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Masterclasses at Irani cafes Ritesh Batra’s latest project, Poetic License, brings professionals and Irani cafes together. By Ekta Mohta

YOU DON’T GO to the heat. About 30 of us fan out, first floor of New Excelsior amphitheatre style, around Cafe, in , without a the two. While drinking a sweetheart. High partitions sherbet-coloured Irani chai, divide each table, while Sircar answers our questions, obligingly unseeing waiters a privilege he hasn’t given serve couples playing nookie. even to some journalists. The Irani cafes do their bit for first one is on Bachchan’s romantic philanthropy every perfectly oval Bengali accent day — especially for those in Piku. “Mr Bachchan is with light pockets. There anyway half-Bong, since he’s are only about 17 such cafes married to one,” says Sircar. remaining in Mumbai, so don’t “He's lived in for we owe it to the city to make seven years. In the 1970s and script. All your questions will previous film, , [Kashyap] knows this.” An sure they never close? 1980s, he worked with a lot be answered.'” Sircar says, “Madras Cafe hour later, the two wind up Ritesh Batra was making of Bengalis, such as Hrishida. On some of the film’s most didn’t release in Tamil Nadu, and pose for photographs. when Bastani, Utpal Dutt was a good friend, difficult scenes, Sircar speaks but the highest DVD sales Sircar leaves in his car; Batra in Dhobi Talao, shut down and so was Rabi Ghosh. Plus, he of the road trip the trio take are over there. I cheated takes the train. Merwan, in Grant Road, was has a fascination about being and the drawing room, everybody, because I didn’t Adi Mazkoori, owner about to shut down. “Irani a Bong. For Deepika, I asked where the first half of the film show the script to anybody. I of Excelsior, talks to me cafes are the city’s cultural her to watch Konkona [Sen is shot. “We shot in , didn’t take permissions from about letting his space be spaces, and not just cafes,” Sharma].” on a highway that stretched anyone. When you make used for Poetic License, he says. In an attempt to On directing the very for 25 kilometres. The actors a film that doesn’t release “My association with make them relevant again, different actors, he says, were constantly asking what for seven years [Sircar’s started 30 years ago, when I he started Poetic License, “Most of the job was made it would be like, because they Shoebite is still unreleased], was planning to make a film in which he talks to people easy with Mr Bachchan. He didn’t want too many people you’re not scared of anything with Mithun Chakraborty from the film industry at an has so much precision in around. The bigger challenge afterwards. I can’t tell you and Jaya Prada. At that Irani cafe. So far, he’s held terms of timing. When Mr was with the drawing room how painful it is. Anurag time, directors used to walk sessions at Kyani, in Marine Bachchan does his scenes, in Delhi. We created a set in with 15 chamchas. If they Lines, with film director it’s a sight to watch. We’ve Tulip Star hotel, in Juhu. The had money, they would Sharat Katariya and actor sometimes even recorded his difficult thing was where to become directors. But, look Radhika Apte; at Excelsior rehearsals. Irrfan does this place the camera, because at Shoojit and Ritesh. They with casting directors Atul bizarre thing. He’s mugged every take would be different. are real intellectuals.” Then,

Mongia and Seher Latif; and the script. He’s got the lines Sometimes, cameras also From top: Ritesh Batra and he gives Batra the sweetest at Merwan, with Farah Khan in his veins, his blood. This bother actors.” at Excelsior; compliment a Parsi can give Nawazuddin Siddiqui and and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. is one film in which Deepika When someone asks him Farah Khan at Merwan — “He’s a Punjabi but talks “We hold these sessions had to throw away a lot how he got away with his like a Parsi.” When I ask Batra when it’s a slow time for the of baggage. And, she was later on why he is actually cafe. We’re also creating an ready for it. She’s a very doing this, I think he quotes app that has the history of the spontaneous actress. They The Secret to me, “Whenever cafes and will tell you what’s are three different schools. you give something out in the great to eat,” says Batra. My theatre technique and world, you get back manifold. I attend the latest one at discipline helped a lot. We You have to find the time to Excelsior, with Shoojit Sircar, used to do a lot of rehearsals, give something to the world. director of Piku, which starred but take only ten minutes for And, the universe will give , Deepika a take. I had only one brief back to you.” If this helps in Padukone and . for them — ‘Before you go keeping Irani cafes humming The light aroma of baking to bed, just read one page of in this city, it’s definitely mingles with the heavy the script. Keep reading the worth a shot.

44 JUNE 2015 • MW

FOB - Poetic License.indd 44 04/06/15 11:17 AM