Sandip Ray: ‘I miss Baba during those first cuts’

It will be wrong to say that their presence didn’t impact meas a Bollywood fan at all but remember one thing: They were here to do a Ray film, so were super normal and grounded. While casting, lots of people had warned Baba about Sanjeev’s chronic late-coming, which Baba repeated to Sanjeev. Haribhai’s reaction was “Manikda, Please don’t believe them!” True to his word,not for a day did Amjad, Sanjeev or any actor ever go off-centre. In fact, they advised Baba to shoot the film in Kolkata, where they would be able to focus single-mindedly on the movie without the zillion crazy distractions in Mumbai.We were all together, in a ground-breaking project pursuing excellence. Amjad was also looking for local colour and demanded (from Baba’s First Assistant) to know some really colourful Bangla gaalis asap!

First things first. As an Assistant, I was gaining both courage and confidence and naturally waiting for the right material to get started. Initially, I thought of some Feluda stories but Joy Baba Felunath had released just a short while ago, was a huge success and was fresh in the audience’s mind. It was clearly too soon to attempt a fresh Feluda, so that was out. Phatikchand was one of my favourite stories from Baba’s oeuvre and the juggler and the child and the entire story charmed me and I was convinced a good film could be made from the subject. I discussed it with Baba and he was most encouraging...but it wasn’t easy at all. Our first producer dumped us, shortly after we started. The second producer died! The third, limped along, doling out funds in dribs and drabs. There were days when we were twiddling our thumb,waiting for the stock to arrive to start shooting. Then there was the challenge of shooting live in the Kolkata Maidan. The crowds, chaos, organisational problems that needed quick and effective responses...it was hell, but one helluva learning experience! It was truly baptism by fire and today I am very thankful for it.

Oh sure, that started the first day of my shooting...but I must narrate an interesting incident not known by many. When we were shooting the film in the studio, Baba dropped in one day to just have a look. I told him clearly that he wouldn’t be allowed on the sets! He was shocked, I am sure, but I wouldn’t budge. The buzz was bad enough and with Baba on the sets, the legitimacy of the buzz would be total! Baba backed off, didn’t insist but only asked if a cup of tea was also banned! Of course not...I must say, he took it all in the right spirit and discussed the film only when I brought it up at home.

Once the film was complete, I invited Baba to see the first cut. At the end of the show, all he said was that his script demanded that the film should not be a minute beyond one hour and forty-five minutes. This was two-and-a-half hours. How we would tackle this problem was totally our baby and he would not enter this zone at all. So, we got to work immediately, had a long hard re-look at the footage and over the next few days deleted everything we reckoned was irrelevant. We then invited Baba to see it again – this time he was satisfied and said he would then start on the music.

Plenty! One, you have to be physically fit and mentally alert because film making is a laborious job and taxes both body and mind, all the way.  Two, clarity of thought is critical. Confusion or guess work can be disastrous. Three, organisational skills is very important. Four, try – at all times – to be calm, cool and in control. Also, be supportive and encouraging to the team. Lead from the front. Baba taught me two things. One – be ruthless when editing. No matter how much slog has gone into setting up a sequence or visual magnificence, if it doesn’t take the narrative forward – chuck it out! Two – see both good and lousy films.The good will teach you WHAT TO DO.  The lousy, WHAT NOT TO DO! Since Phatikchand received decent critical and commercial response and since (as expected) many thought it was definitely directed by Baba, I took it as a compliment. I must have done something right!

Actually Baba was supposed to direct the film but his health was failing and he suggested I direct it from his story, screenplay and music.The hassles of Phatikchand had strengthened me, given me both courage and confidence and instilled in me the desire to constantly challenge myself. While the shooting was taxing in Rajasthan, it was also fun. Once the shoot was over,it was back to the litmus test: showing Baba the first cut and waiting with bated breath for his response! For GBPE, I had inserted an interval and when the lights came on, Baba asked what happened. When I said I thought an interval was appropriate, he brushed it aside and said, “Not at all. Keep it going. It’s going great!”  That was the greatest compliment I got. Today, after all these years, if there is anything I miss,it’s not his presence during my shooting – where he seldom came – but during the first cut. His evolved verdict meant the world to me.

Today, you’ve made a number of films but the popular perception is that Feluda and you are the made-for-each-other blend.Perfectly-matched. It’s your comfort zone from where you’ve seldom moved.

What can I say? It’s not that I’ve not made other films,subjects, topics. Hit List, Nishijapon, Target, Chaar – but Feluda remains a brand stuck to my name. It stems, I guess, from two reasons. One, I love the stories and thoroughly enjoy making them –different plot lines, fabulous characters, amazing trajectories, exciting locales...The other is their commercial success. Most times when producers come to me, the first thing the yask is, “When is the next Feluda film happening?!” The Feluda brand has massive mass appeal, so everything considered, I guess I have to plead guilty!

I believe that your work should speak for you. However,today, movies have become like a consumer product in a competitive market space and hence need to be aggressively promoted and marketed to the target audience.Much as I – or Dhritimanda – disliked this part of our work, it has become an occupational hazard and important in the overall film making process.Personally, I have zero interest in being a media-hound. I enjoy my ME TIME,love being with family and friends and focus my energy in areas that empower my critical faculties.