A superstar saunters in just before lunchtime at a dubbing studio. The producer rushes to greet him as he slips into an adjoining room where someone is already waiting to meet him. He emerges during lunch hour. A clique of cronies appears out of nowhere. The producer with a grudging smile urges them to join in. After a leisurely lunch and bonhomie the star deigns to dub. An hour later he receives a call, glances at his watch and slips away but not before posing for a few selfies. The producer escorts him to his car as the star promises to finish the remaining portions shortly.
This film has been under production for well over two years because of a director who decided to make a quickie in between which took well over one year. The so-called story took another six months because this star director thinks of a catchy title first before conjuring up a plausible plot and putting pen to paper. The ‘music muhurath’ (whatever that means) was performed long back but the star music director (yes, everyone but the guy who coughs up the green stuff is a star) has still not delivered all the songs. Things have changed since the film was launched. TV channels are no longer bidding for the telecast rights which were the only assured returns for the producer. Regular film distributors are a breed nearing extinction, fans have become finicky and the stars films are not fancied like they were a couple of years ago. Ultimately, it’s only the harassed producer who loses because everyone else works for a fat fee. The producer, a passionate film lover, says he may never make another film.
Television channels are the new courts of law. The grievance could be marital, moral or a movie star shedding crocodile tears. Anchors are not mere moderators or mediators. They would have taken sides and passed judgement but will not let the issue settle. The longer and more bitter the better. The TV studio is a film star’s favourite refuge for either promoting a film or kicking up a puerile controversy. A former female superstar was in the news recently. She had been signed to play a cop in a film to be directed by a choreographer. The star was excited about her role but that did not permeate on to the sets. The actor was lackadaisical in attitude and her performance was lacklustre. When she landed up at lunch break on the second day and slipped into the cool confines of her caravan the director gently conveyed his feelings. The senior star felt her redoubtable talent was being questioned and promptly called for a press meet. She shed a few tears recalling her professional pedigree and channels starved of sensation latched on. “Nobody has questioned my talent,” she thundered. She failed to recognise that it was her attitude rather than her acting talent that was being questioned. Accusations were hurled at a senior producer who was inadvertently involved. Something that should have been sorted out privately was now in public domain.
The actor who’s yet to return a fortune received as advance a few years ago addressed him in singular. After a couple of days of riveting drama, the Producers Council was involved. Instead of calling the aggrieved to their premises the president visited the TV studio. Mildly admonishing the lady for seeking the press rather than the concerned association he declared there would be a meeting at the actress’s residence and that the problem would be solved amicably. The anchors appeared deeply disappointed.
The next day more chairs were laid out. Industry bigwigs assembled at the TV studio along with the aggrieved. The director apologised apparently under duress.
The actor grudgingly accepted and vowed to work in the film with renewed enthusiasm. Synthetic smiles and handshakes were exchanged. The anchors took credit for having settled a major row but not before repeatedly playing bits of the star abusing the producer. “This is just to remind you of what panned out in the last few days,” they declared. Who will compensate the producer for the couple of days that went waste? The stars refrain will be, ‘You came to me. I didn’t seek work’. That’s it, till another star gets involved in a skirmish, personal or professional. The show must go on.
sshivu@yahoo.com
