Bol kya naam hai tera.....Johnny

I have always had a knack for title sequences. How does the credits roll in the start or in the end of a film is as important for me as how is the plot unravelled in a story.

I remember how Dev Benegal showed us the opening shot of Inside Man in our script to screen workshop - the Chaiyya Chaiyya that followed Clive Owen's exposition - it was pulse racing stuff. I loved my MCRC's classroom then. What sound, what atmosphere. I could have sat in there for years together. When the credits for Inside Man ended, the next line that came from Dev sir was - "the rest of the film hardly lives upto the kind of opening :)"

Here's a link to one of the finest musical openings of Indian cinema. None other than Vijay Anand's classic - Johnny Mera Naam. Do take out time and enjoy this credit sequence and imagine yourself in a theatre in 70s - Wow! what ripples it must have created.

Kalaynji-Anandji were at their best. Note the opening of Johnny Gaddar - the same trumpet - albeit a little contemporary in style. and note the smart Alec in in Vijay Anand - I.S Johar coming up three times. And here's an interesting note for hindi film music lovers - remember Babla Beats - the guy who used to play the bongo so effectively - here in these credits of Johnny Mera Naam, he is credited as an assistant. No wonder those beats, they are so trademark Babla.

Maybe i remember them coz Navratri in 1980s was not complete without the "Babla 90 minute Non-Stop music cassette"

Presently, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is the best music trio who know the style of Kalyanj-Anandji's music inside out. Guess what - not just Johnny Gaddar - they also redefined Kalyanji-Anandji's music in Don. I so loved the experience of sitting in that hall and discovering that "Don never died" - the music, the aura - if only i could write music!



P.S: My uncle was always of opinion that "Kalayanji-Anandji knew the business of film music like no one else. After giving some average music in three to four films, when their existence would come to question - the would come up with a master-piece. That master-piece would stamp their brand of music and they could survive for more three to four films...:)

The Sight that I never miss any working day

There is something about this automobile that I never miss its sight while walking to the Edit suite. Its been 6 months now. And the wonderful days at the Edit are coming to an end.

Forever Young - Ranjan Palit & Sound for Documentaries

Last Sunday as I was surfing through TV channels I happened to see on a ticker that Documentary 24x7 on NDTV will show Ranjan Palit's film - Forever Young.

Now during my days in Jamia's Mass Communication Centre, one of my faculty members had told the class that how Ranjan Palit is one of the best or probably the best documentary cinematographers of India. She said: "he almost dances with the camera" -

I was hardly impressed with that statement of hers. Later she showed us a clip from one of his works and that too didnt leave an impression on me. I thought there was nothing so extra-ordinary about the visuals, which our teacher was trying to point out to.

So then, with this in mind, I started watching Forever Young. Its a documentary about probably India's biggest Bob Dylan Fan - Mr. Lou Majaw, who resides in Shillong. From what I am told, Ranjan sir himself is a huge Bob Dylan fan. The camera in the documentary follows this guy to his concerts, performances, his life, his home and to his fans.

There is a moment in the documentary when the girls from St. Mary's school in Shillong are so excited to be at the performance that while he is singing, like every concert they too join by an impromptu dance steps. Now here is where i saw two superbly executed shots - where "the camera almost danced with them - step to step". It was amazing to see, my teacher was right.

Absolutely on target, even while the camera danced - it was so stable, the framing, the idea behind doing that - amazing. i felt that i was Enlightened.

Cut To
2 DAYS LATER

I was with Mr. Vikram Joglekar (Location Sound for Road, Movie). I casually referred to him about this documentary and Mr. Ranjan Palit and out came a box of surprises. Vikram had stayed at Ranjan Palit's place at Yari Road for a year. He too repeated the same words, what my teacher had told the class about Mr. Palit being the best camera for documentary. Vikram stressed that how everything happens so impromptu when he comes on location. the lighting, the framing, the movements - everything.
Quite an artist - i must say!

Vikram told me an interesting thought. The Sound for documentary is so much important compared to fiction. In Fiction films, the concentration is on Visuals. "Sound Post mei FIX kar denge" - is the usual remark you will hear from people on Sets.

But for a documentary - if Lou Majaw is performing for students in their school - then that sound has to be recorded then and there itself, in the best possible quality, you cant ask those guys to perform for you again. It wont have the same effect, the same quality, the same ambiance.

Thus, the sound and visual go together when it comes to a documentary whereas in Fiction - "Fix it in Post" is the attitude.

Thankfully, on "Road, Movie" - not a single shot went without the call of "Sound rolling". It surely was a great learning experience.

As for Mr. Ranjan Palit - I have got your filmography. Next few months, will go in sourcing some of them.

More posts on you will follow.

Of Brown paper covers and School days

Those unique Brown Paper Covers with which we used to cover our school notebooks. And the Sticker labels - ah!

Once the brown covers were put over the books… edges neatly folded – then was the turn of the various sticker labels that had to be pasted on top… to tell the world who does this Book belong to! The stickers had different characters drawn on them - from colourful cartoons to He-Man to Tom & Jerry etc.

First was the choice – involving very careful selection of which sticker label should best suit which notebook. Once that decision was reached, then with great precision… you were to get the placement of the label right on the cover. Sometimes the non-conformist streak in few would prompt rather edgy/angular placement of the label… Sometimes using the lower left corner… Anything little innovative… thoda different… we thought to ourselves.

After that came the part where you were to fill all the details… (some of us blessed with elder siblings, who had or at least thought they had neater hand writings…were deprived of this pleasure, in my case… with my scribbles… I took great pride in passing the honours to my father…)

Name: Hardik Mehta
Std: III Div: A
Subject: History
School: Students Academy

Last night, I happened to read one of the finest books of Rohinton Mistry and it took me to that world of mine - when my Parents used to take me to buy the books for the new academic session. I precisely remember that come first week of June and we used to head to this shop outside Malad station, East side - The shop was called Bipin Stores.

I happened to check a few days back and it still stands tall… with all its stationeries and various books… Actually now it seems to be oozing stationary actually – its loaded itself with so much stuff in the same dimensions of fifteen years ago Bipin stores - like it could explode of stationary!

Once the New Books were brought - the storewallah used to promote the new Brown Paper covers and the Cartoon stickers - saying:

"These days, it is compulsory for students to cover the notebooks with Brown paper cover, just yesterday two students from your same school bought it"

Thus we had no choice but to buy them. But my parents always had a different idea for things. That day, my parents told me that there is no need to cover the books with the special Brown Paper, we can always use the old Calendar sheets - especially those Bank Calendars which were of no use once the Year had gone by. Those Calendar sheets were huge and every Month, if torn out carefully, they could be used to cover at least 2 notebooks.

Amazing it was - they showed it to me: November covered my Science & History and December covered my Geography & Mathematics.

But in a fast changing world, covering your books with Calendar sheets was looked down upon… esp. when there was this beautiful Brown paper made available exclusively for covering the books.

Now in the middle of the academic session starting from June - the brown paper would breath its last, somewhere near December and then till April, the front few pages of the Book too would come out - thus giving both the book and the user the assurance – it was used often and served its term well!

Actually the condition of the book would determine how much the student has used/spend time with it (playing cricket with the rolled up book was a way too ☺)
I still laugh at this memory.

Back to the story, so when I saw my classmates with all their fresh Brown Paper covers on the first day in third standard, I immediately summoned for the Brown Papers… I spelled out the clearly the demand to my Parents.

Infact my classmates even knew how to cover a book by cutting the exact size of Paper from the huge Brown Cover Sheet. I never knew how to do that. (There are a few things I still don't know: eg: tying a tie, ironing clothes, Folding my full sleeves collared shirts etc)

My Parents had to help me in covering the notebooks with Brown covers. I didn’t even fill the sticker labels. I thought my father's handwriting was beautiful –each alphabet formed like a pearl and he obliged by writing on the labels.

One fine day my bench partner saw the label on the Brown cover of my Book and asked me:

"That handwriting on the label is not yours, whose is it?"

Without much ado, I said - "Its my Fathers"

The next thing he asked: "From which place did you get this brown covers ?"

I said: "Bipin Stores"

He said: "Same pinch"

:)

Same Pinch I tell you - June is coming in a few days. Time for children to buy those books and those Brown Paper covers. Am sure the labels will have IPL players on it. And now am told the huge brown paper sheets are eating dust in the back stores of the book shops –fancy water proof sheets custom sized for notebooks have come in…
This note… in memory of those unique Brown Covers with which we used to cover our school notebooks. And the Sticker labels - ah!