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It’s been almost three months since I have been in Mumbai. I was called in by Sudhir Mishra to edit a 90 minute international version of his new film, Tera Kya Hoga Johnny! It was a very interesting experience to take a film and reconstruct it in a different way. The Indian version is about 130 minutes long and one could not just throw away 40 minutes of the film. So the narration had to change and the story had to be told in a different way. As the film was made up of multiple characters and their stories, I tried to find a situation in the original film which would become the pivotal point of the new narrative structure. Once I had found that, I reworked the different stories from that pivotal point in a non linear narration. It was quite fun. I dismantled the rough cut and made bins for each character and their stories. And as the film wasn’t written or shot like that, there were lots of holes in each story. But it did give us an idea of which story and character had more material than others.

I had long discussions with Sudhir and he even shot some new scenes to help the new structure work. I made a rough edit of my version and the ‘usual suspects’, (a group of directors and film people) were called in for a trial screening. They all had a lot to say and some even missed some of the scenes they had seen in the older longer version. But Sudhir was convinced with my new version and gave me the ‘nod’ to go ahead. We worked very fast and within a month we had a complete 90 minute version.

They are still working on the longer version and I have overheard that some of the structure of my version have been integrated in the long version. It was a great experience working with my old friend and buddy; the last time it was twenty years ago, as Art director, on his film Main Zinda Hoon (1988).

While I was working day and night for this I was also attending a casting. No, I am not trying to become an actor; I was being ‘considered’ to be a director and co-writer for an international film. We’ll call it Project M as I have signed a non-disclosure agreement. I was attending early morning breakfast meetings everyday at the Sun n Sand hotel and being quizzed by a tall Dutch producer called Bero Beyer. He had sent me his latest version of the script a few weeks ago and I had to go through each scene and tell him how I saw it and what changes I would like to bring in. Bero is a very interesting person; he is the only Producer-writer in the world. (I think). His last film Paradise Now (A must watch) was very successful both critically and financially. He co-wrote the script with the director Hany Abu-Assad. And likewise for ‘Project M’ which is mainly set in India, he has been scouring the countryside trying to find his director and co-writer. He had been to the International film festival of India in Goa last year, watched a lot of films and met a lot of people. I met him in Rotterdam during the festival earlier this year after the screening of Hava Aney Dey. He came up to me, shook my hand and praised my film. Ahem! It always feels good when someone does that. He gave me some material on the ‘Project M’ and asked me to read it. I read it on the way back and I was floored; I wanted to do this film. So I called Bero and told him what I felt. We decided to meet and although we live at one hour’s flying distance from each other, we had to do it in India as I was here editing Sudhir’s film.

After a week of meetings at the Sun n Sand, Bero left India, he had done his ‘casting’ and I received my contract a few days later. I have been working hard on the new version of the script since. It’s a crazy, exciting project, its blowing my mind away. The film is based around three main characters, one Englishman, a Dutchman and an Indian woman. We have very definite ideas of who would play the men, but the woman’s role needs to be a find, a casting coup. The film revolves around her character; she must look the part. I think she will be difficult to find amidst of these ‘fair and lovely’, manicured beauties that invade our screens and auditions. They all look alike, like clones made in a Revlon factory. But I know she is somewhere out there. I think I have seen her. She is ‘M’.

I am off to the UK and then onwards to Cannes… ‘Project M’ is at the Producer’s Network. Bero also has a film he has co-produced in the Certain Regard section.

It’s been a great trip, not to forget the summer sun, umpteen Alphonso Mangos (thanks to Mita), the fish curry and rice (and the vodka quarters) from Janata Lunch home, the bagels and espressos at the Bagel Shop, the crepes from Crepe Station, Pali Naka for my fruits, veggies and the morning newspaper, the crazy parties at my ‘corporate’ friends luxurious apartments in SoBo and the ‘last drink’ from the kindest barmen at Zenzi.

And above all, I’ll miss the wooded lanes of Shirley Rajan Road.
Au revoir!