Aisa bhi hota hai (Part I)
Disklaimer: Long post. Read at your own peril. Wink. Roughly an year after I became a PFC regular, I got an email. The mail was from the author of a post that I had commented upon. I was hyper thrilled and all that. For sake of security (mine) I won’t divulge who it was, but that’s not the point anyways. After exchanging a few emails, the ice broke and the credit goes to… yes, you guessed it… DARU!
So coming to the point, the author, made me an offer. An offer that happens in the wet-dreams of all filmis, especially when they are not lokated in Bbay. I was required to read a skript (that the author was to direct), reakt, komment, suggest changes and hold your breath – become an AD for the film! This couldn’t be happening to me I said, but then it was. Really.
So one fine day I got THE mail. It was The Skript. A real skript of a real film, from a real person. I pinched myself. Ouch. Before that I had never seen a movie skript in my life. So I was fascinated. I downloaded it and couldn’t wait to open. That done, the first thing that struck me, was the name of the film. I wasn’t sure if a movie with that kinda name would find an audience. Or maybe the kind of audience that I wanted to reach out to, with my films.
This was to be my debut film & something that people will know, years down the line, people would find it on IMDB & snigger at me. Anyways, my fascination took over from there & for a few hours I was glued to the story. I skipped lunch, kept reading, page after page. Finally after I was through reading, I took a really long ciggy break.
I dunno how many I smoked, visualizing the story that I had read. Every single detail, the author had written, I was trying to visualize. But the hulchul that ensued in the khodi ki jhopdi was anything but positive. Fuck, I hated it. Every scene, every thing about it. To me, it bordered on B Grade. No, it was B Grade!
Then I did, what anyone in his sane mind wouldn’t. I tried to re-work on the skript. I spent 4 working days trying to make it better, in my POV. Nothing happened. Mundu. Then I did, what anyone even in his insane mind wouldn’t. I wrote to the author what I really felt about his skript. I didn’t bother to be politikally korrekt. Diplomacy… what’s that? In very brutal, scathing words, I expressed what I felt.
Surprise Surprise! The author didn’t take offence. No he didn’t. He actually laughed it off. He was so konvinced about his story, my reaction didn’t mean any offense to him and he was all set to move on. He did. I was relaxed yet pissed. I missed my Bollywood debut bus. I konsoled myself later saying – atleast I made a choice. Today, I really hope that I had been a komplete morawn and had mis-read the skript. I hope the film & the maker do well.
What I am trying to share with you all filmis out here is that PFC is goldmine for us aspirants. Opportunities will come knocking. Be prepared. Also, I would like to know from the more-experienced filmis at PFC is, how much would change, in the course of the journey, from skript to skreen? I understand the changes will be nothing that will alter the soul of the story. That remains.
What if, say the writer is not equipped (with words) to describe a scene, can he get the benefit of doubt? People who will be a part of the film will have access to the skript and if its not rightly worded, people may not want to get into such a venture. Is mere konviction (towards the story) enough or should it be backed with the right words on the paper? I am really puzzled. I ask becuase, that’s where my role began, in this instance.
You filmis, fill me in with your ‘Aisa Bhi Hota Hai (Part II)’ and enlighten me with your experiences. Stay filmi & guys, remember, PFCOne starts Monday!!!
Tags: Films, magik, PFCOne, Script
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Magik, Jabardast!!!
interesting…i shall stayed tuned
kaash aisa koi magiK mere saath bhi ho jaye !!!
there’s hope for all! PFC pe sabka number aayega!
Jaadoo Bhai, for me the biggest Magik, was becomming one of the regular authors on PFC, something i never imagine. Chalo ab woh to ho Gaya, baad mein dekhte hain, kya hota hai.
@ RS: agreed. u r sooooooooooooooooo regular on PFC, sometimes i think, the site will turn into ratnakar’spassionforcinema! LOL!!! hey u r doin a good job bro… lookin for more n better in 2009! Cheers to cinema!
Magik- As I started reading this I was all set to scream aloud-wow & would have even called you if I had your number only to congratulate .
Honestly dude- I admire you for you’ve done- believe me not too many people could have done that.I for one have been a filmy for all my life- now starting to look at how to take things forward.
I can understand what you’ve gone through.I hope PFC will spread the magik to more people –
me included
@Ratnakar Sadasyula: dude, tats my resolution for 2009; to become an author for PFC. i have been making so many comments on so many articles since 2 yrs as well as penned a few posts, but i need to bring in some consistency i guess :(
wo subah kabhi to ayegi
Likthe Raho Crazybhai, Manzil khud ba khud aa jaayegi, its not rocket science.
@ Sethu: the PFC magik is spreading like a mad-kow disease bro… its gonna be total mayhem with so many filmis comin outta the kloset!
@Krazyrals: Thats the word – KONSISTENCY! Hoping to c u in the PFC Klub soon… till then keep writing! Cheers!
Becomming a full fledged author on PFC, was one of the few good things, in an otherwise horrible year for me. Hoping 2009 wud be better.
@ RS: my best wishes. rock on!!
Magik bhai,
Tune ek script thukra di, Oh My Gawd!!!!
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You did what you felt right. May the (filmy) force be with you. Btw, is the title of the post inspired that movie? If not, what movie was it, if you may want to disclose.
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Yeah, Sethu, PFC provides good platform for filmis to interact.
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I am thinking of taking up a short term film-making course in January. Hopefully,that will work out.
oops I meant *inspired by **that** movie* in post 12.
@ Vishesh: Bro, am not saying anything abt the movie. Atleast not till it releases and meets its destiny! The title of the post has got nothing to do with the movie, maker or anyone. I just love the movie Waisa Bhi Hota Hai, so that’s a humble tribute! Thats it! Have a great New Year party with your Taaniji. My best wishes. Rock hard!!
Vishesh- where is this short term film making course happening? Is it in MICA- I’m jsut guessing since you are in Ahmedabad.
Magik,Vishesh & all my other filmy friends here on PFC- time to pack up, pop up the champagne
) & get ready to usher the new year in.So wishing one & all a Very Rocking 2009.
( or whatever
Let the magik of movies spread to one & all in 2009.
Haan Magik bhaiya…compromise kaun nahi karta!! :P
Sethu, This one is not in MICA, its happening at St.Xaviers college, I am also waiting for details from them.
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But thanks for reminding me, may be I should check at MICA too. You rock :-)
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Magik Bhai, Sethu, Ratnakar and har filmy dost ( jo filmy kaliya khila raha hain) have a fantastic 2009.
“This was to be my debut film & something that people will know, years down the line, people would find it on IMDB & snigger at me.”
Get real, dude. If you one day ACTUALLY decide to be a part of the industry, you would realise that what you did was plain stupidity for a couple of reasons:
a. It’s about working and moving forward. People who are not even in the fringe of the industry cannot be bothered about their name coming up on imdb.com with regards to a stupid movie. Arey, kaam to karo. Pehle se hi stud ban rahe ho.
b. An AD’s name might not even appear on imdb. In fact, as an AD it is most important to just keep doing work after work, stepping up the ladder every time, rather than think of a Big Bang with the first one. Even if you were an AD on, say Rock On!!!, what then…who knows about it. Do you know the names of the ADs on Rock On!!! Or Oye Lucky? Or, from a different spectrum, Race?
The first priority is to get in. Believe me, even working on a “B-Grade” would have taught you a million things that you wouldn’t learn at a desk job. Heck, at least it would have got the rose-tinted glasses off.
It’s good to be “filmy”, mate. But believe me, filmy people don’t make films. “Real” people do. So let’s get real.
p.s. Hey Moderator, now you can knock the comment off as it might hurt your policies or someone’s sentiments.
@ Duh!: Thanks a lot for taking time out and educating me and enlightening me with your sincere opinion. No, your komment won’t be taken off. I would like that more and more aspirants see your komment and not make the grave mistake that I did. I hope you have a fantastik 2009. Gawd bless.