Papi Reddy: Why isn’t it a sensible measure? Won’t that cap the scum?
Shaukar Suryam: Papi ReddyPatelseems to miss the point here. What if that picks up amongst them? Won’t we be short of women pandering to us?
Papa Rao: That’s true; Shaukar Saab has some foresight after all.
Muthyal Rao: Why, won’t that shrink his customer base as well? What a double jeopardy it could be to our Shaukar. But then, there is no need to worry as things won’t change in a hurry, if at all they change.
[Enter: Anasuya.]
Anasuya: Dandaal dora.
Muthyal Rao: Why, any problem?
Anasuya: I seek protection for my daughter dora.
Papi Reddy: Well, what’s the matter?
Anasuya: Dora, my sister-in-law and her husband are forcing my daughter to wed their son.
Papa Rao: What’s the objection? After all, isn’t it the custom?
Anasuya: But the custom in my family is to get her married to her maama that is my brother Saailu.
Muthyal Rao to his henchman: Bring Yellaiah and Mallamma to the panchayat.
[Exit: Henchman.]
Rami Reddy: How old is your daughter?
Anasuya: Patwari-ji, she has just now matured.
Shaukar Suryam: Won’t it be in the know of Papi Reddy Patelas well?
Papi Reddy: Why poke your nose into my affairs. Did I ever enquire about her EDD, you know who.
Muthyal Rao: Oh, stop it. [Turns to Anasuya.] What’s your man’s take on this?
Anasuya: He’s coerced by them into agreeing dora.
[Enter: Henchman with Mallamma.]
Mallamma: Dandaal dora.
Muthyal Rao: What about Yelligadu?
Mallamma: He’s gone to town dora.
Muthyal Rao: YemeMallamma, Anasuya complains that you’re fiddling in her family matters.
Mallamma: Dora, my son was betrothed to Renuka at her birth itself. Now it’s my vadinawho backtracks.
Muthyal Rao: Yemey Anasuya, is it true?
Papi Reddy: Whatever, we may restrain the Yellaiahs to keep away from the girl.
Mallamma: Dora, how can Papi Reddy Patel decide for the panchayat even before Anasuya replies?
Papi Reddy: YemeMallamma, aren’t you talking like a panch. Don’t you know it’s the parents who decide whom the children have to marry? Now the panchayatdecides that none from Yellaiah’s family should take things into their hands.
Mallamma: How come dorafails to stop Papi Reddy Patel from hijacking the panchayat.
Papi Reddy: Oh how dare you? Don’t we see you’re thrashed and then thrown out of Rampur?
Mallamma[in all fury]: Dora, they say panch is parameshwarbut here I see the Satan in collusion.