…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 [...]
These pictures were taken during monsoons in 2003. the cloud patterns often cast interesting lighting patterns over the sea. It is a pity that most negatives were spoiled after manual processing. these are the four which have survived.
Later in the night the power supply tripped plunging the whole Palolem in darkness. I was sitting at the beach having drinks. A few seconds later as the eye got accustomed to the darkness I saw something inconceivable – a sight so beautiful and not [...]
The shot which was to be taken at sunrise was being taken now at 12 noon. It was hot and contrasty and I had no recourse to lights and generators. There was haze on the horizon. I was sweating at the prospect of shooting something like this with no fill [...]
The woman eventually got up to go to the washroom. When she passed me, I saw the fat man had ample reason for vicarious enjoyment. She wore a suffocating tight pair of tiger skin leotards. A thong parted her generous hips. Her tank top ended provocatively short of her navel, and she swayed awkwardly, her baby tucked carelessly under an arm. The fat man loved the exhilarating parade, couldn’t control himself. The moment she disappeared into the washroom, he clapped and laughed gutturally, tears rolling down his lecherous cheeks. He cupped both hands into a hollow and looked at me meaningfully, hinting at a pair of something. What something? A pair of eyes, ears, tits, or cheeks? What? Cheeks, he clarified later. [...]
Driving to Srinagar is an exhilarating experience. Provided you are ready to face the minor hardships Indian road-trips impose upon you. To enter the valley of Kashmir one has to scale the rugged mountains which encircle the valley from all sides. The Banihal pass is an engineering marvel built by the British. It is a long tunnel and unlike the modern day tunnels on Mumbai-Pune expressway which are spacious and well lit, this one makes you feel claustrophobic. As you reach the end of the tunnel, the eyes which have quickly accustomed to the long drive through the darkness suddenly find the light at the end of the tunnel bright and dazzling. In a metaphorical way I can say the light is divine as it ushers you in the valley – the paradise on earth. [...]
In the last three days we had scanned most of the valley – Kupawara, Baramulla, Sopore & Pahalgam. We did find a location that would suit our script; let’s see if it materialises. have just returned from Pahalgam. It was raining the whole day and Pahalgam was wet and looked beautiful as the clouds loured over [...]
I had written a lovely touching script called ‘A night of redemption’ to be my thesis film before i stumbled on ‘Devil’s Advocaat’. A night of redemption was a story of a prostitute who nourished a dream of finding real love and was set free by a man who didn’t mean anything to her. [...]
