Inaugurating the 24th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival on Saturday, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan spoke of the contribution of those working behind the scenes in cinema, who remain “anonymous and without an applause.”
“Do you ever watch the credits at the end of a film and wonder why so many people are involved? Film-making is a team effort and every member, big or small, has a key role to play,” he said at the inauguration.
Mr. Bachchan said that as soon as the credits begin to roll, the audience gets up and leaves the theatre. “Some, a very few, though, remain seated till credits end... To me, it is a sign of respect that they [the audience] show for these dedicated workers, without whom the final product would not have been realised,” he said.
He cited numerous examples of “accomplished technicians” and “creative minds” who are never truly given their due.
Mr. Bachchan said that, often, the director of the film, along with the hero and the heroine, and a few key characters like the music director and singers, are acknowledged for the success of the film.
The technicians Mr. Bachchan cited at the event included legendary directors like Bimal Roy, who started his career as camera assistant with New Theatres; Hrishikesh Mukherjee as a cameraman; and Guru Dutt as a choreographer. He said contemporary filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Farah Khan began their careers as editors, and [Ms. Khan] as a choreographer.
Faceless beginnings
“How many of our assistant directors are applauded? Many top stars began their careers as a faceless assistant before destiny knocked at their door,” he said.
Mr. Bachchan touched upon the contribution of Subrata Mitra to The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, and K.K. Mahajan, best known for his work in parallel cinema, among others.
“Does anyone remember R.D. Mathur, the cinematographer of the spectacular Mughal-e-Azam , or Dwaraka Divecha, who filmed Sholay , one of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters, or V.K. Murthy, one-time violinist and jailed freedom fighter, who was Guru Dutt’s regular cinematographer in films like Pyaasa and Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam ?” the thespian asked.
