Asking for the moon!
CAN JOB Preeti Jhangiani and Saahil on the sets of "Chaand Ke Paar Chalo".
If the Bollywood craze needs to be measured, go to Naini Tal where the shooting of "Chaand Ke Paar Chalo" has just been completed. Hoards of enthusiasts gathered beside the popular Naini Tal lake to have a look at the stars Preeti Jhangiani, Sahil and Sanjay Narwekar. Stars? Yes, in this part of the world, Preeti, who never delivered what she promised in "Mohabbatein", and Sanjay, best known for his supporting act to Sanjay Dutt in "Vaastav" and the comedy in "Hungama", are worth climbing up a tree or an electric pole to see. "When will Preeti come, I am waiting since morning," is the refrain on everyone's lips, from teenagers to pot bellied uncles. Tell them she is about to arrive and they rush back to their vantage positions.
A few smartly dressed guys equipped with the John Abraham cut matched with black Hondas can be seen waiting for the director Mustafa Engineer's eye. The poor guys don't know, to be a Sahil you need a producer-father.
Well, Preeti has come to shoot the climax, the crane is ready with the cinematographer at the top and the police has swung into action. An anti-climax seems to be in the making as the crowd is swelling beyond anticipation. Thankfully, the director wants the crowd in the last scene. But he wants it in a circle.
"Don't worry when this swings (a policeman points towards the lathi), you get the desired shape." Till things get into shape, time for a few bytes from the crew. Surprise of surprise, the craze doesn't know the boundaries of profession. A journo is seen armed with his portfolio, hopeful of being discovered. Preeti, who has her third film schedule in Naini Tal, rates the crowd as better than Mumbai. "Here people don't pass comments. Once they are told where to stand they don't disturb. In Mumbai things can get very nasty at times."
Meanwhile, Mustafa hasn't got his circle. Finally, he uses a rope, getting it attached to the crane to determine the circumference of the circle. He doesn't want to reveal the climax, but you don't need to be a Ray to determine a Bollywoodish equation. The film is a tale of friendship between a Naini Tal photographer and a gypsy (banjara) girl. The photographer wants to take her to Mumbai to make her a star and manages to take her to the heights. "But a building is known by itself rather than the architect. This is the crux," Mustafa adds the cerebral spin. After all, the girl realises and hence the public embrace in Naini Tal with a camera dangling from Saahil's neck.
It is easier said than done, though. The theme song starts and the protagonists start moving towards each other. Cut! "What is this capped guy doing in the frame," shouts Mustafa. At times a cap disturbs the cameraman's vision, at others Preeti gets disturbed because some fan is shooting her on his mobile. "It's against law," intervenes the director. Till now emotions are secondary, because the shot is being taken from above. After countless takes the shot is over. Time to take another angle... not quite. Naini Tal's quirky weather is at work.
ANUJ KUMAR
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
