Mast Curry - Hi
Hi everyone, apologies.

Sorry for this break from blog-posts, I guess today will be the last day, before me returning to the usual practice of posting a blog-post a day minimum.

It is the post-production of Mast Curry that's keeping me busy, the good news is that the film has shaped up well, considering the huge budgetary constraints we worked in. More later :-)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Mast Curry Shooting - Day 8
July 3, BBC, Marriott, 8.00 a.m.

Just came in for an early morning meeting with an investor. Seems he’s caught in the famed Mumbai rain and is gonna be an hour late, so I thought lemme put the time to best use – blog J

The shooting was going on fine as scheduled and we were onto the most difficult scene, the first interaction of Bamboo Bhai (Ankit Challa) and Honey Kapoor (Me); with Saira (Roushika Reikhi) egging on Bamboo bhai to kill Honey.

The scene was difficult because it was a pretty long scene, around 12 pages and the room to shoot it was hugely small in size! Apart from the choreography of the entire scene or blocking the moments; the major area of concern was that the film was a real time movie so the cuttings, they ought to be, have to perfectly match the previous cutting to give the film as real-time feel.

I had asked the actors to prepare the scene well in advance.

As the wall-clock cuckooed 7 in the morning, I got the participating-cast and the crew on the sets, briefed the entire scene to them; enacted to the actors what I wanted and then packed off the participating actors and part crew for breakfast to meet at 8.30 sharp.

I wanted to finish the entire scene on that day itself; which looked quite a tedious task.

8.30 the actors came and within the next 20 minutes after we were through with the rehearsals we started to can the 1st shot, master-shot of the entire scene.

“Cut”, I said because Roushika fumbled. The same mistake was repeated in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th take; by the 5th take I have had enough of it. As the crew and cast vouched it was for the first time they heard me yelling at an actress. I told Roushika in no uncertain terms that she was not the actress what I had envisaged; naturally she was hurt and started arguing. Her argument only flared my tempers further and finally after I had blasted her and with she running off the sets in tears; I went for a walk J to calm myself down.

After a good half an hour when I came back, Roushika was waiting on the sets. “I am sorry, but I am prepared now, do we shoot” she said with a grim expression.

I held her hand and took her out for a walk; after good fifteen minutes with mood of both of us rejuvenated, we came to shoot.

The scene went off well, not as visualized, but still, better than what we were doing in the morning. During the lunch-break cameraman told me; it is indeed tactful of you to extract such a performance out of Roushika even after that solid blasting. I had no answer except for a simple smile.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Mast Curry Shooting - Day 9
July 4, My pad, 11.00 a.m.

Woke up after a late night screening of Harry Baweja’s Love Story 2050, what I really noticed in the film was the way they tried to model Harman on Hrithik. Well, I personally feel that each actor should develop his or her own unique style. Hope Harman would do so over a period of time.

Now, developing style is not an easy task, it is the most difficult job for an actor to cultivate a style.

I remember when I told Ankit that he resembled Amjad Khan of Sholay, intentionally or unintentionally he would copy his mannerisms and body language. It was then I realized may be, I committed a folly by complementing Ankit thus.

I told Ankit about it but he didn’t understand. May be he thought he was his natural self, but they say a second person that too a director can always see and analyze your performance in a better manner.

This particular incident happened on one day of the shoot, as we were nearing wrapping up Ankit’s work.

I was shooting a close and after canning the shot I told Ankit to take a break. However, Ankit came to me, he was not satisfied with his performance.

“Why?” I questioned him, “I think you were just perfect”.

“But I think I can do it better” Ankit said.

Always there to support actors, I said “fine”.

We rolled the camera and I saw Ankit trying to imitate Amjad Khan. Hmmm… I thought to myself, I didn’t cut the take and after we were through, I called Ankit over.

I showed him both the takes, cleverly shuffling the two.

He liked the 2nd one better and he told me so. I smiled and seeing me smile in that particular manner, Ankit knew something fishy was up.

“The take you liked my dear friend” I looked Ankit in his eyes was the one you gave earlier on. Ankit couldn’t believe it and showing him the takes without shuffling I said “that’s why I told never copy Amjad Khan, your individual style suits you better.”

Ankit understood every word I uttered and sat down with a thud holding his head “Oh shit, what about the previous scenes.”

As I offered him coffee I told him “Don’t worry, while filming earlier scenes I made sure you were doing them in your style”, saying this I winked at Ankit.

A smile played on Ankit’s face, a smile resplendent of an actor’s gratitude.

Mast Curry Shooting - Day 10
July 5, My pad, 11.00 a.m.

As we neared the completion of our shooting schedule, I noticed the cast and crew had started to get emotional about the whole experience of shooting Mast Curry. Though we had about a week’s shooting left, I guess two odd weeks and the environs and the positive vibes and of course the sumptuous food J had rubbed off too strongly on the cast and the crew.

The day started off with me taking the montages of various facilities available at the location; Corbett Hideaway (the open swimming pool, the spa, the bridge, the restaurant, the grill by the pool side, the mangroves, the beach, the opening to the river, the wild-walk, etc.). It was fun taking these montages and as I edit Mast Curry; I find that it was really a nice idea to take those montages as they are coming in quite handy in the edit.

My observation as a director is that it is the toughest to shoot montages (though a few fellow friends of my brethren may opt to differ). I find them the toughest to shoot because a shot involving actors is hugely helped by the actors, by the dialogues, by the performances; but the silent shots of montages with just plain-nude objects on screen, have to be shot really with all the ingenuity, for them to leave a long-lasting indelible impression on the minds of the audiences.

The shoot (of montages) stretched beyond the time I had earmarked; we were shooting them well past-lunch. One of my actors Rahul Sethi was hyper; I was supposed to shoot two scenes with him and the next morning he had to leave for another shoot’ what if we didn’t shoot his scenes today. He had already paced up to me with his problem 10 times (may be more), I assured him that he will not be in a fix.

When he approached me the next time, I simply blurted (I don’t know from where, may be owing to hectic shoot schedule) “Don’t worry your shoot will be cancelled, you will be staying with us”. Rahul looked at me aghast. The expression on his face was so genuine it would put Marlon Brando (may his soul, rest in peace) to shame. I recollected what I said and patted his shoulder.

Soon we were on to his scenes and as the sunlight went off, he still had a scene pending and since we were shooting a real time movie we just can’t continue further as we needed the sunlight to maintain continuity. Rahul looked at me, I just smiled.

He asked me “Now what?” I smiled again.

As we were having desserts after the dinner, Rahul came to me, “Sir mera shoot cancel ho gaya hai (Sir, my shoot has been cancelled)” Rahul had a look of disbelief in his eyes. “Did you know the director and requested him to cancel the shoot?” Rahul asked me. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him “No, I didn’t knew the director, it is just that those were prophetic words”, as I walked away smiling, I saw Rahul was looking at me wonder-struck.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Mast Curry - Latest hap (mishap)

July 6, Lotus Café, 10.00 a.m.

Yesterday was a bad day and today is not a good day either, to start with.

Why was yesterday a bad day?

Simply because my editing plans went awry, I lost a good chunk of film while editing as the system developed a snag thereby pushing Mast Curry a bit further. Last night when I friend invited me clubbing, she told that such haps (rather mishaps) are part and parcel of life.

Fine, but why me with my film; frankly, the fire to edit has waned down greatly after this incident. Imagine how boring it is to cut almost 15 minutes of the movie again (only film-makers who had been in my shoes can imagine it).

It is Sunday and the mood is to laze around, this mood is further aggravated by the fact that I lost some precious moments of editing. There is loss of drive in everything I am doing at the moment, even writing this blog. Instead of giving the readers info about the shoot, I think I am talking (fine blogging) nonsense.

I guess, though, it is good I am not talking about the shoot, since it requires a lot of drive and energy and clarity of thoughts to recount the days of shooting; and since the drive is just not there to blog, I will let it be this way rather than post a blog-post just for the heck of it. I guess tomorrow being a new day, the mood will be more upbeat and then I will blog.

Apologies J

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Mast Curry - Big B, the inspiration!
July 7, my pad, 10.00 a.m.



Destiny I guess, plays an important role (even nay-sayers will agree that it has a role, may be for them, just miniscule) in shaping up one’s fortune or dreams; in my case, in current context; Mast Curry.



After I lost 15 minutes of edit; I was pretty low, not knowing where to start, how to start; but most importantly I, to my shock, found that I had suddenly lost the drive to edit the film.



It was Sunday yesterday and as per my routine it was only at 12 noon that I picked up Sunday Times to read! The first article I read in the magazine section foxed me.

“It’s never the same as you sit down to reconstruct that which is lost. In writing or in life. The air is not the same, the temperament is not the same; our countenance is not the same. It’s almost as if it was destined to happen then, and now destiny is not the same. The body could be there; the position, the setting, the instruments all the same, but for some strange reason the frame is different and so is the mind.” This is what Amitabh Bachchan said in his blog quoted verbatim from Sunday times.



I guess this was God’s way of sending me a message. I could decipher the entire statement and I knew instinctively, what is lost is lost; I need to make a new start. Immediately I rang up my editor and within next half an hour we were at the editing studio.



I was now much more charged up and much more driven than ever before. Within minutes we were editing the lost chunk and after eight arduous hours of meticulous work when I saw the edit; I was more than happy. The work looked much better and much more holding in its new form; I guess it was a way of the almighty to hammer down the fact that there is no finality to any creative process.

Mast Curry Shooting - Day 11
July 8, CCD, Lokhanwala, 11.00 a.m.

Have you ever heard that there are person(s) who do dot-on prophecy?

Well, I guess during the shoot I turned into one such person. (Wish I had said “I will very soon be the number one film-maker”.)

The Rahul Sethi episode (his shoot being cancelled) was still very fresh; and we were onto an entirely new episode involving yes, my leading actress – Roushika Reikhi.

It was the penultimate day of her shoot and we were shooting a lip-lock sequence (I won’t call it intimate as it is done in a light-hearted manner). Though I had briefed her of the sequence, I found that she wasn’t really into the lip-locking mood because when I checked the take I found her to be too cold; and since performance of a co-artiste always affects the performance of the other artiste (in this case, myself); more so in a physical sequence, I was very particular she performed it to perfection.

Even after 10 takes when I found her to be stiff, I took her aside and we had a brief chat.

I told her rather frankly that I was letdown by her performance; in fact, “you were doing much better in the rehearsals” Roushika looked at me. She said “During rehearsals there was nobody present; it was just you and me”.

Is Roushika uncomfortable because of the crew present?

I asked the crew to leave, still nothing changed much (though she was better, but not perfect!)

We again had a chat and I reasoned that the whole idea of rehearsing the lip-lock sequence before the shoot was to break the ice, to perfect the timing and to make the smooch look very natural and exquisitely artistic on-screen. “What was the point of rehearsing the smooch for 4 long days?” I was annoyed at the wastage of time during the rehearsals and most importantly on the shoot.

I knew I had to use some tool that triggers Roushika to perform better. I held her upcoming shoot on ransom “I won’t let you leave day after till you perform this sequence with utmost sincerity and class” I told Roushika matter-of-factly.

The next thing I knew was that we were shooting the sequence and though Roushika was a complete natural; I still wasn’t satisfied with what I saw on-screen. As we were nearing the end of the day I told Roushika “I want you to concentrate on this sequence; we will shoot it day after” Roushika looked at me with a question in her eyes; “Ah don’t worry your shoot will be postponed”.

The same night we got to know that the shoot has indeed been postponed. “How come?” Roushika asked; before anyone could respond Rahul gave a repartee “Sir has indeed got a black-tongue, woh Hindi mein boltay hain naa kaali zubaan!” Everyone burst into laughter.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Mast Curry - Etcetra

July 10, Holiday Inn Lounge, 9.30 a.m.

Apologies!

You all know it quite well, what for?

I couldn’t post a blog-post yesterday as I shot for a music video for a dear friend. He is the one who said, I should try out my hand in acting and modeling, which I took seriously only in March 08 and within 3 months I have done 6 assignments (too few, I know) for various production-houses; of course apart from displaying my histrionics (if they can be called so J) in Mast Curry.

I guess the video should be out by mid-August and apart from the lyrics that go “Tum Bin…”, I have no clue whatsoever; who is(are) the singer(s)? what label it is? Whether it is for satellite channels or DVD’s/CD’s; anyways the point is shooting it was fun (if not a blast).

I was here in the lounge of a hotel preparing for a presentation to a potential investor and took a break in between to key in this blog-post. The reason being the headline in today’s BT “The couch does exist”.

Really?

I normally don’t like to comment on such frivolous issues (it is hardly an issue, today) that are done more for titillation rather than reporting by the media; but since it concerned a RGV protégé and more so, a batch-mate of one of the member’s of the principal cast, Ankit Challa; I though I will comment.

Of my severely limited number of years in the entertainment industry, I have seen that no girl or guy for that matter will endure the so-called casting couch; unless she or he is benefiting. If giving out sex to seek work is casting couch than it happens every profession; be it banking, sports, finance, hospitality, health-sector or even politics. It’s as simple as that. Why single out entertainment industry and paint it black with a haven of ‘casting couch’ mishaps? I guess because the entertainment-people sell; rather, help sell the media.

I still remember, during the press-conference of Mast Curry, a journalist (no point naming him) actually had the cheek to ask one of my leading actresses “so did you indulge in casting-couch?”, as I overheard his question a blood flushed through my mind, I was mad. I immediately rushed up to him and questioned him “did you sleep with your editor (infamous gay) to get here?”

The journo was dumbfounded rather than shocked. Realizing his folly he immediately apologized. He tried to explain what he really meant was to have my actress’ comments on casting-couch. I explained to him the same thing. The term ‘casting couch’ is a product of yellow-journalism that came into being, to boost the sales of newspapers by their publishers in the west. Since, the media couldn’t hit on politicians; celebrities and entertainment became a scapegoat. I further told him it was a tool used by few (or many, don’t have the exact stats) to further career and as long as two consenting adults mutually agree why should a third party take umbrage.

The journalist understood and that night at the party, the mammoth bouquet he got me, together with the bottle of sparkling white wine buried any acrimony that was left amongst us.

Thursday, July 10, 2008