PROBASHI- A Cultural News Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1 | Page 48

Probashi- Cover Story

Probashi- Cover Story

Reminiciences of a Film Fan shut down in front of the camera and would be seized with fright . “ Acting ” I reminded Bishnu “ is not easy ”
14 September 1996 : We are shooting Gudiya , and today the legendary Pran Sahab was on the set , and he left me with a life lesson . The shot had Praan Sahab sitting on a cliff , with a shawl draped across his back contemplating , as he looks out at the sea . The midday sun was up , the HMI lights were on , and it was a rather warm afternoon and all of us were sweating profusely . First shot was taken perfectly . Now the camera angle had to be changed , and the lights reset and the whole procedure would take about 40 minutes . The assistant director requested Pran Sahab to move under the shade as the technicians moved about their equipment . Pran Sahab said “ please go ahead , but I will not move ”. A bit flustered the assistant director politely repeated her request . Pran Sahab replied that if he moved from where he was sitting the continuity of the shot would be spoiled . How was he to ensure that he sat exactly on the same place with the same stance , with the shawl draped exactly the same way as in the first scene . “ Can you please arrange for a glass of water ” was his only request . The assistant director got the point , and moved away with respect for Pran Sahab raised manifold . Behind every film star is hardwork and dedication .... many hours spent under the blazing sun .
Coordinated by Sudipto Sengupta
Reminiciences of a Film Fan
The adage ‘ No one is Indispensable ’ does not hold true for cinema . While the film stars , directors , producers , musicians , technicicans , the trade channel , everyone get replaced in the long runis , it is the film fan who remains indispensible . Remove the film fan and the whole industry will fall on its face . But not much is written about the ubiquitous film fan , seldom does he / she get a voice to express his / her passion for cienema .
Prof Deb Kumar Mullick retired as professor of electrical engineering from National Institute of Technology , Durgapur . When not lecturing on circuit theorems , capacitors or transistors in the classroom , Prof Mullick would indulge in his passion for cinema may that be watching films or reading about them . A veritable encylopedia on films , Prof Mullick has many anecdotes on how films generate frenzy amongst film fans .

With Probashi publishing ‘ 100

years of Indian Cinema ’, I am tempted to recapitulate my association with cinema since I was a school kid . In early fifties . We the children could only see movies carefully screened by elders . Elders were the virtual censor board and that left us with the ususal “ safe films ” deemed fit for children like ‘ Laurel and Hardy ’, ‘ Tarzan ’; ‘ The Mask of ZORO ; ‘ Joan of Arc ’;’ Robin Hood ’, etc . Going to the cinema hall for a youngster alone or with friends was a big No No . We were always chaperoned by an elder and a visit to a cinema hall would only materialise on a Sunday . Other than the regular Hollywood fare , I also saw Bengali movies in my school days like ‘ Banser Kella ’, ‘ Rani
Rasmoni ’, ‘ Debi Chaudhurani ’ etc . I distinctly remember on the last day of my High School ( X ) examination , I was permitted to go to the cinema hall alone to see the film ‘ Deep Jele Jai ’, to brush off the examination blues . Unfortunately the film had no therapeutic value for an exam fatigued student . The serious mood of the movie , with Suchitra Sen , the undisputed star of those days , in the lead role made me come back with a very heavy heart and the last scene where she comes out of a mental asylum and cries ‘ Ami obhinoy korini , ami obhinoy korte parina ’ is still deeply engaved in my heart . When I joined Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College ( MNREC ), Allahabad , for my B . E . studies the era of seeing night shows spread wings . Those days cycle was our means of transportation and we used to hit about 8 KMs one way to reach cinema halls in Civil Lines or at Niranjanj Cinema the only AC Hall in city in 60s . After dinner at 8.00 pm we , 4 to 6 of us used to be out on our cycles for the night show . First year students , sneaking from the make shift hostel at ‘ Nepal Kuti ’ which was locked by a Chowkidar on duty , was not a very good idea , but the lure of films got better of our sane judgement . The Chaukidar was informed about our outing and suitable incentive given so that he would allow us in when we returned to the hostel after the night show . When we would come back a small