Vasan Bhai Pizza Khilao Na!?
One 14 and the other is 12. Sunny and Ali. Ali does not even know his birthday. He introduces himself as Ali and that he is a Shiya. He wants to know who else in the crew is a Muslim and more importantly a Shiya. I did not know how to react. Ali and Sunny [Sanjay Kadam] are first cousins and they have a sister called Conan. No idea how that became a combination. Sunny is crazy about cars and wants to own a Honda Civic and Ali wants to beat Shah Rukh Khan in stardom. They live in places we call slums….dingy small places cramped with a density statistic a census reporter will tremble on. They have dreams. They have potential but maybe they never thought this would happen in fact they almost never made it but for a pricy child actor who charged us a bomb 3 days before the shoot and we decided to go for them and what a stroke it has been….in fact I would go to the extent to say that Sunny and Ali have been the mother of all child actor finds which is only rivaled by Master Manjunath aka Swami of Malgudi Days.
There was a short film written by Anurag Kashyap about a child in a remand home. These short films are being produced by “White Cloud Pictures” [It had come on Mumbai Mirror. Other filmmakers lifke Sudhir Mishra, Saket Choudhry, Manish Jha, Ruchi Narain, Rahul Dholakia, Kundan Shah, Revathy are also making a 10 min film]. They have 10 film makers making one film each of 10 minutes duration. This film by Anurag Kashyap is a 10 minute short film based on the true experiences of a theater actor Pramod Pathak. He used to go to remand homes and teach them acting….conduct work shops. “Pramod Bhai Teeis” the film is one such chapter from his experiences with the Anurag Kashyap touch . Pramod Pathak plays Pramod in “Pramod Bhai Teeis”
For the central character. Chaand….boys from the usual artists coordinators were out the day we read the script. Gautam [Casting Director- Black Friday, No-Smoking, 1971, Meridian] knew what Anurag wanted and set out. I tagged along. Not knowing any shit about anything. Whom to call…what to do…where to search….blank blank….more blanks…We set up auditions. Hmm…..no luck no Chaand ….no where close. We did get a few options for other characters but not Chaand not where near. Either it looked too fake or over done….like “Satya” was their guide for these actors for Mumbai Street lingo. Just did not work. No other option but to go to the streets and hand pick them. Gautam is a task master. A man who knows to slog others and work 100 times harder himself. Amazing dedication to work…..superb work ethic. Amazing eye for people. A right hand every director would pray for. Wish the very best for these guys….Gautam and Rajkumar…[Rajkumar was not on this though]. Wish to see them very very soon with credits which go like…..A Film By “” and they are sure going to be crackers….blaze away Gautam and Rajkumar.
Sorry this is about Sunny and Ali right. There is an NGO “Salam Balak” which is a facility for street children and children from slums to learn and try and make a life out of it. Sunny and Ali go there everyday. A special mention to thank Ms. Kalyani and Ms. Agness for their support thru Salam Balak.
Everyone thought when it boiled down to Sunny or Ali for Chaand it would be Ali but Anurag saw what most did not. Sunny it was for Chaand and what a performance it has been. Ali was also given a role in the film. After they were cast I was given the responsibility of the kids. I always feel I scare people way with my South Indian superstar looks. So I tend to be extra nice and courteous to people around. Somewhere the kids felt comfortable and the people at Salam Balak too. I became responsible for Sunny and Ali…right from the day they were cast to their workshops to the shoot.
Ali is a Rock Star and Sunny needed sometime to open up. After the initial Sir…and Vasan Uncle…the moment it came to Vasan Bhai it was party time for them. After that they made me dance to whatever they hummed. These kids are smart….man….super smart. Every evening was a picnic. They wanted to visit every shop with a glass window they had seen on TV. Mc Donald’s, Dominos, Subway, Smokin Joe’s….and a few even I have never been too. Every evening when they returned home they had to be treated at one of these shops with huge glass doors and “fullto ac” rooms. They wanted an AC in the car they were picked every morning and they clearly made me know their displeasure when the driver was rude to them. “Driver Badlo Vasan Bhai…..radio full volume nahi chalata hai….”. They insisted that they will show the driver to the locations and not me. “Vasan Bhai….rendo [rehnedo] main bata ta hun na…..driver left le na….lena be…..”
It would be some treasure hunt when the cameraman and the director were ready and these kids are nowhere to be seen. Had to been on constant runs and Ads shouting on their walky-talkies…. “ did anyone see Sunny….Ali….”. But when in front of the camera all the running around seemed ok….these kids are “finds”….. Maybe Anurag just knows that trick….how to handle them….just let them be. I have never seen him talk too much to the kids about how to do a scene. It looks like he respects their instincts and let them perform. …leave them with just the right brief and they seem to respond so well. As he says “I take from them….they give it to me themselves…I don’t have to do anything”.
I did have my mercury highs with them. I did get miffed with them but then everything would be sorted out in the evening within that glass door “fullto ac” restaurant they had seen on TV. Well they are now convinced not everything shown on TV is as great as it appears. “Vasan Bhai khane mein namak nahi hai…..kya hai yeh…..”.
They want to know everything….”Vasan Bhai mera main role na….to main hero na…..to yeh Shah Rukh aur Salman ko ek film ka kitna milta hai??? Matlab hero ko???”
“Vasan Bhai tum shaadi kyon nahi kiya??”
“Anurag sir ka gaadi kahan hai???”
“Anurag sir camera wala mobile kyon nahi lete????”
“Tumko kitna milta hai???”
“Camera uncle ka bal kyon safed hai???” [Super fast….super quick…superb Rajeev Ravi]
“aaj late jate hai ghar…..udhar chopati pe Domino jaake…wo 12 baje tak khulla hoga na.???.”
“kal Vasan Bhai Hond car leke aayenge na???”
I just could not face them…I could not keep pace….I did not have the answers…I was pissed…frustrated but had to keep them in a good mood…or so I though I did…as they had to perform and work so hard all day at this tender age….As we shot I realized these are the things that made them special. No inhibitions….straight on the face…they shoot whatever that comes to their minds…that’s how they are….maybe that’s what made Sunny tick….maybe that’s what brought Chaand alive.
Today was the last day. We had promised them new clothes. We had used theirs for the shoot. After the shoot took them to Colaba today and brought them some cloths. Went to Mc Donald’s and there was a Shrek offer on the Happy Meals. They got a free Shrek miniature and had photos clicked with life size cut out of the Shrek gang. Went home happy…..they wanted to know when they can meet us all again. They want to play TT with Anurag Sir. They want to see Fool n Final. But for them Vasan Bhai is the Santa who gets them the goodies. I know I am not. Maybe I’ll move on in a day or two. Maybe for me it was just a job. This was my first film with Anurag Kashyap and I wanted to make myself as useful as possible. Whatever it may be. I just wanted it to be worth his time having me on his sets. It’s an experience…my schooling…watch and learn…there is something in everything that is done on the sets.
On Sunny and Ali I don’t know how soon they are going to forget all this…maybe they need not…there will be more such moments..…maybe I might miss them….maybe not…donno. They have been to this wonderland which has given them space to breathe… hope to live……memories to dream… ….hope God blesses them with more. As for me I am going to have a good night’s sleep without worrying too much about a certain 14 and 12 year old not being near the camera when the director is ready for his take…PHEW!!
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
AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE POST VASAN. DIRECT DIL SE
GOING FOR MY THIRD READ !!!
^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^
^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^
” I always feel I scare people way with my South Indian superstar looks. So I tend to be extra nice and courteous to people around” =))=))=))
KK pics ka to pata nahi yaar. We did not click any….I mean the producers did have them done…but maybe not for outside circulation.
Congratulations on completing your first movie!!! Very touching experience indeed, just reading your post gives one the glimpse of the joy and hair tearing received at the hands of the sweet smart kids!
Wonderful post. ^:)^^:)^^:)^
When these short films will be released? And where can I access?
Nice one Vasanbhai. you have beguiled PFC.
Wah rei mere Vasan pappa….Good to hear all this dude…very touchy….Good Luck dost
“vasan bhai mast likha, bhai…..”
vasan, this is awesome.. so were you basically the PA for this shoot? salaam baalak trust was founded by mira nair during the making of salaam bombay i believe.. it was also the same organization thru which ashwin kumar found julfuqar ali, the lead of “little terrorist”, which was nominated in the best live action foreign short film category at the oscars.
the kids gave Vasan a new name….”PICK UP”
congrats yaar….luv u….u r a real superstar..i don’t know of which region..but u r….ali is a gr8 find…can’t wait 4 d movie to c anurag’s take….hope for a mad rush at ticket counters 4 this movie…
Kay Jhala, Vasan Bala, ‘Pick-up’ wala, banlas ;)
(What happened, VB, became a pick-up guy as said in Marathi)
Your experience was a thrill to read buddy. Anurag’s team is super cool. The folks are so nice and so passionate about their work, its an awesome experience to be with them. Gautam is always on the run. I remember asking him, whats is the most important criteria he looks for while casting an actor. The answer was the actor’s attitude.
donno when the films will be out…will keep you people posted when it happens sure…
Excellent read!
Thank You.
SIMPLY HEART TOUCHING STUFF DUDE…
>-
but i hv always seen u handle children superbly… from the day we made an attempt to shoot a child on chroma for the SAVE WATER CONCEPT.. to ur film shot under chinchpokli bridge… u hv always been successful in entertaining thm n earning their respect..
gr8 goin dude… hope to see the flm soon..
r u again doin a cameo performance in this one or no luck this time?..
Vishal – Vasan is doing a cameo as a 2 minute psychopathic serial killer who reforms after seeing the child and becomes a south indian superstar with a heart of gold
:d
LOL.. WELL PUT KARTIK….
Hi Vasan!!
This post itself makes for a good short film script dude. Why dont you make it as a script dude?
sorry for the double “duding”. must have been the travel!! I am shutting off now.
Vasan great post yaar ..sahi main ..yeh questions to ultimate part hai
^:)^
Hey Vasan-pickup-bala, that was funny man. ha ha ha. damn good!!!
can understand ur situation. soemtime back we were shooting a music video with about 10-12 street kids. had to go thru exactly similar scene. thank god it was for one day. went mad in few hours…was handling the kids. thought wud patao them with cold drinks,cakes n all that. asked them what they wud like to have…it started with thumbs up laana…usme zyada jaankh hota hai n went on n on n on. aap kya kaam karta hai, aapka compnay bahut kamata hai, bachpan se chasma pehnta hai, utar ke dekho to door ka nahi dikhta ya nazdik ka. showed them my camerawala phone also…. thought this will work. their reply…ye to bahut dekha hai.waise khincho, waise khincho,light idhar se aane do….picchlewale shoot pe to hame ye bhi mila tha,woh bhi mila tha. aap nahi dega kya…during the shoot i went mad.now when i remember those things…smile.
this is fantastic!!! very funny!! kids can be so adorable and annoying at the same time… they never stop asking question.. from every answer they from another question!!!.. its so crazy!!
“I have never seen him talk too much to the kids about how to do a scene. It looks like he respects their instincts and let them perform.
vishal….KK plays the hairy child…that sight reforms me….
“launda dil ka heera hai….” aage manish tu to janta hi hai
vasan – hairy child me ??
Tonight at Trilok see me play the hairy drunk angry child… x(
KK remember i have reformed….why do you want me back as a psycho….angry hairy kid….
:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x:x
awesome read
Looks like it is finally releasing, on April 26th 2008.
http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/movies08/mumbaicutting.html
>-
Interesting. sounds like another slumdog millionaire in the making..