Patol Babu, Film Star (Notes 2017)

Introduction:

‘Patol Babu: Film Star’ is a story of an endless struggle of an old enthusiast actor who is approached for a small role in a movie of a very famous director. Though the role is small, Patol Babu, for whom acting is passion, gives his best, but in the end he realizes that though cinema or movies are all about money, it is hollow as people working there do not carry the same passion that Patol Babu has.

About the author: Satyajit Ray

Satyajit Ray is the first Indian to receive The Academy Awards for his contribution to the world cinema. He is the winner of several National and State Level movie awards. He was the writer, the director, the producer and has given the best gems in terms of movies to Indian cinema. His noted works are Pather Panchali, Charulata, Apur Sansar, Aparajito, etc.

Synopsis:

Patol Babu was a 50+ years old man who is an actor by passion and was very famous in his town for acting in funfair, society functions, etc. The love for acting didn’t let him settle financially as he kept on changing various jobs, but he didn’t give up. Once he was approached for a role in movie to which he got agreed. The excited Patol went to the venue before time and observes the hard work behind movie making. Later her realized that he had to say only one word “Oh!” and that made him lose his temper and feel insulted. But he remembers the words of his master Gogon Pakrakshi that any role, big or small, should be done with complete passion. He did the same and performed his part with fantastic performance. Though he was in the need of money, he didn’t take the money as he felt that money is nothing compared to the satisfaction of the job we do.

Question – Answers:

1)            Acting was Patol Babu’s passion. Explain.

Patol Babu had a real passion for stage. In jatras, in amateur theatrical, in neighbourhood clubs, he was always in demand. On many occasions, his name would appear on the handbill and pamphlets. There were times when people purchased ticket especially to see him perform. His struggle of getting a settled job could also be seen as a failure as he was more interested in acting. He is seen so happy to get the role in movie that he mixes up the shopping list. Though he was given a minor role of saying only one word “Oh”, he rehearses it for a number of times to reach the perfection. He also gives inputs to Barren Mullick, the director. In the end, he doesn’t wait to take money because he knows that satisfaction is more than earning money.

2)            Patol Babu’s life was an endless struggle. Do you agree with this statement? Why?

Yes, I agree that Patol Babu’s life is an endless struggle. Though a passionate stage actor, he worked at a Railway Factory. He was then offered a nigh paid clerical post by Hudson and Kimberley. When everything was going in his fate’s favour, he lost his job due to sudden retrenchment due to the war. For survival he opened a variety story that he had to wind up in five years. He also joined a Bengali firm but left due to his boss’s unbearable authoritarian attitude. A decade he worked as an insurance salesperson. Of late he had been paying regular visits to a small establishment dealing in scrap iron where a cousin of his has promised him a job.

3)            Who is Nishikanto Ghosh? What brings him to Patol Babu?

Nishikanto Ghosh is Patol Babu’s neighbour in Nepal Bhattacharji Lane. Nishikanto’s brother-in-law, who was working in film production department, was in search for the actor for a small role in a film. The description of the actor reminded Nishikanto of Patol Babu. Nishikanto suggested him Patol Babu’s name. Thus, Nishiknato came to tell Patol Babu about this.

4)            ‘Counting your chickens again before they are hatched, are you? No wonder you could never make a go of it.” Who said this and to whom? Why does the speaker say so?

Patol Babu’s wife says this Patol Babu. Patol Babu is very excited to get a role in a movie. He shares the same with his wife. He remembers his days of struggle and glory as a stage actor. He looks at this movie role as a first step that would help in rise to fame and fortune.

Patol Babu’s wife seems a practical woman. She says so to make Patol understand that his dream is still a dream.

5)            Describe the scene at Faraday house before the start of the shooting.

As instructed, Patol Babus reached Faraday House before time. The road was crowded with people, two-three cars, and a bus carrying shooting equipments. Crowd was curiously looking at the camera on the tripod and on the crane.

6)            Why does Patol Babu feel uncomfortable when he reaches the venue?

Patol Babu was asked to wear a woolen jacket for the role. It was summer. He felt sweating and was uncomfortable. But moreover, he was uncomfortable because he was not familiar with any person working on the film set. He knew Naresh Dutta, but Naresh Dutt too was not to be seen. When he met Naresh Dutt, he called Patol as ‘Atul Babu’, and Patol Babu had to remind him his real name i.e. Sitalaknato Ray. People were too busy to entertain him. For his dialogue, he was sent from Naresh to Jyoti to Sisanko. Also, the entire movie making experience was new for him. That is why he felt uncomfortable initially at the movie set.

7)            Who was Chanchal Kumar? How did Patol Babu describe Chanchal Kumar?

Chanchal Kumar was the famous movie actor. Patol Babu knew the other day Koti Babu was talking about the same actor. For the scene shoot, Chanchal Kumar was put a lot of makeup and was wearing a Panjabi Dhoti. Patol Babu imagined Chanchal wearing a Bengali Dhoti and a peacock to sit on would make him look more like God Kartik. For Patol Babu, Chanchal Kumar was like his friend Montosh (also known as Chinu) who used to play female part at plays.

8)            Patol Babu is given only one word to say, and that is, “Oh” and he is not happy with the treatment given to him. But Sosanko convinces Patol Babu. How?

Patol Babu thought that he was made an object of fun on the movie set when he was given only one word to say. Sosanko told Patol Babu that he should feel lucky because he was working in a Barren Mulick film. Hundreds of people were there in the crowd, who would hardly be noticed and had nothing to say in the movie. Even the superstar Chanchal Kumar had nothing to say in that day’s movie shoot. That was the day only Patol Babu was given dialogue. That made Patol Babu convinced of his part in the day’s shoots.

9)            What are the thoughts that come to angry Patol Babu’s mind when he comes to know about his dialogue?

When Patol Babu came to know that he had been given only a word as a dialogue, he felt a sudden throbbing in his head. He thought that people there were pulling his leg and were playing a gigantic hoax. He thought that they were making him a laughing stock in front of the entire crowd.

10)         Who is Gogon Pakrashi? Why is he important in changing Patol Babu’s way of thinking about the small dialogue, “Oh”?

Gogon Pakrashi was Patol Babu’s mentor, a wonderful actor and a saintly person for Patol Babu. When Patol Babu felt that his role in the movie wasn’t worth his dignity, he remembered Gogon’s encouraging words that a true actor shouldn’t consider any role below his dignity. Each and every word given to an actor has its own meaning and an actor has to convey the meaning to the audience through his act. Patol Babu realized that though he had got only one work ‘Oh’, he had to give his best even for this short role.

11)         What different discoveries about the word “Oh” does Patol Babu do?

Patol Babu reminds himself the encouraging words of his mentor Gogon Pakrashi that no work or the role should be considered below the dignity. Patol Babu who earlier found the dialogue ‘OH’ given to him unimportant, now realizes that there is treasure of emotions hidden in this monosyllable word. The same word OH can give different meaning to ones expressions with said with different tone, intonations and stress. Patol Babu realizes that he can write an entire thesis on this word.

12)         How does Patol Babu prepare himself for the scene?

The words by Gogon Pakrashi makes Patol Babu realize the importance of dedication and sincerity in doing a small or big role. Patol Babu thinks of giving his best in the scene. He goes near the building where most of the shops were closed and starts practicing for his scene while looking in the glass window. He also does a little calculation of the steps he and Chanchal Kumar have to walk. He realizes that he has to walk a bit faster to reach the spot where he has to collide with Chanchal Kumar. He decides to express fifty parts of anguish and fifty parts of surprise and pain. He also suggests Barren Mullick to give his character a newspaper to make the scene look more lively and real. He suggests rehearsal too, but the suggestion is denied by the director as they have to shoot the scene as early as possible in the natural light.

13)         What are the reactions of the people around when Patol Babu performs his scene?

Patol Babu performs the scene with dedication and sincerity. People praised him a lot. Barren Mullick calls him ‘quite an actor’. Chanchal Kumar praises Patol Babu for his fantastic timing of collision.