jis lahore nahi vekhya woh jamia nai

This was my first theatre act.

Remember me mentioning about a theatre group called antraal..this is what gave me my first theatre... Was tough because the dailouges were mostly in urdu and punjabi. The performance happend in JNU campus' PSR open air theatre...

Now about PSR: a very well know place in JNU, seemed like it was left for ages, looked like jungle to me. Reaching there was kind of disappointed, thinking no one would turn up. Cleaned the place, made arrangements and finally the moment arrived, the play started in evenin 6:30 pm.

Had a moustache which kept on making me feel uncomfortable...Anyways, when the 1st scene happend, was schocked. Thanks to Almighty..there were some 200 people. Ambience, lighting, open sky favoured us... Place was awesome and so was the act..Unfortunately have no videos or pics of the same (because of camera prohibition), but m uploadin few practise session pics.

All I can carry forward from here is the art of lighting, acting (again), managing and the moral of not loosing hope... a great learning experience...

Below are the few practice session pics....

   

  

 

a Day with Dr. Palash Sen (Euphoria)

End of November but a beginning of a new experience.

Akbar and Azam got their break, they had to make the music video for an NGO, Oxfam, India. The video was based on the serious issues of global warming. Song was composed by the very well known band- EUPHORIA and thus begins the new journey...

An wednesday, around 5 o' clock, travelled in some deserted village in Haryana, cast and crew was already there and finally came in Palash Sen. (My first interaction with a celeberity, have seen many in fashion shows, in gigs but never got a chance to actually meet them)

The shot started quite late, n i followed my friend Amjad (assissting director). Quite a few learning came pouring in that day! At break time, had session with Dr.Palash..he sang few songs for us like ab na jaa, mayeri...and I sang tadap tadap ke (from hum dil de chuke sanam]..he appreciated it..and then I asked about his performances, what gives him the energy while he performs on the stage? The answer was, "i dont smoke..dont drink..have a balance diet and regular excersice..thats what keeps me healthy.. n Its the audience which gives me energy!!!" The day ended, the shoot was incomplete (which means i was unable to act). They wanted me on friday, but was unable to go due to my exams.

The shoot was finally done in Harayana and Shimla, video was launched in January with a grand festival in FICCI auditorium. Rahul Bose (well known actor) - the ambassador of Oxfam India launced it.. said a few words on changing environment and its effect n our responsibilities towards it. This was followed by a rockin performance by euphoria..

Happy Birthday DJ

It was November 8 in 2008, one of my classmates' birthday was around. Friends asked me to make a short film on her. Before going furthur sumthin about Divya:
she joined us in 3rd sem-that was in 2nd year, a transfer case from NIFT kolkatta, she was a topper, and so most of the people didnt liked her initially because of her wierd nature... Should not mention about it here!!! But by the end of 3rd year..she had made few friends..so we decided to do something special for her.. Took me around 5 days to complete it... asked sum of my batchmates to wish her on camera, some seniors (includin the old 1** pyaar karne waale.. ;) ) and 1 faculty too and Akbar and Azam. The same was screened on her bday in my flat... She had the emotional, tears of joy..n den blaah... blaah..i hv nothin more to say so... happy bday!!!

JANAM DIN MUBARAKH DJ!!!

My debut Film as an Actor

Deepawali holidays are time u spend with family.

When I reached home, the next morning I got a call from my old frnd Sunil ( I call him gabar). He wanted me to act in his elder brothers' film. Without giving it much thought i reached the location. It was about 120 km away from my place, in some jungles (forgot the name), in the borders of Jharkhand and Orissa. The group consists of some 15 to 20 people including the cast and the crew. We stayed in a relatives' place, had traditional local dinner and then left for the shoot into the woods. Oh I forgot to mention, its a horror flick...

we had this generators, huge reflectors..and a cart to carry them...and a sumo to carry us! Shooting lasted till 3 in the morning. Next day was the day to enjoy the beauty of woods, by this I mean the actual real ( poti kiya open air me)...n took bath in the pond..aah! wat an xperiance...n then again shot few scenes.

The shooting took longer than expected...20 people, alone in jungle, without any connection to the outer world, shooting in the dark, mosquitoes, chances of snake bites, fear of bear and elephants attack.. But luckily nothing happend. Finally the shoot got over, all left to take back was the experience of an actor ( played the role of lead actor's friend) and knowledge about camera angles.

In one shot had to jump in the river, at the middle of the night... That something i will always remember because it was freezing there when i did the scene.

Few snapshots

For d Sake of One GOD

This was for the entry for spectrum's short film fest' 08.

With my friends Siddhartha and Pranjal, we always end up discussing about religions. Its always a healthy one, discussing about pros and cons, truth and false, myth and truth and a lot more.

Like d coin, religion also does have 2 sides.

Taking interest, started reading about it. But the confusion still lasted... To place myself on a rigid foundation, visited places like jama masjid, vaishnodevi, gurudwara, lotus temple (also known as temple of bahai religion) n to a buddhist monestry(in madekeri,a place near bengaluru) . Still the question existed. If all religion teaches us about LOVE and PEACE, then why do we keep fighting for the same among ourselves?

I made this movie and named it after a book which I had read a few days back (gifted by my friend, Thomas Krugler from Germany). Siddhartha did the lyrics part of it and I did the composing and singing. Taking pictures and videos from the historic Gujarat riots as well as from the street plays with the theme "communal harmony",compiled it into one and made it. I won the 1st prize though it was a tie with a student from jamia islamia university.

But still the question reamins unanswered.. Do they fight for religion or does the religion makes them fight... Till today I am in search of the TRUTH...

FOR THE SAKE OF ONE GOD

Genre: Documentry

Music : Prem Samuel

Lyrics: Siddhartha Tiwari