The Hat Tree

From PhalkeFactory

'The story in bengali'


The Idea of the story came to me after coming back from nashik workshop. I started conceptualizing and plotting it during the Baroda work shop. After discussing with various participants, it grew, but all in my mind as a story to be narrated orally.

Now I am in a process to write it down and let it branch itself in the process it self.

I hare by just put the concept of the story as an Out line.

I will be writing in Bengali scripture, and it seems to be like a story in successive parts as I am busy in my other projects in FTII. Every time I write some pages I put in online and it grows with time.


Outline or plot of the story.


1911:

DadaSaheb is getting cured from his Blindness.

He walks down the Seaside and first time watches the film' Life and time of christ".

and the magic takes place.

he sees sri Krishna , Rama, Ayodhya, Mathura in front of his eyes. He decides to make films to set his Gods and godesses alive From the still images . With all his determination he manages to gather information about filmmaking. and finally with overcoming lot of hurdle arranges the money to go to England and to buy necessary equipments.

Dada Arrives in London. He meets lot of people some helping him some diverting him in different ways. DadaSaheb remains firm in is determination and visit places , sees varior equipments,and finaaly books all necessary things like camera, projector and raw stock. And with the help of his friend managed to have some hand on filming experience also.

During his stay in london one thing he was fascinated by were the Hats of the British men and women . Different people wearing different kinds of hats all around. He felt like having one. He could well find the hat like of Magicians wearing during his magic lessons in Baroda days.

He buys a hat like that.

Dada saheb returns back home after a month stay in England. His shipment also arrived in Bombay port with all the equipments.

Dada Had to go to Nashik as He has to purify ( prayaschit) him self and the Equipments as it has come from the different land crossing the sea.

On the way to Nashik one has to Cross the godavari river. Those days there were boats to cross the people.

Dada reaches the ghat waiting for his boat along with his friend and equipments. For some childish reason Dada was wearing the cap to see how people of his own village react to his new get up .Some do reacted with surprise after they recognized him late. Dad was excited and enjoying it fully.

In the nearby jungle a huge cacophony was heard. Like millions of crow shouting aloud. Dad got curious. There was no sign of boat yet. He asked his friend to wait for him as he goes to see what’s happening inside the jungle.

As he approached more inside the jungle he sees large number of crows flying over head and shouting. He comes in front of a huge Banyan tree. The tree was like one of it’s kind. Widespread in branches and its root was spread all around. There were millions of crows on the branches of it. Dada went a bit more ahead and notices a crow child fallen on the shaded leaves of the tree from the top. As he approached to hold it to put it back, crows got scared and attacked him together. Dada ran to save himself, and finally managed to come away with lot of effort.

Dada came back to the ghat with dirt and leaves on the clothes and panting vigorously, and discovers that he has dropped his hat while saving himself from the crows…!!

The boat was waiting in the ghat as equipments were being put on it by the porters.

Time flies …

Dada saheb has made the first indigenous Indian film ‘Raja Harish Chandra’ after many effort and hard work day and night with the help of his wife and fellow friends. The worked for six months day and night shooting, developing, making sets, casting and printing them.

After huge success of Raja Harish Chandra, Dad made two more films successively;’ Mohini Bhasmasur “and “Savitri Satyavan” .

Thus Dada Saheb laid the foundation of Indian film Industry. His films were invited and screened many parts of the world as fist indigenous Indian film. His popularity grew and spread outside India.


1914

Dad Saheb is invited to England to show his film and talk about his journey, experience and thoughts in the different aspect of filmmaking.

With his honest determination and firm vision his ideas and thoughts were very much appreciated along with his films.

Once while moving in the city with one of his friend he came across a hat shop in Piccadilly Circus. Dada remembered the early incidence years back of the hat. Tells his friend and with great pleasure buys another one more like the earlier one.

The First World War was in advent.

Dada sailed back home. Indian was in panic of the forthcoming war.

Dada’s Financers were in panic too and started putting less interest in the Filmmaking business.

Dada was anxious about it. He was thinking about the hardship of the future as he was traveling. Coming to Bombay he immediately starts fro Nashik. To meet and talk to the Financers.

He was alone going back to his home town to meet his family.

The only thing he had with him is the new hat. Packed in is hand.

Dada reaches the ghat of Godavari.

There was already a boat waiting for people.

It was a crowded day in the ghat.

Dada was about to get into the boat and suddenly he hears with strange feeling the same cacophony in the nearby jungle ….

Dada could not hold his excitement of the magic of nature …It was like the mirror of time suddenly unfolding and reflecting the same situation.

He came down from the boat like in a spell. And followed the cacao phony. The place has changed much after 2-3 years. But has the same kind of a feel still remained .

Dada came near the same tree. It was something unbelievable for him to be here once again … Millions of crows again in the sky and in the branches. Shouting aloud.

Dada could not stop himself going forward …..!!

But surprisingly not a single crow attacked him …..!!

He approaches further ….!!

And find the whole nest fallen on the roots of the tree with a crow child in it …!!

Dada went ahead and picks the nest up..!!

With great wonder he notices the nest ….!!

It was made from the hat that he has lost years back …..!!

Weathered quiet a much but can be identified with ease…!!

Dada was thrilled…!!

He looks up in the trees ….!! Lots of nest high in the branches …!!

Those crows are watching him and making some kind of a weird sound …!!

Dada was thinking what to do next …it was not possible for him to climb up high and mount the nest back ….!!

flash of an Idea..!!

Dada keeps the Nest down on the leaves ….!!

Takes out the new hat he was carrying with him….!!

And puts it beside the nest…!!


Dada was on the boat towards Nashik….…

He had a tough time ahead convincing his financers to continue without panic…!!

The next film he is going to make is already developed in his mind …!!

He was thinking about “Sri Krishna Janam”…On the ghats of Nashik…!