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Infidelity at Velocity [No-Smoking]

Don’t bother about the title. Just a few months more before we see and hear one of the corniest tributes to contemporary cinematic greats and they would not be complaining.

Juxtaposed against the hustle of the sets where even the Ads were working with the ART department…..last moment instructions being given…lights…..Jr. Artists getting into their grabs. Rajkumar looking a bit tense…he had to leave for Russia and there was a big shoot tomorrow as well.

Rajkumar: I don’t want to leave Anurag alone…….ok others are there…..but I wanted to be with him for tomo…..but even Russia needs to be taken care of….

You have to be there to witness this man’s commitment to the cause and as I discovered yesterday so were the others. Gautam….. and the others. [Sorry, I would have ideally named each and everyone of you]….Awesome team

Ok back to the Juxtaposition. A very affable and adorable senior couple were looking for a place to sit and there was a person sleeping on the couch. They told one of the Ads…they wanted to sit but someone was occupying the couch. The ad looked at the couch and quickly made arrangements for the old couple to another chair.

The man in question…..Mr.Kashyap.

Anurag: Ghode beech ke soo raha tha…….
Back to the smile [you know that people, right]….but somewhat mellow. Donno….maybe those are the only few winks he had caught in a while…….back in action. Apart from the Jr. Artists……John, Ayesha and Joy Fernandez….my star of the day were to perform….

About Joy – Hard to miss this guy. Though John Abraham stands out in a crowd of 1000s….Joy is not to be left behind. You must have seen this guy in the promos of Paanch….and was the bad guy in Jajantaram Mamantaram…Basically from theatre currently touring with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

I always feel these are the guys who bring an edge to any film. Ok we all go in for the primary star cast….but these are he people who lift the film…shoulder the burden and yet never are in the limelight. Sarfarosh was an Aamir Khan and Nasir film….but it would not be the Sarfarosh we experienced if it was not for Mirchi, Sultan, Bala Thakur, Shiva, Salim, Veeran……[the one that came to mind as I was writing…Laagan too….ok I’ll move on…noo….Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron…..ok they all were awesome….I hope you got my point…..]

Joy’s association with Anurag goes back a long way. He says they share similar views about cinema ….sense of humor…..and I was testimony to that. Pulling off the corniest of dialogues with super ease……Astalavista…..Joy J

Then the talks went a littler deeper and a bit personal …about Smoking. It’s been 9 years since Joy has quit but he dreads….he is afraid that he might be sucked into the habit anytime. I was starting to feel a bit uneasy at this.

Joy: 5 years of damage to lungs take 15 years to recoup and that is if you live that long….

Whhoooof!!!!…heavy stuff….I almost quit…but not yet….

Then he went on to state why the youth will take to Anurag’s films. How they have always been told what to do and how it ought to be…but here is a film maker who speaks his mind and no vials…..he connects from the heart….

Joy: We know what Anurag is…..just that it needs to translate to the other end…matter of time.

I am sure to whistle the loudest for Ranveer and Joy. My heros….

John came in and there was a definite increase in the pulse levels. Straight into action right away. A little bit of physical stuff to do….some beefed up bounces handling John. It was a great sight to see them try and impress the girls…..after every shot…I saw them chat with the girls standing near them…like

Bouncer: I held John like this….but then…I though this would look much real so I held him this way….
The girls were mighty impressed. With the acting capabilities and the “dole shole” of course….Jokes aside…..the enthusiasm and the intention to contribute was praise worthy.

Some really intensely insane scenes with Joy and John which would eventually end into a hilarious moment….They seem to have a great rapport. John had to be on his toes all day for all scenes involving him were high energy. I was dead tired just standing at one place and this guy went on….and on…on and on…..And yes…..he did check out the No-Smoking Poster contest by PFC covered by mid-day and liked a few….he found Oz’s red and white one quite appealing. Anurag joined in and gave a version of his idea of a poster. All we could do was look at him….it would be some sight at the hoardings and railway stations if that came up. John seems well aware of the market of cinema too reeling out statistics of collections of multiplexes with the ease of an MBA…comparing two financial years and how it would have affected collections of films had they released this year than last…..I believe he is a management student….

Chapter 2 – Being a Junior Artist

It’s a different orbit all together. I was like people are here sweating it out because they are crazy about film…but the mood just changes as you stand with some of them. Young guys and girls….with a few oldies sprinkled…..like when you are watching the direction team…who are like fighting insanely for the cause…the film…..here I find myself in another zone. Some want to get laid that very evening with the new acquaintance….no actually…that’s pretty much what I witnessed standing in the middle….they wanted to get laid…that’s it….some cheesy pick-up lines…some lousy attempts met with resounding response from the respective opposite sex. I actually started finding it amusing.

One even tapped and told me that as they were journalists to get into the character we should not just keep looking ahead at Joy…we should interact too. Appreciate the idea…seriously….he seemed one soul who was even think of the shot…none the less I kept looking straight ahead like a zombie. Shamelessly eavesdropping as usual. …None the less it’s quite a task being in the middle and was allotted a “SHOT DIVISION”…an entire set off lighting…camera position…..clap….and the Director was looking at me on the monitor. Quite surreal….freaky actually….in fact was to numb….and I ask “Kyon?”……yes that’s exactly what I was supposed to say……

“Kyon?”

So I have officially made my cinematic debut and award or no award I have earned my right for a speech.

Vasan: I would like to thank…appa and amma….Oz, PFC, Anurag Kashyap, Gautam, Rajkumar…the no smoking team……

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