocky young man answered.

“We’re here to meet the elderly lady who lives here,” Amit began. “She often sits in the park.”

The man frowned. “There’s no elderly lady living here. I share this apartment with a friend—he’s my business partner.”

Amit’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “That’s impossible. I see her almost every day.”

The man remained firm. “I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken. There’s no one like that here. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” He closed the door.

Stunned, Amit stood frozen on the doorstep. Sumit watched him in silence, sensing that this mystery ran deeper than either of them had anticipated.