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iView Author:Gajendra S Shrotriya
(Jaipur, India)
EMAIL:gshrotriya[at] yahoo [dot] com

Title: Gulaal – the last shot canned

Today 9th July 2008, place Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) in Jaipur. Since Sunday, I got occupied so much with my work that could not visit the Gulaal sets.

Tuesday evening, I checked with Vasan if the shooting was over for the day. If yes, what would be the location tomorrow? I immediately got the reply that it was already pack up for the day and tomorrow, the last day would be at JKK auditorium.

The day began with incessant drizzling. At around 3 ‘O Clock in the afternoon, I could go to the location. An indoor shot was being filmed on Raja. I could only hear some sounds which helped me understand that Dileep (Raja) was being ragged by his …

I had just quit whatever I was doing till then and had taken a solemn oath of eternal poverty and struggle. Cinema…..Was writing for someone those days…..donno what happened to that script. We were having a narration…..half way thru we had a sutta brake. The person whom we were narrating was a reputed editor…..he mentioned “Gulaal ruk gayee…..this was Anurag’s last hope…”…Did not know him then…and never imagined I would ever be writing this…..

There are many films you wished you were a part of. Like I always wished I was a part of Dil Se.. donno why…the feeling for Gulaal was the same….when it was launched…..when it was stalled….always wished…I wanted to be a part of it. June 28, 2008 am in Jaipur, already into the 4th day of shoot.

Gulaal for me was the beginning of the most exciting Director-DOP combo in the industry…maybe after Guru Dutt – …

Perhaps it is the destiny of writer director Samaar Khan, to make a movie that by sheer coincidence turned out to be just like something called ‘A few good men’. Perhaps it was a mere coincidence that Samaar Khan, (who I am informed), is a former movie critic. Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that so far ALL movie reviewers trying their hand at film-making have immensely helped in redefining the term ’shit’. Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that whenever Rahul Bose opens his mouth (in the movie) you run to throw up in the bathroom (in the movie theater).

Perhaps it is mere coincidence that Javed Jaffrey looks more gay in crop cut hair and tight army uniforms than those fancy dress competitors at San Francisco’s gay parade. Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that Kay Kay Menon is by some terrible terrible terrible mistake, in the …