Anuvab Pal admits he's gone the wrong way up. He first wrote the play ‘The President Is Coming', followed by the film (starring Konkona Sen Sharma) and now the book. “We did the play in 2006 which Rohan Sippy saw and suggested we make into a film. Then Random House saw the potential of a novel in it! Personally I wanted the text to be immortal. The only way for a theatrical to stay so was through the film and the only way to reach out to a larger audience was by ensuring accessible readership. In the form of a short, crisp novel, my story remains,” says the writer of several plays, TV shows and films, explaining the reverse route.
‘The President Is Coming' is a satirical take on reality shows leading to an appalling reflection of the Indian fascination to impress a George Bush-led U.S. entourage to our country. When Bush expresses his desire to shake hands with a young achiever of shining India, a group of six men and women try to outperform each other for the ‘golden handshake'. Since he has handled three media of story-telling for the same story, it is interesting to know which medium he enjoyed best. “Each medium has its limitations. For instance, while writing the novel the challenge was to decide who would be the voice of the story hence I have incorporated scraps of information such as an email exchanged between two colleagues or a note left behind. Cinema writing is about economy. The medium itself tells you so much. Again in the book, for the final arrival of Bush, I could describe things going on backstage, such as the cooking and cleaning, with great humour. In the play it was very difficult but it was best in the movie; I simply used NDTV footage!” he says.
Anuvab has been typically classified as a ‘comic writer' though he has an objection to it. “There has to be a distinction between tomfoolery and globally relevant intelligence and wit. I have written a lot of serious text as well. And even if you understand ‘The President Is Coming', it's hardly a joke even though it may have a humorous underlay to it.” He has to his credit the movie “Loins Of Punjab Presents” and plays such as ‘Chaos Theory' and ‘1-800-Dial India'. “Loins Of Punjab Presents” was yet another reality theme where a New Jersey-based businessman organises a Bollywood singing contest. It went on to establish Anuvab's name in Bollywood as well, thanks to a critical and box office success and the presence of Shabana Azmi and Ayesha Dharker.
His plays take on a more serious note. ‘Chaos Theory' is about two Indian professors in the U.S. who talk Shakespeare and engage in verbal duels while ‘1-800-Dial India' talks about an outsourcing business from America.
Currently Anuvab is enjoying his tryst with the unconventional. He is writing a book on the classic 1985 film “Disco Dancer” starring Mithun Chakraborty for Harper Collins. “Never written a book on a film before. They (Harper Collins India) wanted me to. I chose ‘Disco Dancer' as the film never ceases to amaze me. I hope I will get to speak to Mithun da . It will be a kind of a transcription of the film but it will go beyond the script. The film became a cult hit in places such as Kazakhstan and Japan too. I plan to make it anecdotal,” he reveals.
Anuvab is also writing the screenplay of ‘French Class' for Cton Films, Paris, about a group of people in Kolkata who sign up to learn the language. Besides that, he is teaming up with his friend and New York Film Academy batchmate Manish Acharya, who co-scripted “Loins Of Punjab Presents”, on yet another untitled project and with Rohan Sippy for an encore.
