Butterfly Dreams (2013)

Basheera Banu: Sumi

Quotes 

• [first lines] 

  [dialog in Tamil, lines from English subtitles] 

  Sumi : See you tonight.

  Old Lady : Take care of yourself.

• Shanthi : My parents and I are going to a movie this Sunday. Can you come with us?

  Sumi : No. I have to study.

  Shanthi : You don't even know how to read.

  Sumi : I know how to read the alphabet.

• Ravi : Are you coming from the factory?

  Sumi : No. I went to temple after work.

  Ravi : What did you pray for?

  Sumi : I'm praying to become a doctor.

  Ravi : A doctor? That's going to cost you a lot. Can your parents afford it?

  Sumi : My dad died when I was little. My mom died last year from Tuberculosis.

• [Sumi comes early to Ravi's house and wakes him up] 

  Ravi : What time did you wake up?

  Sumi : I don't know, I can't tell time.

  Ravi : Do you know how to count?

  Sumi : Oh, Yes. My mom taught me to count to thirty.

• Shanthi : How do you know that we're working extra time with no pay?

  Sumi : My new friend taught me how to tell time.

  Shanthi : So that's why you're not hanging out with me.

• [Ravi corrects Sumi's writing] 

  Sumi : I make so many mistakes. I don't think this is working.

  [Sumi throws the pencil on the ground] 

  Ravi : You're not going to get it in one try. You have to practice. Practice day and night.

  [pause] 

  Ravi : Let's try writing slowly.

  [Ravi hands her the pencil and guides her hand to practice writing] 

• Sumi : [reading from a book]  Elephants weigh up to 5 tons. Elephants that have large tusks are hunted by... hunted by...

  [Sumi struggles to read the word. Ravi looks at the book and reads] 

  Ravi : Poachers.

  Sumi : Who are they?

  Ravi : A person who hunts illegally.

  Sumi : Why would someone do that?

  Ravi : People will do anything to make money. It happens every day and it's not getting any better.

• Ravi : What are you writing?

  Sumi : A letter.

  Ravi : To whom?

  Sumi : You.

• Shanthi : So I won't see you anymore?

  Sumi : When I become a doctor, I will visit you every year.