Can a symphony of infectious laughter lead to one of the most complex situations in multiple people’s lives? What’s going on in our heads—is that the reality, always? What’s it like to navigate the absurdity of a world where laughter, instead of setting us free, induces fear and guilt? A reflection on a short story by Anton Chekov, Prateek’s film JAL TU JALAAL TU narrates the story of a man whose humanity is gradually stripped away by the entrenched hierarchy of his workplace, leaving him as a mere echo of politeness in the form of “sorrys” and “thank yous”.