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INT SATKAR BAR VIKHROLI, NIGHT

It was a nice get together with Surya whom I happened to meet after quite long time. He had been busy with the shooting of the latest film Horn Ok Please for which he is an associate director. Working in 9 to 9 schedules … Not even having the time/energy to FUEL himself up (For those who don’t know, FUEL is the brand of vodka we both prefer)

I was after his life urging him to kick start blogging about HOP. But he said in RGV style “I will talk you write!!! ”

I was like “Ok shoot!!!” (No Pun intended).

Over to Surya ….talking about Drinks .. Chicken .. films.. life… Horn Ok Please … and of course the most so called eccentric/loose cannon but supremely talented actor in bollywood called Nana Patekar

“
I’ve fallen in love with Nana. With the kind of ‘image’ that he has, I got to know the other side of the man. I saw make few sketches (drawings). He autographed it and gave it to me.

The other day we were shooting a fighting sequence with a harness (cable). Nana bonded quite well Shaam Kaushal (the action director). Nana and Shaam go back quite a long way. In ‘98 Shaam kaushal had a kidney operation and Nana had personally admitted him in a hospital and was present during the operation. The second time Shaamji had another infection. When Nana heard about it, he came all the way from pune to bombay to be with him. They have a wonderful rapport together.

Professionally, Nana is a perfectionist who is very very committed to his work. This film will show him in an entirely different light. Nobody has seen Nana like this, in a sensible situational comedy. This film will be a full on hard core entertaining film… it will make people forget their worries.

Nana plays a 4th class pass out truck driver who owns 400 trucks. He has made it on his own. He has a weird relationship with his mother in law (who is 2 years younger to him in the film)
“

KK interrupts: WHAT NONSENSE … HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE???

Surya smiles and continues …
“
Yes it is possible. You need to see the film. His mother in law is played by a marathi actress called Nimriti Sawant.
She’s the busiest actress in marathi serials.

Here’s some info thanks to mumbai mirror -

He lifted her up (she wighs 108 kg) and did 5-6 retakes of the shot without any hassles.Mind you - Nana is 57 yrs old !!!
“

Tring tring tring tring ….

Meanwhile Surya got a call from Muzzamil Ibrahim who is also in the film. They talked about the next day’s schedules and all. I bugged surya to ask muzzamil about the jamia connection. It turns out that Muzzamil Ibrahim was also a student of Faculty of Engineering and Technoology Jamia Milia Islamia (from where I’ve done my computer engineering). I remember my classmates telling me that they had ragged him back then. Muzzamil left college after 6 months when he won the Model Hunt.

Was quite a nostalgic kick and as wasan says- a cheap thrill!!!

Surya told me he’s been doing a good job in the film too.

“
Rimi Sen plays Nana Patekar’s wife. She’s a very nice fun loving person she is in real life. and a fine actress too. I met her on the sets of Johnny Gaddar (where I had done a cameo appearance). Although we didn’t have any scenes together, but she comes across as very hard working and committed too. She plays Nana’s wife in the film.
“

KK interrupts - More more more …..

Surya retorts –
“
Don’t want to spoil the fun when you see the fiilm. I feel its a very good script. And it’s shaping up greatly. Rakesh Sarang worked on it for 2 years. He wrote the story screenplay. And the dialogues were written by a young upcoming writer called Jitu Parmar. He wrote the dialogues for thrillers like Naqaab, 36 chinatown, and upcoming Race. This is also his first film as an out and out comedy.

Lalit Pandit (of music director duo Jatin Lalit) has done some fabulous songs. Today Nana dubbed his portion for a song. The press was also invited. Hopefully something will be written about the recording in the press tomorrow.

What a committed guy!!! He can be a star and yet believes in simplicity and likes to live like you and me.. and that’s what makes me respect him more. He is the central character in the film.
He’s never been explored like this before. Such versatility he has. I consider myself lucky to work with him. so do my fellow colleagues/ADs Girish, Shyni, Shehnaz. All of us are having fun and working a lot. The ADs do quite a lot of the hard work in a film.

I feel bad that Rakesh Sarang is directing only now and that this is his first film. He should’ve been making films earlier. Should’ve started out earlier. He could’ve been Hrishikesh Mukherjee/Priyadarshan. He’s so knowledgeable and yet down to earth. After Sriram I vouch for him that I’m having a good time on the sets. We started shooting on 15th Oct and 15 days are over, without even realising. Rakesh Sarang puts life into the scene .. life into reactions, performances. He himself has an acting background. He is the son of veteran marathi theater actors Lalan Sarang and Kamlakar Sarang. I’ve grown up watching these two veterans perform on stage. They are extremely respected actors.

Technically too, Rakesh is quite good. The shots are well executed… not like a thriller. For a genre like this, he has an amazing sense of direction.

He has been directing TV for past 15 years. He was himself the cameraman and director. He has an amazing understanding of the nitty gritties of camerawork. He has designed some very different sequences. His sense of improvisation a scene is very helpful. I enjoy watching him improvise. He has presented Nana very well. I won’t be surprised if after this film Nana gets approached for comedy roles. Nana might have get a huge fan following among children.

for eg: the other day we were shooting continually for 14 hours. He was in his truck driver get up. After pack up he goes to the neighbouring set in the studio where a song for the film ‘Welcome’ was being shot. He went there and changed his get up into an ultra cool smart black suit, and did the dance moves. He is so professional and committed.

We might go to malaysia for a 8-10 day shooting schedule in december.

The DOP is Johnny Lal. I’ve made a wonderful friend in him. He and his brother Amir Sayyed are such fun together. nice to see them on the sets. They are four brothers in all - Johnny, Amir, Kabir Lal and Badshah Lal. And all the four brothers are DOPs.

The other actors in the film are Satish Shah and Ali Asghar (a very popular TV actor). I had been an associate on a TV serial called “Apun toh Bas Aise hi hai” in 2000-2001. He had acted in that serial. So this time when I met him he broke the ice by saying “Arey !!! Apun toh mil chuke hai na ??” (We’ve met haven’t we?) ” He recognised me.

Nana and Satish Shah sit together and reminisce the old struggling days. Nana cleans up satish’s face every now and then. He takes the ‘malmal’ from the make up guy and applies make up to Satish Shah. It is great to see two veterans behave like young adults. They’re so full of life. They have a great camaraderie. They bond very well on sets. They’ve seen so much of life and done so much work.. they know each other for so long.

I’m jealous of Nana… his fitness at the age of 57. To work with an actor whose films I’ve admired since childhood – Pratighaat, Ankush, Parinda, Maaficha Sakshidar, Purush (the play). On the first day of shooting he came and hugged Raakesh, gave him some token money as Shagun, and wished him all the best.

If you are honest and do your job thoroughly, sincerely, then he is wonderful. He laughs and smiles like a child. He’s attitude is “We’re here to do a job to the best of our abilities. Do it to your best. If you cannot then get lost” He loves all those ho are focused and honest.

Ab tak 56 was one occasion where I could’ve worked with him but couldn’t because I was busy with Ek Haseena Thi. Working with him in Horn OK Pls is a dream come true.

Trivia – Nana is an artist from JJ School of Arts. He’s oozing with creativity all the time. I plan to scan the sketches and put them on PFC. He made a sketch of a farmer and another of a shepherd. Autographed it and gave it to me.

“

Soon Surya soon …

If only I had some pics to go with the post

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