TALE OF A DIRECTOR
(Inspired by the film Kagaz ke Phool) It was well past midnight and it was pitch dark everywhere. Jayant Shah had managed to enter the film studio evading the preying eyes of the watchman. He entered the studio floor and stood in front of a chair which was the chair of the Director and on which the word “ DIRECTOR” was written in bold letters. There was a time when he used to call the studio his second home and sat on the same chair. Today he had no other option but to sneak in the dead of night to re live his memories. As he was very tired he literally sank in to the chair. The memories of the past events of his life came flooding back to his mind. Once he was an acclaimed director and was hailed by the critics and his films were loved by the masses. He delivered many hits during his career and had received many awards. He began to remember his wife Savita. They had met at college. Jayant was one year senior to Savita. They had met through a common friend. Soon Jayant started helping Savita in her studies and both started liking each other. One day Savita invited Jayant to her house on a special occasion. Savita belonged to an aristocratic family. Her father was a government official of a very high rank and besides that they had a flourishing family business which her uncles controlled and her father had a stake in it. Jayant belonged to a middle class family. Savita’s parents were not impressed and showed an indifferent attitude when she introduced Jayant to them. Jayant started work in a newspaper office after finishing college. Meanwhile, Savita also had finished college but Jayant and Savita met frequently much to the ire of Savita’s parents. When Savita disclosed to her parents that she likes Jayant and wants to marry him they were furious but had to bow to her wishes as she was their only daughter. Jayant and Savita got married and later had a daughter. One day Jayant went to interview a director as part of his assignment with the newspaper office. The director was very impressed with Jayant’s personality and offered him a job in the film company as an assistant director. Jayant too had a liking for the films so he accepted. Savita’s parents were totally against films. The word film was not even pronounced in their house and they were not happy with the news of their son in law joining films. However, Jayant stuck to his decision and became the director of the film company. His popularity knew no bounds. He had grown in stature and accumulated wealth too. Jayant was at the peak of his career at that time. He was travelling in his car one night. It was raining outside and he saw a girl standing under a tree on the road side. He stopped the car and asked “What is your name? Why are you standing here?” “ My name is Rani. I was going home but was fully drenched in the rain so I was waiting for the rain to stop.” She was just shivering. Jayant looked at the girl in the dim light of the street. The girl had lovely eyes. Jayant pulled out his coat and put it over Rani. “ You will catch cold.” Rani screamed. “ No, I had a little brandy” replied Jayant. Rani said “What wine? The people who drink are not good people.” “ I am not as bad as you think. I would not harm you. Why don’t you sit in my car. I will drop you at your house.” Rani was a little nervous but entered the car. Her house was some distance away and was located in a narrow by lane. When he got out of the car Jayant asked her what does she do. “ Nothing special, I just take a few tuitions and am looking for a job.” “Are you interested in acting in films.” Jayant asked. “ Films? Who will take me in films”. “ Think it over. Here is my card. You come to this address tomorrow morning.” Rani did come to the studios the next morning. Jayant asked the make up man to alter her hair style ,gave her a piece of paper and asked her to remember a few lines written on it. He took a screen test of Rani. Jayant was not impressed in the beginning. He scolded Rani and told her to deliver the dialogues in a particular manner. He noticed that though Rani’s eyes were filled with tears but she did not express that. She was constantly trying and finally she did it as Jayant wanted. Jayant introduced Rani to the owner of the studios and said that she will act in a small role in the film which is under production right now. The film was successful and Rani’s acting was appreciated. Thereafter, Jayant convinced the producer to sign Rani as a heroine for the next film and award her a formal contract. Rani was introduced in a press conference with much fan fare. The shooting of the film started. The film was to be shot on many outdoor locations. Jayant had to stay away from home for a long time .Rani was with him on the outdoor locations. After a day of shooting amidst hectic schedules, Rani and Jayant started sharing their views on the film and other things in the night. Their closeness became a food for the gossip mongers. The film magazines started writing about them. The film was completed and was a great success. Rani became a star overnight. Rani and Jayant had become good friends but on the sets of the film Jayant was the master and Rani his disciple. The news of their relationship reached the ears of Savita too. Savita was never comfortable with the film people, erratic schedules of shooting and the whole business of film making. As her parents disliked the film world she too did not have any liking for films but was tolerating everything for Jayant and their daughter. However, when she got to know about this relationship she was furious and decided to take on Jayant. Which wife would tolerate that her husband is having an extra marital affair? She showed Jayant the pictures in the magazine and asked him about them. Jayant flatly denied everything and said he had a professional relationship with Rani but they were friends. Tension and misunderstanding grew between Savita and Jayant. Rani had started signing films of other production banners too but Jayant and Rani met each other frequently. One day Savita put her foot down and quarrelled with Jayant. Jayant was so upset that he drank heavily on that night. Savita continued her jibes at him. Slowly Jayant started showing indifferent behaviour. He loved his family but the thought of Rani always remained on his mind. The matters came to such a pass that Savita decided that she cannot take it any longer and filed a divorce petition in the court with the help of her parents. The proceedings of the Court continued and finally the verdict came. A divorce with mutual consent had been granted and the custody of the daughter had been given to the mother. Jayant was totally shattered. During this time the film he was making also had suffered as he could not fully concentrate on the making of the film. On the premiere of the film many people walked out of the hall. Jayant was booed and jeered by the audience. The film was a miserable flop. Now nothing remained in Jayant’s life. Where would he find solace? He picked up a bottle and drank. Jayant remembered the day when he went to the studio again after the screening of the film. As he entered the studio owner’s room he saw that the story writer was sitting there and talking to him. Jayant was not greeted by them. They showed an indifferent attitude towards him. The writer turned towards Jayant and said that he had written a new story. “ Very Good. Narrate me the story. I will write the screenplay if I like it” Jayant said. “The story has been liked and selected and the screenplay has already been written” the owner interrupted the conversation. “ But how can I direct the film without knowing the story and studying the screenplay “ Jayant shouted. “ I am afraid you will have to direct and make the film from that story only” the owner replied “ Then find another director” Jayant said. He had said this sentence earlier also but each time the owner had relented and had given to his demands but on that day the owner replied back “ We have selected another director also. Actually you are not capable of directing our films. “ Jayant could not believe his ears. He felt that someone had poured acid in his ears. “ How can you do this to me? You have made lots of money from my films. I have made one bad film but I am not finished yet. I am a little tired. That’s all” Jayant pleaded. “ We are not interested in working with you any more. That’s final. Don’t waste our time. Let us work. “ shouted the owner. Jayant left the studio with tears in his eyes on that day. So many years of loyalty had no price in the eyes of the world. Ten Years had passed since then. He had immersed himself in drinks. He could not establish himself again and did odd jobs here and there. Once he was found by the police at the scene of a brawl in a country liquor den. He was fortunate not to be sent to jail as the policeman recognized him and let him go. His wife was staying with her parents. He recently got the news that his daughter had been married off in a wealthy family. The marriage function was the talk of the town as it was organized with much fanfare but perhaps it was the only marriage in the world in which the father of the bride had not been invited. Jayant had also come to know that Rani had talked to some of her contacts in the industry to get him some work but no one had relented. Once Jayant had come face to face with Rani. Jayant used to make rounds of various studios to get work as an ‘extra’ or a small character role. Once when he went to play a role he saw that Rani was opposite him. Rani was a big star then. She could not recognize him as his face was covered in a make up with a beard. Rani spoke her dialogue but Jayant could not. The director scolded his assistant. “ Whom have you brought here? This ruffian can not speak even a dialogue . Throw him out”. Then he turned to Rani and said “ I am sorry that your precious time was wasted . We can do another scene today and please be kind enough to give your date another day”. Jayant pulled out his beard and returned the costume to the floor in charge. While he was going , Rani recognized him and called him but he pretended not to hear. Rani followed him. He ran. Rani also ran. He crossed the studio gate and came on to the road. Rani was still running after him. He ran faster. After running some distance he turned around and saw that Rani was no longer after him. The autograph hunters had blocked her path and she was literally swarmed by the public. Jayant stopped running . One day this public used to greet him. Now they have found another person. This game will go on and on, he thought. He was still sitting in the Director’s chair in the studio with his eyes closed. The whole spectrum of events of his life had crossed his mind. Then someone whispered in his ear “ A Director is as good as his last film” . His head fell by the side. His body had begun to become cold. The soul had left the body and just the structure was lying in the chair. The morning light had broken out. People had started trickling in for the morning shift. People who had come to the studio floor were surprised to see a person sitting on the director’s chair. One old person saw the face of the person on the chair and started weeping. He was an old employee of the studio and had recognized Jayant. A crowd had gathered in front of the chair. On watching the going on the floor manager shouted “ What the hell is going on here ? Haven’t you ever seen a dead body? Kabhi murda nahin dekha kya? Go and contact some ambulanc e to take this body and clean the chair . Will You” The director will soon arrive.” After half an hour the light man turned on the lights and the director sat on the same chair and said “ Lights Camera Action “. |
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