DAY 4435
Jalsa, Mumbai Apr 28/29, 2020 Tue/Wed 12:13 AM
37 years .. ! 37 years of ‘MAHAAN’ .. the triple role .. the star cast .. the making the travel the days of work .. and the joy of a first attempt at a triple role .. VFX never heard of .. yet trick camera work and the efficiency of the technology within limitations ..
.. the Father and his 2 sons .. all look alike .. the elder a respected citizen caught in a web of deceit .. one son in the Police and officer .. the other son a fun loving GEN next .. all webbed together in a remake almost of a Kannada film made by the giant legend of the time .. Raj Kumar from Karnataka .. directed by dear dear friend Ramanathan ji , with whom I need several historic films ..
… most of the work done at the AVM Studios in Madras/Chennai .. songs and scenes in Kathmandu, Nepal .. and glorious times spent in its execution .. injuries and all ..
.. the phone song ‘jidhar dekhoon’ .. Pancham da insisting I sing it .. was really badly sung but went with the moment of the scene , so it went ..
.. at the recording with Pancham da .. RD Burman .. Ramanathan ji in the background in dark glasses .. and Pancham da’s closest musician assistants .. at Film Center recording studio at Tardeo, where apart from the recording the main work was film developing in the Lab .. a massive facility where each hour the fate of the release films were decided .. the prints that were being made were tested first here and the projectionists at the facility saw the film first and they were the ones to predict the outcome before the film was released .. almost always they were correct ..
.. and then the songs in Nepal and in the picturesque surroundings ..
.. when the only portable unit of camera personal was this .. at times shooting moments personally ..
..’pyaar mein dilko maar de goli ..’ in Patan , Nepal, now with changed name of Lalitpur .. the city of immense ancient value .. one of the oldest in history and all made of wood , well mostly .. the architecture and the designs simply astonishing ..
.. but sadly most of it destroyed in the recent earthquake in Nepal , .. the crowds included in the song on my insistence rather than leave them to the security to keep away .. felt they could be involved in seeing a romantic song between two lovers .. it worked .. they behaved so well , cooperated and gave applause .. the same location was shot for ‘KHUDA GAWAH’ , when after the Bushkashi horse competition the face of Sridevi is revealed .. it was done here in Patan .. shot division from Afghanistan to Nepal in two successive shots .. the glory of film making ..
.. and in that little break in the shoot to go kayaking with the little fellow .. Abhishek .. the rapids in Nepal are famous the world over and is a very popular sport among the tourists that come from all over the world .. almost drowned there .. got stuck in the kayak as it turned over and could not turn it around in the rapid waters .. still photographer Alam, who travelled with me , realised the situation jumped in and turned the boat over and saved me ..
… and the injury because of that above .. had to slide down the rope in a song and action sequence .. never realised that rope friction is the worst burn ever .. the shot happened .. sliding down I knew I was damaging my hand but what the heck the show must go on .. shot over the hand lacerated to bits ..
.. PACK UP .. into hospital .. drugged , treated , stitched up .. bandaged .. off to Bombay then to be at the wedding of Chintu .. yes Rishi Kapoor .. there I am all strapped up , in the baraat .. Shammi Kapoor ji in front of me .. at the Burmah Shell Complex in Chembur .. and by next morning back to Chennai/Madras and resume shooting ..
.. the art of camouflaging the injured hand became a routine exercise later too, when it blew up during Divali, handling a bomb firecracker .. immediate films .. Inquilab and Sharaabi .. hand in pocket mostly or a handkerchief wrapped around to express style .. 🤣🤣🤣 ..
and the often exploited picture at Patan, Nepal from the song :
… ahhh life .. boundless and filled with the uncertainties of the day .. but liveable , loveable and full of delight ..
.. err .. incidentally those tinted aviators , became quite a rage, then .. had got them off a store during a travel overseas .. perhaps Rodeo Drive, LA .. remained with me for some time and then in the spring cleaning of the home got rid of them .. a whole bunch of them just threw them away .. Abhishek almost killed me for doing that because they became the in thing in todays times ..
.. how was I to know ..
fashions repeat .. and if you’ve been around long enough, or are planning to be around long enough .. NEVER throw out the old stuff .. lessons learnt ..
.. I mentioned in one of my Blogs of the cleaning up that needed to be done and the remark from one of the Ef that if there is a motive to throw out could it be thrown in their direction for they would like to posses it ..
… SERIOUSLY ..? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Good night .. शुभ रात्रि .. تصبح على خير tusbih ealaa khayr .. இனிய இரவு Iṉiya iravu ..
and in all the languages of India .. and a few overseas too ..
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan sir ki jai Papaji ki jai