We reached Shimla and went for a LONG walk on a 45 degree incline from our hotel to Mall Road. Mall Road is the main shopping/eating area in Shimla. The roads were very clean, I must say.
The roads were fairly empty. Suddenly we saw a group of people. A large group of people. Curious to know what, we peeped in. It was a movie shooting.
As we had nothing to do, we stopped and watched what was happening. I have never see a movie shooting myself.
This was the scene.
Two girls (heroine and her friend) are having Maggi standing on the streets of Shimla. There are other people who are also having Maggi behind them. A guy brings a trumpet and blows it near the heroine’s ear. She turns back and shouts “pagal hai kya”. She then hears someone singing a beautiful song and searches in the direction of where the song is coming from.
Before I say anything else I have to say that Film making (even if it’s a song or short film) requires a lot of patience.
This scene was hardly 15-20 seconds long. They had almost 7 or 8 takes of the same scene. Each time there was some or the other issue.
Take 1
Rolling. Camera pans from the top showing the mountains and focuses on the heroine. She takes a spoon of Maggi and waves her hand in front of her mouth to show its hot. She praises the taste of Maggi to her friend and her friend agrees. A guy comes from the back and blows the trumpet near her ear. She turns back before even he finishes blowing and shouts “pagal ha kya”.
Cut it cut it.
Director: Madam, you were too early to react. Also, supporting actors, you also turn around to see who is blowing the trumpet. Itna sound aayega to dekhega na koi bhii. Don’t just stand still.
They do the make up touch up, and the hair alignment only for the heroine. Her friend is standing there with frizzy hair and no one cares.
Take 2
Rolling. Camera pans from the top. It focuses on the heroine and her friend eating cold Maggi but pretending it’s hot and tasting good. A guy comes from the back and blows the trumpet. She turns and shouts “pagal hai kya”.
Cut it cut it
Director: That red shirt in the background (referring to a bystander), please don’t stand there. You are coming in the frame and you are also looking into the camera.
They do the make up and hair again of the heroine. Her friend is just standing looking at her. The supporting actors have almost finished the Maggi on their plates. They are given new Maggi plates.
Take 3
Rolling. Same as before and heroine overacts as if the Maggi is so hot. It’s cold and might be having some leaves fallen from above as it’s been kept open for so long now. She reacts properly at the trumpet guy. And now she has to see in the direction of the song. She starts seeing.
Cut it cut it.
Director: Madam, you are seeing too much to the right. You need to see to the left. Also start seeing only when I tell you to.
Take 4
I am tired seeing the whole thing again. I start talking to the light man asking him what movie it is and so on. I am hungry too. Not sure what happened in the scene.
Cut it cut it
Director: You started reacting very quickly to the song. First listen to the song, wait for a few beats and then react.
Again touch up only for heroine. The make up on the friend’s face is flaking off but no one cares. Everyone gets into position again.
And it went on and on and on. There was one take where the mic came in the frame, there was another where a dog came running, one where the supporting actors didn’t react properly and so on.
The heroine ate from the cold dry Maggi so many times and pretended so many times that it tastes so good. She got touch ups done after every take. Her hair was aligned to perfection after every take. The guy who was just blowing the trumpet had almost learnt to play it in real as he had done it so many times now.
And all of this was for 20 seconds in a song shooting. Imagine if it had high budget actors for a major film.
It’s a good timepass if you start seeing a shooting. Watching a movie is entertainment. Watching a movie being made is also an entertainment.
Endless thoughts 