As the last guest leaves, Satish Kaushik gets ready to resume work, summons the actors on the sets and takes position behind the monitor. They are shooting a suhaag raat scene between Shilpa and Anil the only problem is both, Shilpa and Anil cannot stop laughing. Anil clad in a white kurta and jasmine flowers rolled over his wrist has to swagger into the room and frighten the bashful bride. Shilpa looks distraught and the director calls cut! Kaushik asks the actors to stop laughing because the party is over and concentrate on the scene, they do and this time the shot is okayed.

As the actors get ready for the next scene, Satish tells me that Badhai Ho Badhai is a social drama. “I have come out of the image that a comic actor will make comic films. Humara Dil Aap ke Paas Hai was a hit at the box-office so now I’m at liberty to make what I want. This time too my story is very emotional and takes up for the woman.” Shilpa seated beside her director adds that it is a privilege to be cast in a film like this and Anil Kapoor pats his friend on the shoulder, says like Raj Kapoor he will soon be identified as a heroine’s director and gradually all the heroes will stop working with him. Everybody laughs…

More tomorrow…

@bhawanasomaaya

Was clearing old files from the computer and came across memories of a windy afternoon in the hills of Film City.  I am reproducing it as a blog because it revives warm memories of time gone by…The occasion is the silver jubilee celebration of Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hain and Mukta Arts, producer of Badhai Ho Badhai along with Satish Kaushik and Anil Kapoor are hosting a luncheon party on the lawns adjoining the sets. The entire team is present music director Anu Malik, Ramesh Taurani of Tips, Anil’s close friends Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria and of course the cast of Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hain and also the team of Sirf Tum.

Shilpa Shetty, heroine of Badhai Ho Badhai is cheerful as always and informs you about her character in the film. “I play a mad-hatter, an extension of director Satish Kaushik actually.’ Satish Kaushik hears his name and immediately joins us “I like shooting without stress and if we are going to be working together for a full year might as well have some fun. Don’t you agree David? David Dhawan shows a thumbs up and joins Rumi Jafri, Manmohan Shetty and others seated in a corner. The spirits are high and finally, around 4 pm, after a lot of food and endless rounds of print and electronic interviews, the party is dispersed.

More on this story tomorrow…

@bhawanasomaaya

Some films are good but go away unnoticed and one of them is The Lift Boy, it had a limited theatrical release in 2019 and despite no big stars in the film it ran houseful shows. The film didn’t get more screens or more days in the cinema halls in India but they were fortunate to have a simultaneous release in UAE and also Taiwan. After Channel 4 acquired the rights of the film in UK, Netflix has acquired the worldwide streaming rights and Netflix Digital Premieres the film today, Monday, 27th April 2020.  It is a must watch film relevant in present times duration only 107 mins and language is Hindi – English. 

Share and Care Foundation Mumbai an NGO formed by a group of us in the building is doing the best possible in these difficult circumstances. We are distributing food packets to out of work daily wagers maintaining our social distances.

Chandan went visiting her parents in Vishakhapatnam and is happy that she is there with her ageing parents in difficult times. She misses her husband but is relieved that he has temporarily shifted with his parents. They will now meet only after lockdown is over.

My young niece and her husband are stuck in their tiny apartment in New York, they work from home all day, divide household duties and in the evening watch a film together and fall asleep.

Another friend on her way to buy medicines at the chemist clicks an image of a deserted street in Chembur.

My friend sends a picture from her South Mumbai apartment and says these days  only she can spot from her window are the trees