Nishabd – “Get me a Panther”
Hey guys,
Sorry for the delay, haven’t been keeping well for the last three four days. So story begins, we are almost set to leave for munnar. I go to the office and ensure that all has been taken care of. Abhishek has left a day before by road. Lucky chap… Never mind though. Not that we had any fun less traveling by train. Especially with the snacks and chocolates that Urvashi’s mother had packed for all of us. I was supposed to come home early, RGV, Jiah, Kusum, Amrik Gill, Sheel were supposed to take a flight the next day, and reach before us too. Before I left, I reminded Sheel that he has to reconfirm with him the entire list of stuff that we are taking. Sheel tells me he has already done it before. Cut to we took an Ernakulum bound train from Kurla. Travelling together were I, Vikas, Urvashi, Zh… i mean Dhaval and sandeep mone. Traveling was fun as we spent some time reading the script and most of the time having fun. The next day our production person had sent us a van to pick us up from Ernakulum to Munnar which is a good three to four hours drive. I was visiting kerala for the first time. I had never visited kerala, as it remains special for all of us as one of my sisters was born there. The moment I reached there, the first call I received was from Sheela Aunty my e-mail friend with whom I met after the shoot got over while I was traveling to the backwaters to chill.
The journey from Ernakulum was very pleasant, lush green scenery, simple people, warm people extremely loving people, I think its true for most of India… Cut to as we are enjoying the road journey, we kept clicking pictures, stopping to have chai, a leak wherever possible, till the time when our vehicle gave up at the right spot near a waterfall. Bas… that was it. We informed Sheel at the Munnar contact number and he said we will arrange for a new vehicle, in the mean time, we were listening to songs, singing songs and even tried seeking help from the other drivers waiting to have chaya… at the waterfall. Somehow it was taking a lot of time for the other vehicle shekel was supposed to send. We had started feeling tired that the driver of our vans decided to go to the nearest garage and get the part of the gaadi which was creating problems… luckily, the vehicle was repaired soon and there we were, in the township of Munnar. I was trying to look at every possible thing in that place that I d remember. Such a lovely hill station… finally after driving for about twenty minutes we entered the most beautiful hotel in Munnar ’TEA COUNTY’ and guys what a place it was. We all were really very happy to be there till the time Sheel told us that “tum logon ke liye doosre jagah intejaam kiya hai”. Though Sandeep mone and me did end up staying in one of the rooms that night.
Cut to next day, Abhishek, Vikas, Aditya, our internship candidate and also Sheel’s cousin reported to the hotel to chalk out the plan of action. Our major worry was the jeep. The moment we had landed we had started pestering the production guys to show us the jeep so that we could get it approved by the boss. Jeep one was called, it belonged to the forest department. But Amit Roy had problems with the color of the Jeep. He approved it but asked us to get it painted which the forest officials flatly refused. In the process there was a guy who was helping our production people with local things. His name is Dileep Chetta as we fondly called him. He had a gypsy that he happily agreed to give for a sum with some minor repairs here and there. Amit was ok with it, the boss also came the same morning and approved of the vehicle, “just that remove the doors, I don’t want to see the doors”, ok sir. Dileep the owner too was ok with it. But now the Jeep was red in color and the shoot began the next day and we needed it painted black. As one never knew when RGV might need it in the frame. So we divided the tasks, abhishek was supposed to stay back at Tea County and prepare for the next days shoot. Me and Mone along with Dileep Chetta went to a village nearby some thirty fourty kilometers from Munnar where Dileep’s mechanic friend was supposed to paint the Jeep and make the other changes. We reached there at around two thirty three pm. The seats were supposed to be done by some other guy in the same village; paint job was possible at the friend’s garage. The actual work started by four pm, the seats were taken to the other shop, while the garage team started working on the jeep. In the meantime we had an opportunity to have local food during lunch hours. The conversations went on and on, as we started getting to know each other well. So Dileep chetta is a businessman, runs a resort of his own in munnar and also owns a big jewellery shop, which hi wife runs. He was more interested in Amitabh Bachchan than mone and me. In between we kept shifting between the garage and the other tailors shop that was working on car seats. The painting of the Jeep had just started at around eight pm that the power in the village went off. ”Holy fuck” now what do we do??? Dileep makes some calls, the garage guy is too trying his level best but the lights wouldn’t come. Its nine thirty pm, our friendship with Dileep Chetta has reached new heights. Our vodka’s are on. So it’s me, Dileep Chetta and the owner of the garage having drinks together. Its fun, Mone is a little hesitant to drink there, probably he did not like the setup. Me and Dileep chetta enjoy ourselves, by twelve thirty the new car seats are ready. We thank the concerned person. The jeep is yet to be painted, all of us are worried, and luckily the power comes by one, one fifteen am. The guys start working on the jeep. It’s almost three fifteen, its cold and chilly. The jeep is ready but we cannot take it, why??? Because if you drive at night, there is a possibility that due to cold it might get wet, and spoil the paint that is already wet. Still we have a solution, the driver of the other car who was with us all the while is put on the job, and he will sleep in the garage and ensure that the car reaches the location sharp by nine am. Sandeep Mone drives us back in the production car. He is very superstitious about letting others drive at night. Ha ha, probably I feel, he fears death. Four Thirty am, I am in my hotel room at Marthoma to tired and sleepy.
Ten thirty am, abhishek and the entire direction team reach the location, there are lot of vehicles, Amitji’s make up van ‘Prudence’ (i think that is what is written in blue text on the van). All of a sudden i realize, oh fuck, i just passed the vehicle that i myself got painted last night, we could not recognize it the other day. Thankfully Amit approved of it. little bit of tamjham was taken care by Appu and her team.
The shoot begins, Amitji is also present there, its the first time ever i am being given the opportunity to be around him and that too in the official capacity as part of RGV’s direction team. The first scene… its where the characters are supposed to eat at the dining table etc. the table is set with food, and everything that the art department thought for. Now big b is eating dal from the katori, vikas is with the clap, me and abhi are to take care of everything else that the director asks for. Revathy’s angle is Okayed and the camera is shifted to Big B’s angle. There is pin drop of silence and around 50/60 crewmembers. This usually is the case on RGV’s sets. Camera is ready and we realize the katori that Amitji is supposed to dal from is empty, there is no room for Sheena to jump and do the needful, and RGV is already ready to call the shot. Cut to i jump and try to put the dal in the katori, and there i fuck up, my hands shake and the dal is spilt on the table. Amitji stares, i am trying to clean it, i call for the setting boys, and they run with the tissue paper, which Big B insists that he will clean the mess. I really feel bad, while the cleaning process is on Amitji asks people around, i am sitting near the dining table out of frame, “ain, iska naam kya hai?” ‘ Somebody whispers “Surya”, Big B,” Surya, U r fired”. Looking and laughing at me. In my mind i am thinking of what RGV must be thinking. Though this was nothing as compared to scene number 55+56. The scene goes of well; RGV has Okayed one scene in approximate two hours.
Cut to next scene, the atmosphere is still very very formal; the shoot has just begun today. Same room, dining table, some other sequence. We all are waiting for him to tell us what he plans to do. He sits on the floor, looks through the table, gets up, goes to the other end, does his framing mentally, again sits down, thinks, thinks, thinks…. by now he is resting on his elbow. Amit is waiting too….”hmmm, get me the panther”. The moment that word is heard, everybody is shocked, surprised. Assistant camera’s exchange looks with the DOP, DOP with Ads, Ads in turn look at everybody else and RGV of course. “Yeah Amit?” Amit, ” No sir, but you said you wont be needing that equipment except a steadicam and jimmy jib sir, so we don’t have it”. ” why, why, why? just call Sheel”. Cut to Sheel at the venue, ” Sir, we decided that you won’t be needing it”. RGV,” arrey but, how am i supposed to know which shot i am going to take when, just arrange for a panther for me”. Sheel tried convincing him, even told the figures, the budget etc etc etc. ” Dont worry, i am going to save you money, i am going to finish this filim in 20 days”.
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
jesus.. dude you sure know how to tell a story and leave us wanting for more :(( daad deni padegi teri.. ok so obviously the panther is some kind of equipment.. could you explain more as to what it really is and does?
and you almost spilling daal on big b was priceless
) good one!
boss, how about uploading some pics of the shoot that your friends in the unit took? (especially that pic of you handing over pages of the script to big b) :D
Panther?? yeah what is that?…and yeah pictures would be a good idea too.. anyway keep up the good work surya
..
Another interesting post surya, good stuff
hi surya!interesting post…would love to hear more about your shooting expereince with mr.bachchan and rgv…what is coming next from rgv’s film factory after nishabd and rgv ke sholay? are you working with him on his version of sholay? how’s it shaping up? heard somewhere that anurag kashyap had written for rgv ke sholay but rgv rejected his script…by the way who has written it now?
Awesome story Surya….waiting for the next part.. \:d/
(yikes) there are too many characters and my lickle mind cannot handle it. nevertheless, an interesting insight to (behind) filmmaking process.
Baarish: U can check out the panther dolly in the pics
http://passionforcinema.com/no-smoking-coverage-pictures-part2/
damn.. that thing is huge! definitely deserves to be called a panther.. how is it different from other dollies manjeet? are the weight load specs what make it different from each other?
ahh thanks manjeet!!!i feel like i am taking a course here.. learning so much info
.. thanks again!
Suryaji
, it’s getting more and more interesting – looking forward to your directorial debut – hope it’d be a thriller – aayi shappath, you sure know how to keep your audience in suspense…
ricky – RGV’s sholay has been written by saajid farhad. They also wrote shiva for RGV. I don have an idea if Anurag also was supposed to write it for Boss. Though i met him today at a multiplex with his sweet little daughter. he had come there to show her kabul express. Tonight he flying off to Russia for five days shoot for no smoking. he looked tired and exhausted to me… i believe he is still not feeling too well due to his back spasms.
In the mean time everybody else thank you very much for taking time out to read my stories and appreciate them, THANK U VERY MUCH.
Striker Boy – The Panther has a feature by which you can remote control the hydraulic movement and can be raised upto eight to twelve feets smoothly. You can even convert the same into a super jib. Both setups can habdle the cameramans weight too. as far as uploading the pics are concerned, i will have to ask RGV, he has just gone into a shooting schedule today onwards. Let me see, if i can approach him. in the mean time, i am writing it from the office only…
It would be awesome if we could get to see some pics…and Surya…how come the nishabd site has never been updated?…thanks for all the cool info.:)
a fuckin’ good narration about the way factory works. after reading this, i think RGV is a very intuitive film maker. he is not the type who sticks to his scripts and fears experienmenting with newer or different things.
for a cinema enthusiast and an ameteur writer myself, I’m completely inspired my the process of film making. it’s not that easy. infact, to say, it’s a tough job would be an understatement. fascinating. really really fascinating!
surya has already told the speciality of panther dolly. as far as the distinction goes a normal dolly is just suppose to move on tracks with camera fixed on it. With panther u can move the camera on a jib or vertically with precise controlled speed with dolly moving on tracks.
Surya: r u a part of Sholay team? I have gotton a lead for its shoot \:d/ can meet u there if at all I am able to go!
Hey Manjeet,
No i am not working on Sholay as i am busy with the post production of Nishabd.
Kren – Thanks dude, yes film making indeed is a very tough profession. Until and unless u r not passionate about it, u can’t survive for long.
Rainbow – Will see if i can upload some working stills. Haven’t met RGV since long, i don’t go to office every day.
Dobson, thank u too.
hi surya! you have written quite a lot of ‘unspoken’ behind the scenes of rgv’s ‘nishabd’..is boss aware of your post? you should tell him about it..get his feedback on your post..he’ll surely have a lot of interesting things to tell you..which, you can share with fellow PFC members…what say? anyways your post makes a very interesting reading(though i know the ‘complete’ behind the scenes of nishabd..thanks to you and abhishek)..keep it up!
forgot to tell you that i had mentioned to boss about anurag’s post on the true story behind the making of satya..just gave him a brief insight on the post..his reaction was a one liner(will tell you when we meet next..sorry PFC members, cant share this with you)..anyways, i guess he’s aware of this site and you should definately discuss with him about your posts on nishabd..
please upload your short story for everyone to see on PFC..constructive comments from PFC members after watching your short will be of help to analyse your work as a filmmaker…
by the way did you guys meet up today for a drink? we’ll surely catch up in the next week..till then, cheers!!
Aye Sahil Sambhe,
O saathi re… tere bina bhi kya peena…. tere bina bhi kya peena… lets see yaar, boss is so busy with sholay, aaj office mein tha, he didnt even have time to even say halo, not that he does… but today we didn’t even acknowledge each other. Thats RGV… but whenever we get to talk araam se i will mention to him about Nisha posts… how is KANK happening at home???? are u cousins singing and dancing together???
hey zurryaa!
abhi hum saath saath “nahin” hain! kank, k3g, vivaah… all family installment scenes at home are canned! just got my tooth extracted today(was due for release for long now!)..resting at home..will be watching a movie tonight..might get the dvd of ‘a scanner darkly’ or ’stranger than fiction’..by the way kishore is back in town..call me on sat..will be in off..we can all catch up..
aain sahil,
tu aur tera tooth, aain… why didnt u come to pops last night??? we had a blast… met kishore darling also, and the meeting end up being a big party as we were joined by ashima, akshay, babar, kopal and other friends… Anyways u take care of your tooth… i wish i d join you to watch these films man… pakk gaya hoon main zindagi main… want to make my film soon…
surya,
just spoke to kishore sometime back..and i sure did miss the ‘big party’ last night! extended shift with ensemble cast including location shifting, props continuity, everything maintained as per shooting?? ha!ha!superb!anyways we’ll catch up very soon..i’ll call you..
by the way is akshay visible anymore? his ‘diet- weight-loss programme’ is gradually transforming him into mr.india!!
Aye Saahil Sambhe,
Give the kind of reputed Ads we are, everything was as per the situation. Yes Akshay Sahab is reduced like anything… we had a great time that night. Missed u too bro.