The artist and her eyes.

Devi da watched intently as Indrani put the finishing touches to her eye make up.

There is benovelence and warmth in Devi da.Something I first experienced when he did my makeup,for a film in Guwahati nearly 10 years back.

Haldar paints Haldar...

In a makeshift makeup room in Hotel Akash Purulia Indrani Haaldar,one of the most accomplished actresses of Bengal was being made up by a senior makeup artist of Bengal,Devi Haldar.

Caught his attentive grimace, wrinkled hands and her eyes....Infact,just one eye.

COOL TEA !

After the chill of the rain shots,Rajesh downs a not so warm glassa chaaa.Another shot awaited him,as soon as the propellers moved closer...Brrrr...Wind added with rain on a Jan end night in Purulia West Bengal,is BAD NEWS for any actor.Luckily for me, I was'nt working that night.I just roamed around with my camera wearing a light jacket over my thick shirt..And to be honest...It was an absoloute delight catching my dear friend. . .CHILLING !

The Art of wetting...

The art of creating rain and lightning for movies is...an art.Teams of people struggle with leaky hoses while the lightning man sparks at regular intervals.They drench the set and the actors,all so that it looks real.Not to be missed,are the whooshing Giant propellers providing the gale force winds.

Starr's moment before the take...

I worked with Ringo in his first feature,last year.It was Bengal's first Feature shot in Digital format.
He is an absoloute live wire at work.He shouts,jokes,cajoles Films edits and directs,while playing the background score of the scene..
I visited him that evening as he shot a tele film,in a mosquito infested area near Ruby hospital Cal.

I caught his one moment of silence,before he called 'Action' !

Saheb...

Saheb,the chana jor garam chef !
At the Maidan...Cal...

Next morning I was to leave for Purulia for my new Bangla Film,Bonobhumi.

Squishing Lime on Chana..

As Shuman and I chatted Music and life looking over the Maidan bathed in the evening orange..... I asked for chana.
Saheb is from Bihar. He has been selling chana jor garam for over 19 years.

Every 4 months he goes to his village for a month.While there he works the fields.

This Moharram day he made delectable packets of Chana jor garam for us in Cal.

A Smiley

The Smile...

The Maidan wink

He was setting up his shop for the evening at the Maidan in Cal.

He squinted looking at the sun.

I clicked.

Laughter in the times of Decay !

He found my taking pix while people around stared to my good friend Shuman's embarassment, very funny...
As if on cue,I stood on my toes to get this pic.
Thank you Dada...You are one Dada no one will root for in Cal or elsewhere.
You might have made a living by ferrying people.But for us,that's a reminder of a Decadent past.We wont allow you to work...
Go back to your village and till your land,which has not been acquired for the SEZ.
As we drove away in our Innova,he still had a smile.

Any Mamta for him?

Like many lost causes,his too has no one to carry the torch.

He though carts the poster of another's cause...

Looking back...

Creviced face,between the mudguard and the wheel.

Thinking of going extinct...

He sat in a pensive mood,opposite the Mitra institution,Bhowanipore Kolkaata...

What was he thinking about?

Was it about a car plant? Or was it about his hand drawn livelihood,which will soon be wrentched out of his hands...

Gaayey holood ceremony during Upanayan...

Aunts applied Haldi...

There was love and cheer...

Hands stretched,smearing yellow.

Couple Laughs...

Karan and Smita recently moved to Bby.He is with Asian Paints.

He is 6'3'' & has a voice,which is knocking on Jagjit Singh's.

When he sang, we all clapped.

When he laughed, I clicked.

Born again...

Ready to take on life... and all its challenges.

Best wishes to you Joy !
Keep the smile and remain Joyous !

The Shloke whisperer...

Bannujo,as I call Sushovan was a year senior to me at The Hindu College.He is presently a D.I.G.

A cricketer then,a man of many roles now.

As part of this initition ritual,he whispered the gayatri mantra into Joy's ears...

Through the crook of the purohit's arm I saw the child,as the father of man !

MOVIENG IT...

Joy's Cousin

Nirvana...Bliss...

Bliss...Nirvana...

Wash the turmeric...

Thanks to the videographer's light...I got the KICK for this pic !

Joy's Upanayan

Sharmila and I have been class mates since standard 6th.

It was her son's Poitay(janeu/sacred thread ceremony).

I was the (self nominated) unofficial(sic )photographer...

The women applied Haldi(turmeric),laughed,joked and poked fun...Joy got embarassed.

Made my pic !

Cameraman shot...

Many years back I worked with Arun,who then was an assistant with the noted cameraman/director Teja.
Now he has turned independant.He shot this film I was working in Hyderabad over the past three days.

He listened intently to the actor/producer over lunch.
With the steel utensils in the foreground...I shot him.

Eyes of the Dev...

I first met Rahul years back in Utah U.S.A. while shooting the original DUS,which was being made by the late Mukul Anand(It still lies incomplete).He was then a topnotch model being launched as an actor.
On this flight,we caught up after ages.
Pulling each others leg over my intake of tomato juices (thanks to Anjali mukherjee )and his frequent strolls to the wash room .
He like me,for the past few years has been busy doing a lot of work down south.
Catching the eye of many a Telegu director.
I caught his,
thanks again to the New reading lights of Jet!

The tee totaller with the Beer man story...

I typically prefer taking the 1st flights out,while going for a shoot.
Saves the producer one night's hotel stay & I get to spent an extra evening at home.

The first of the 3 alarms goes off at 4am. By 5.45am am at the airport,then its snooze time on the flight.
Not this time.
This morning I had good friend Rahul Dev as the guy"next seat".
I used the new Jet Business class reading lights,to light my model...