F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b

Once he was a mathematics genius. Atleast thats what he claims. Kartik Krishnan is techie turned writer-actor-director. Busy ADing these days. He enjoys eating (overeating…as you will find in the post), hates people who try to guess his age, is a Mani Ratnam bhakt (oops, make that Mani SIR bhakt ) and has googled & memorized every possible information available on Christopher Nolan. Over to KK, on his three-scene cop role in Anurag Kashyap’s That Girl In Yellow Boots (TGIYB)!

Three weeks ago.

The casting guy and Kashyap’s AD cum co-writer cum my roommate cum dear friend Vasan asked me to come to audition for a role- A cop with 2-3 scenes with Ruth (Ruth i.e. the girl in yellow boots – Kalki Koechlin) in the film. I had been pestering Vasan for quite some time and seeing that other of actors-ADs were making cameos in the film (apparently Piyush Mishra and Naseeruddin Shah have a cameo, Vasan himself playing a blink-and-miss, Thani the other writer plays a character named after him and so on and so forth) it was but natural for me to pester him for an audition. Luckily, it went well and I was cast. (For those who don’t know one of the Patna key Presley’s is Nitin – the then chief on Dev D, the fat dark goggles brass band wala guy is Vasan, the guy who makes the MMS of Kalki is Shlok Sharma – all ADs) Being acquainted with Anurag’s penchant to cast crew members and friends in his film, I felt I had an Ok-to-decent chance.

Two weeks later – Evening

I was in an auto reaching the place – Santacruz W, Hemant bungalow (close to the famous Chinese restaurant Fat Wong or something) for my role. Had been growing a moustache and rehearsing my few lines for the past few days.

The usual – one vanity van for Kalki, Prashant (the ‘male protagonist’ of the film) and Anurag himself. ADs running around with cue sheets, props, costumes, and walkie talkies (a must for any shoot), script copies, scenes to be shot, the camera crew etc etc. Anurag looked usually pleased with the ongoings except every once in a while he would appear angry whenever someone messed up.

EXT.  RUTH’s HOUSE  NIGHT

My first shot – the first time I meet Ruth ….

“Ready Sir”

“Tu yahaan se aana …nahin nahin …yahaan baithe raina…cigg peete rehna …woh udhar se aayegi tu khade ho ke ussey boliyo, end mein tu zor se hansiyo!!!” (Come here. No no be seated there. Smoke your ciggs. When she comes you stand up and say your lines. In the end you do an LOL)

“I do an LOL???”

“Yes. You have been CAST for your LOL!”

“Ok sir.”

The funny thing is me and Vasan were trying/thinking before how else to do it. Variations – straight faced, angry, sleazy, verbose. Eventually it was the sleazy/funny which Anurag chose.

“Ready Sir”

Rajiv Ravi (the wonderfully chilled out DOP) gave me my marks. Kunal the sound guy (uber cool-too young for his experience-shares his cigg with me when I run out) tells me I have been miked well (it’s a sync sound film). I’m bloody nervous. Seeing it on screen and criticizing the actor, feeling that the director could have got better performance from the secondary cast is one thing, being there in those shoes (or boots if you are missing my horrible puns) is another.

“Ready ready”

I woke up.

ACTION –

I have always wanted to know how Kashyap directs his actors. And today I got a taste of it. No puppet-movement, no sticking verbatim to the lines, no referencing the script again and again. Giving them complete freedom but guiding them in case they go wrong. Almost as a friend, mentor and NOT as an angry old/young man who would yell, abuse, slap his actors if needed. Completely different from the ‘common perception’ of a director.

Of what I have been told, in this film Kashyap is taking more takes than usual. DevD was 2-3, in this one it’s 4-5, sometimes 8.

Sometimes it’s also maybe because it’s all handheld camera, No tripods, No film. All digital (HD). Indie & Cheap.

Cut Print Wrap.

“Sir achcha tha na ?” (Was it good ?)

“Haan haan mere paas 4 good takes hain na!” (Yeah yeah don’t worry)

Spoke to ADs and asked them if it was ok. All were thankfully kind and forgiving.

Was told they will shoot the next scene there too. Costume change, props, camera setups.

20 mins later Anurag decides against it and wants to shoot the scene the next day, in the daylight. EP Scheduling & Movie magic ki maa ki aankh!

PACKUP – next day reporting time 11 am.

I reached on time to see ADs relaxed. Kalki arrives at 11.30, Rajeev sir at 12 and Anurag at 12.30.

“Mujhe bhook lagi hai. Main kuch kha ke aata hoon. Chalega ? “

“Am always up for a free lunch”

We went in to the Chinese restaurant and ordered some food. I was in my Cop costume (with the heavy fake gun safely but uncomfortably tucked into my trousers) and talking about the film. In between calls from frantic ADs (Shlok Sharma- 4 missed calls), we were arguing whether the film TGIYB was a drama film or a thriller.

“4 months 3 weeks 2 days is a thriller”

“It’s not a thriller in the conventional sense. It’s a drama film.”

“It’s a film which keeps you on the edge. Most of the new Scandinavian films/books are such crime thrillers.” He went on to name a few which I have completely forgotten. “Don’t be limited by the boundaries of the genre”

“Hmmmmm”

The conversation then went onto writers, old & new struggling etc.

“Passion, enthusiasm, talent, cinema knowledge & discussion is fine but show it on paper/film. The script/film should reflect it. Cinema is not made over cups of coffee”. A statement I completely agreed with.

“Sir shot is ready”

“Aa raha hoon na !!!”

The BIG scene – almost 3 mins of screen time …Scene entry-exit combined. And of course the laughter. 2 min looong take. Shot from one, two and then three angles.

My brief interaction with Prashant(the co writer and actor in the skeleton woman) – he comes across as a fairly capable actor with complete submission to the hands of the director. The scene required us to be awkward and awkward we were.

Another take – me in foreground. Some logistic issues. Why is the cop behaving in such fashion? Why is he like this ?

“Yahaan Tu actor hai acting kar na …jab tu critic banega tab poochiyo” Anurag pulls my leg.

“Yes sir” I complied feeling embarrassed.

CUT PRINT.

I felt I could have been better. Was sulking around when the lunch was being served.

“Kya hua ???” Rajiv Sir asked.

“Kuch nahi, lag raha hai thoda better kar sakta tha” Vasan spoke for me

“Aisa sochega, life mein hamesha sad rahega” Rajiv sir quipped.

“Hmmmmmmmm”

Big break after set ka khana (chicken, veg, prawns, dal, rice, roti, curd and gulaabjamun,pepsi included).

Had almost gone off to sleep. My first tryst with the vanity van was quite warm 🙂

“Shot ready sir”

Ruth comes with me waiting in the background. I meet her and coax favours. Small scene, again a single take with no cut aways.

2 min before the shot is being taken Anurag yells and improvises. Asks for the makeup man to come into the frame as a featured extra, stand there, and then leave. On the spur of the moment, with no pre-conceived planning whatsoever.

Take 1 – CUT

I had gone ahead and improvised the line in clever connivance with Kunal and Neil (the chief AD). We felt we were adding more colour to the character. Our faces fell when after cut Anurag said “Bahut over kar raha hai !!!”

Oops.

Retake with underplay, then retake with more sleaze & laughter.

CUT  PRINT  NEXT SCENE

“Sir, ek aur lete hai na. Thoda aur better karte hain” (Another take please)

“Nahi re editing ke liye toh kuch chod de. Editing pe banate hai na. Editing pe bhi toh banegi na picture”

I shut my trap, feeling unsatisfied. Thought could have done better but …let’s see.

I was done for the day and finally could look at the camera display/TV monitor to see how it is looking. This scene Kalki wakes up and gets a call. Was looking colorful and more interesting. Whatever I saw, I wasn’t disappointed to see the results/shot. Digital surely seems the way to go for Indie.

Satisfied, I left the sets with a polite thank you to Anurag.

Let’s wait for the first rough cut.

PS. – KK claims that the role is important to the script. So chances are it will not get edited out and you will be able to see him on big screen soon! Yipee!