TANU WEDS MANU

SCENE 1 / TAKE 1

A month and half back and cell ranged, it was by my college mate Ashish informed me of an audition being held near 'ZEE MALL' for a film. Earlier many times this guy has done the same but before this I had never paid heed to it. The conversation ended with same cliche statements like "Yea yea I will try but don't be too sure about it" and all that jazz.

SCENE 1 / TAKE 2

Honestly, like other times I would have skipped this as well had not another colleague from college forced me to come. We talked about experiences and trying everything once since all of us were pursuing mass. com so "its important to build contacts" totally convinced I decided to face it with zeal and enthusiasm.

SCENE 1 / TAKE 3

Though I did no homework for it but decided to look my best in white Capri and a purple top I was ready. At my chic best I jolted in an auto and headed towards my destination 'KHANA SHYAM GUEST HOUSE' I had so many inhibitions about this particular thing especially the infamous 'CASTING COUCH' then the people whom i will meet. My biggest fear was that the veterans of the field will rule it and I being a novice will be too minuscule to influence anyone.

SCENE 1 / TAKE 4

It was 10:30 am I was the only in that small cubical like room and my heart was throbbing with anxiousness. There I met 2 gentlemen( My perception changed with time) Rahul Sir 'THE CASTING DIRECTOR' and Raj Sir 'THE LYRICIST' there I was given a 1 page script and in 5 minutes they demanded me to learn and rehearse it for final audition. After reading the script thrice I had almost memorized it. And I was ready for it. In this entire event I found one thing very amusing was, that before the audition we were given a slate and a chalk and on that we had to write our name and phone number and stand before the camera and speak that loud placing it in front of you giving different profiles. I looked like a raid victim.

SCENE 2 / TAKE 1

After rehearsing 3 to four times before the camera my final shot happened, both the men were very supportive and encouraging. Then I was called again the next day but this time they asked me to wear a salwar suit and come. The character demanded it and they wanted to see my look in that attire. Next day Came with less inhibitions and more of excitement I herald to the guest house since it was more of a familiar place to me now. Today there were more people of all age groups. From kids to aged all experienced and were already doing theater for years. I was the most vulnerable there even the 6 year old kid was a veteran there and had been acting for like 2 to 3 years. I was sure by now that I don't stand a chance here at all. But I have never stopped trying. It was my turn now me along with 2 other girls went inside that small cubicle like room. This time I we were given situations to improvise as well, we a song and dance the audition ended.

SCENE 2 / TAKE 2

After that the entire event was forgotten and we were consumed in our daily mundane life, going to college, attending lectures, wracking our brains to think for projects. Well even Ashish was totally oblivious about it. We never discussed it. Just use to ask him where did he take the two gentlemen to show our city of Nawabs. That is it.

SCENE 3 / TAKE 1

Recently this September, I was busy doing an article for 'THOUGHT CAFE" I got a call from Ashish again asking me to come on the dice. Oblivious to everything but curiosity engulfed me I raced towards the dice. There Ashish and one more friend Vidit told me that I have been selected for the movie 'Tanu Weds Manu'. I was shell shocked this was something that wasn't sinking in. It took me 4 days to realize that I was in it. Finally a smile lit on my face.

SCENE 3 / TAKE 2

With the conformity of it came new challenges first being parents, consent which was granted, then came college support thanks to our new HOI who was more than just being supportive. He provided us with all the information and exempted us promising attendance to both me and Ashish. Gave us a lesson as to how to take life and challenges in life and also guided us how to make the right choice in life. Now with all our worries handled we were in a better condition to work.

SCENE 3 / TAKE 3

Next person was our print media professor Mr. Mahadev whom I share a great rapport with was next to know about it. He gave me ample advise on how to go about it. Then very same day I got a call from Sudhanshu Sir he was the local artist coordinator and wanted to meet us. Next day I met him in Coffee House now looked better with it new makeover. He briefed us about the film and quenched all our queries. It was first professional meeting and since that day I learnt how to built contacts. It was nice short and sweet meet. Ever since that day the learning journey began.

SCENE 3 / TAKE 4

My last stop before I embark upon the final journey was to meet Rahul Sir again. This time he had sheltered in a hotel called Tulip a little posh than the last time. It was 15 minutes meet but was very bubbly and pacey. We talked about what we did all this while when we were not in touch. Explained me my role and the kind of attire I will have to wear and since its a low budget film so we have to bring our own clothes. We few more greetings and wishes we parted ways and a different kind of happiness suffused me me. Like a lunatic with a Julia Robert like smile I came home.

INTERMISSION

The journey will be concluded in the next post

which will talk about the latter half and how the

film was made and how I grew as a person and

a professional. And how blessed I feel to have

achieved a film as my 1st venture...

"ITS NOT AN END ITS JUST THE BEGINNING"

Learn[!]ng L[!]fe

'What Kills you most makes you strong.

Hence to chase your dreams, one has to bear the worst nightmares'

Goonj~ ek unsuni cheekh !!

Goonj an echo I heard within me when I saw the most nervewracking cliping of my life...

Two ladies came to aur old campus fondly called the (VKC) from a NGO called goonj. Due to torrential rains my spirits were equally dampened as the roads of our city. My step grew heavy as I entered our studio and saw two ladies, one salt and papper hair and the other a lovely damsel made the ambience very mirthful and informal with their spontaneous chutzpah...

Like all other lectures they had the usualy projector and had something to show. But inside it they had something which I never sensed or see.

Though a very bizzare way of telling what this organization dose but was a relevation of a kind.

Goonj worked on the concept of "Kapda, Roti, Makkan" and focus on primarily on Kapda.

The gooseflesh story began when the head of goonj came in forefront to address the crowd.

"I know I am discussing a topic which in the 21st century is still considered a taboo and I want it to a dining table issue" He talked about how the rural female survives those five days evry month. Yes I am talking about the mensuration cycle. Well you will be surprized to know that they use the same cloth repeatedly for days or pices of rags. The terror is hear to come when I heard that a women dies of titnis they also use sand and due to different cycles in a family women use the same cloth.

I know its awful, I would never have gathered enough courage to out it on my blog but this is where we as human beings need to be aware.

Everybody tallks of education, sanitaion, health and literacy but we never ponder about the taboo subjects. Now the owner of this NGO says that " we have so many festivals like diwali, dushera and other but there should be a giving festival where we give". So Goonj has started a nation wide drive from 27th september to 4th october. So give and celebrate. Collect material from clothing to paper. Goonj is now working for 2 decades and have done immense work acrooss india. Be it Bihar or Tsunami hot victims down south. The NGO is working endlessly making rugs out of audio tapes, skipping ropes from duppattas, Under garments so on and so forth. School bags from discarded demins and many other things.

This Goonj within me will never fade. My soul will always burn since I envision to make this unheard goonj heard.

Renaissance

Using such a strong word as this has an objective~ The term "RENAISSANCE" means a revial of a learning or culture and i felt the same about my college a few days ago... Its not just Renaissance period in the European History when the country began to modernize from new theories by scholars to new change in architechture. It was cult! I felt a revolution scurrying in my college when the news of the new 'HEAD OF INSTITUTE' buzzed all.

The same same mundane routine of expectations cghained all people in corners talked about the same. "REFORMS" was the first thing that hit me... I was a little apprehensive and skeptical about the arrival of this new being in our lives, since my previous experiences were quite bittered. Till now I only knew the restricted side of my college...

More bouncers than faculty!

No man's land where a mere step by a civialian meant sin...

Like the balck out in World War 2, we had day off and were reared out of the campus like cattles after 5:00p.m

It was Pakistan's military rule in the city... Indeed my words are too strong and will stir a lot of emotions both positive and negative, but here I take the benefit of my poetic licence to express 'I, Me, and Mine'

The D day arrived the new man came with hope and light... I remember him as a simple guy who has struggled to make it big for himself stood before us. With his knowlege galore and sparks to do more brought a twinke in my dull yellow eyes which gleamed like gold due to excessive bile and yellowness. I sensed a cult has begun, a revolution is about to take place, the mutiny is at rage... First time I saw a silver lining in the cloud and a resonant thunder deafened my ears... "Its is going to rain soon and wet the parched land"

A fortnight later the days at college seemed very eventful, everyone was on a move. for so many years things which were rusted and jammed due to dusted were swept and swabbed, the rusted was galvanised. "Red Tapism" and Procastination seemed on a verge of irradication. The ineer me was in glee and my soul just stepped aout to just dance gay abandon just to smell the fresh and feel the rain. The smile since then hasn't faded. Though we are always on beck and call... slouching with tireness and shoulder ache of resposiblity but still I am loving it as we have alighted our 'COLLEGE JOURNEY"