Celluloid Page #2

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He has such a fan-base.

- Really?

This is the machine

used to make movies.

What's in this box?

Don't open it now. That is film.

When we make the movie we

load it into the camera.

Haven't you seen photos

being taken? lt's just like that.

When do we start?

A lot of things need to be

done before that, Sundara.

First, l need to make a screen story.

lt's written in the

book called 'Photo Play.'

lt's called scenario.

The people from Bombay and

Madras mainly make mythologies.

We don't want that. First l thought...

it should be about the history of

our martial art form 'chilambattom.'

Malabar's 'kalarippayattu'

is well-known even in England.

lsn't our

'chilambattom' quite as good?

Yet who otherthan the folks of

South Travancore know about it?

lf we make a movie on it

we can show it to all.

But now l think we don't want that.

Why?

We'll make a social drama.

What?

Didn't you see Charlie

Chaplin's 'The Kid' the other day?

Like that.

Yeah, that will be great, Daniel.

What a fine movie!

We'll make one like it.

lsn't it a white man's story?

People here won't like that.

Can't we take a story from our Bible?

Can't we take the 'Life of Christ'?

That's also a story from the

white man's land, Johnson.

We'll choose a story from

our land... a social story.

We also need a studio like

Phalke's and Muthaliar's.

lf we buy one, a lot of

cash will go that way.

Can we rent one?

l know about a

vacant building in Pattom.

The drama company from

Madras that performed during...

...the last Konjiravela

festival rented that building:

Saradavilasam.

We will try that.

So, like in plays, won't

you need actors in this.

Sure.

So, l can act, can't l?

Notjust you, but l also will.

Really?

Our son Sundaram also.

You have a look.

Look.

What's this?

Our son is standing upside down.

lt must be in this. Let me see.

Don't we need a name

forthe movie, Daniel?

Sure, we do.

lsn't our story about

a child getting lost?

Shall we name it 'The Lost Child'?

What do you say about it?

An English name? When we

Malayalis make a movie...

it should be a Malayalam name.

What if we call it 'Vigathakumaran'?

'Vigathakumaran'? What's that?

Does it have any meaning?

Yeah, 'The Lost Child.'

Really? So it means l

don't know Malayalam as well.

Our boy Sundaram himself will

be the lost child, won't he?

Yes.

He won't stay put in one place,

Daniel, then how can he?

Any child will be a

little mischievous.

So our son will be

enough for the role.

He will grow up into Chandrakumar,

right?

Who will do that role?

Daniel will be doing that.

No.

l am doing Jayachandran's

role... Chandrakumar's friend.

ls Johnson doing

Chandrakumar's role?

No, we will have to look for

someone else to play the part.

He is Bhoothanathan, the

villain who kidnaps the child.

That's fine for me.

l've played Judas before.

l'm happy playing the villain.

What about the heroine, Sarojini?

Must find a good actress.

Won't Janet act?

Act? Not me. People

will kill me in the end.

That's the problem. Here,

which girl would you get...

- to act in plays, let alone movies?

That's true.

You won't get girls

from good families.

lt's loose women

who act, people say.

Phalke even went to

brothels looking for women to act...

- in 'Raja Harischandra.'

But they chased him away.

Finally, a man did the female role.

We can't do that. We need

a woman to play Sarojini.

What will we do about that?

Things have changed in Bombay.

When l visited Phalke's studio,

l saw a woman acting.

What if we advertise

in the newspapers there?

l met a Nathuram in Bombay.

He told me he arranges

actors and actresses.

l have his address.

l will write to him.

l must bring an

actress from somewhere.

Ms Lana is a very good actress.

Ms Lana is a very good actress.

She has done three pictures in

Hindi,two pictures in Madras.

ln herfirst picture she did Draupadi,

afterthat Damayanti, Shakuntala...

and in Dada Phalke's new

picture she plays Urmila.

Come, sir.

Mother.

Her mother is Anglo-lndian,

father Parsi...he passed away.

Hello.

- Hello.

Hadn't l told you before?

A film-maker from Malabar.

Please come in.

Lana, darling, please come here.

Coming, Ma.

This is my daughter Lana.

Hello.

This man is a film

producer from Travancore.

He is on the lookout for a heroine...

...to act in the first film of

his state which he is making.

He wants you to act in it.

What is my role?

Sarojini, that's the

name of the character.

ls she a princess or goddess?

Princess...

No, no, she's a Malayali Nair lady.

What? Nair lady?

Yes, an ordinary Nair lady.

Ordinary lady? l will act

as a princess or goddess.

This is not a mythological

story like Ramayana ,,,

- or Mahabharata.

This is a social drama.

What? Social drama?

l am sorry. l am not interested.

l will explain to them.

Madam, please come inside.

They are playing hard to get.

The Mother is a greedy person.

She will come if you pay well.

They have agreed.

But you have to pay them

100 British rupees per day.

100 British rupees?

lt's too much. l

really can't afford it.

Then she won't come.

What shall l do? l

can't afford so much.

Can we get some

other actress here?

lt is very difficult, sir.

There are only three or

four like her in Bombay.

But they are all of a higher grade.

Ask if they will settle for 50 bucks.

l will give 500 bucks

in advance for ten days.

l will try.

Nathuramji, one minute.

You too please come.

They have agreed for 500.

But it will take eight days from

here to Thiruvanantapuram ..

- and back.

They need extra money for that.

Then to and fro first class

tickets for three persons.

First class?

Jesus! Won't it be a big amount?

Ask them to travel third class.

The expense to buy first

class tickets is very high.

He can't afford it.

So we won't come.

He is making a

picture forthe first time.

So what can we do?

We won't come.

They refuse to budge.

People like the royal family...

...and the East lndia Company

officials travel first class.

Even Mahatma Gandhi

travels third class.

What did he say?

Even Gandhiji travels third class.

So what? He is not a film actor.

My daughter is an

actress, understand?

l will give you second class ticket.

No, if you want me

to act in your film...

...you must get us

first class tickets.

l doubted if you got my telegram.

Got it day before yesterday.

Are they Hindi folks, or English?

They speak both. Ma'am, please...

Sorry, l am an actress. l

cannot travel by a horse cart.

What do you mean?

ln Bombay we usually

travel in a motor car, you know?

Motor car?.

Yes, motor car.

But Ms Lana, l don't

have a motor car.

Then you arrange one.

Jesus Christ! Motor cars

are very rare in Travancore.

Then l am sorry. We are leaving.

Are you joking?

l am notjoking, Mr Daniel.

lf you don't arrange for a motor car,

we will go back in the next train.

You heard that?

- Yeah.

The next train to

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