PRASHANTT RAI cinematographer » life

Panorama

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:45:14 +0000

Munich

admin — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:22:14 +0000

…The first class coach, though luxurious, was empty. The only occupants beside the conductor were a wiry old man in a black jacket and I. He appeared fitter than most people his age. His grace lay not in his straight spine but in the smooth gray hair that contrasted to his black leather jacket. He resembled an old-fashioned headmaster, once an authority, still clinging on to his dogmatic ways. Every time I took a picture and the camera produced a low whine, he jerked his fragile neck as if a gun had accidentally fired in the carriage!…

Writing – Non Fiction page

Running out of Oil, India!

admin — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:53:56 +0000

First the transporters’ strike and then came the oil companies PSUs strike. Till last evening the situation didn’t look so alarming. Mumbai’s roads look different today. Marked reduction in traffic and many gas stations are shut. Autos and Taxis were the first to get hit. However, there may be a few stations on the highways, say 50-60 km from Mumbai which may still have oil becuase they have bigger dumps to cater to the requirements of heavy vehicles like tourist buses (plying on Mum-Goa highway) and heavy container trucks.

I will try to get some pictures posted by evening.

crimson sky

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:34:02 +0000

A mother walks with her baby past hutments along a narrow road that leads to the Candolim Beach.

The photograph was taken in the month of March, towards the end. The skies are very hot and clear. surprisingly, as a local development, it rained in the afternoon. when the clouds finally cleared around sunset – what I saw was a crimson red sky. It was quite an unusual sight in Goa for the month of March.

reel

admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:40:09 +0000

httpv://in.youtube.com/watch?v=g4iaVEZYet0

Kasmir Pics

storyinframes — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:47:24 +0000

trying to get through a really slow connection to upload pictures of Kashmir.

refer ‘photography’ page

’11 Weeks’ – the film shoot. Part-1

storyinframes — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:44:56 +0000

Srinagar greeted with a dry autumn and deserted streets. The tourists who thronged the markets and shikaras a few months back were missing. As a photographer I felt like the streets, the landscape too was barren, with a veneer of gritty yellowy dust all over compared to the lush greens three months back.

to read more click on the page – ’11 Weeks’ – the film shoot. Part-1

Cafe Leopold

storyinframes — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:58:43 +0000

Café Leopold

Leopold is where the mayhem seems to have started on the fateful night of 26^th Nov. The terrorists fired indiscriminately before hurling a grenade in the popular joint frequented by westerners, the office crowd, and the youngsters. The terrorists left the scene creating chaos and panic on the streets and dead bodies strewn around in the café.

No sooner had the carnage ended in Mumbai, Leopold was back in action. No alterations or changes were done in its otherwise simple décor or style – it opened just the same way as it was on the night of 26/11 with the embellishments of bullet marks on the wooden pillars & shattered glass panes.

When I arrived there in the evening around eight the café was almost packed. I somehow managed to get hold of a table. Everything seemed normal. The crowd was mostly Indian; having beer after office. Initially I noticed nothing amiss. As I settled down and glanced around I noticed the bullet marks and the two round holes on the Café’s glass façade.

Everyone who was present there seemed to have just one resolve – get the fear out of their mind. The place looked lively, contrary to what I expected before I stepped in. it was an encouraging sight because collectively we managed to defeat the purpose which the terrorists wanted – fear.

As I pulled my haversack aside to take my camera there were few curious glances. With the permission of the café staff I took few pictures. A group seated few tables away waved and called me over. I was wondering if something had irked them. They lifted the table cloth and showed me a small pit right under the table. I looked on – blank. ‘Grenade!’ one of them pointed. This is the spot where the grenade had exploded after being lobbed in. With a sense of defiantness they raised their beer mugs and drank. It was a moment of fearlessness – an antidote to the venom of terror.

Shooting a feature

storyinframes — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:18:20 +0000

is it too much work or just bad planning that I can’t get 20 min. in a day to update my blog. that’s wierd. Because now I have a huge back log to finish. phew!

’11 weeks’ – divinity divided

storyinframes — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:42:25 +0000

Divinity divided

I am waiting for a divine intervention for an end to all the problems in J&K that has been raging on and off for last 60 years. Just two months back when I was on location reccee with my Director, things seemed hunky dory. There were so many tourists in the Valley that we had to wait for our turn at the famous Vaishnav dhaba near the Dal Lake. Pahalgam and Gulmarg were teeming with tourists queuing up at the ropeway to reach the snow clad mountains. There was something festive this summer. Now, there is chaos abundant.

I am unable to shoot a film which promotes harmony and peace. What irony! I feel sad as a DoP; the director feels worse.

Like mortal human beings we are just waiting for the people to get tired with their anger so that peace gets a chance again. Just wait.