Good god. Can you imagine making a film and being responsible for the characters almost 20 years after you have made it ?
I cannot count the number of times that people have stopped me on the streets , and now asked me on twitter or on my blog “why did the little girl Tina have to die ?”
So here is the truth finally. After all these years. I got cold feet !
There is always a thin line between farce and fantasy. I was having so much fun shooting the characters of Mr India, with such fine actors, that I thought the film would be turning into a farce. And films like Mr India cannot turn into a farce, they must be like a fantasy that makes you believe in what is happening, or there will be a rejection from the audience, specially from Children. There is a sense of emotional involvement and believability that rides through the film.
I looked at Mr India and realized that somehow I had to bring the film back to the ground. Earth it, in a way, so people stay connected to the film in their hearts, and not just in their minds. If it turned into a farce, the film would just pass by.
So I am afraid I committed the crime of killing Tina. Of course I gave the blame to Mogambo, but I was the guilty one.
And the scene where Tina is in her coffin and all the kids come and kiss her one by one and lay flowers on her body ? Umm … another confession to make. Little Tina could not help laughing all the time. It was so strange to see the beautiful little girl in a tiny coffin in the graveyard we were shooting the film in – just burst into peals of laughter every time someone lay a flower over her.
So we decided to wait till she went to sleep. But of course she would not comply. And with the light getting darker and the producer screaming on my back. I asked her mother what would put her to sleep. What do you give kids to put them to sleep ?
And yes, I confess, her mother and I gave her a tiny spoonful of that. And Tina went peacefully to sleep. And something strange happened.
Each kid coming to put a flower on on her, looking like sleeping beauty, but in tiny coffin broke down. Not acting, but in real. Some of them started to sob. The Sri Devi started to sob, as did other crew members. And I must admit a let e few tears roll by. There was something about how beautiful and serene little Tina was looking in that tiny coffin that just affected us all on that day.
If Tina had woken up and seen us all crying that day, she would have just broken into peels of laughter.
oooooooooooo that frame changed flow of Mr. india twitter @jmsajid
Mr. Kapoor who was Tina in your movie Mr. India??
Wonder what lovely little Tina is doing nowadays???
Mr. Kapur
Please make a sequel to Mr. India with Ranbir Kapoor & Anushka Sharma in lead role, having a global theme in a story.
Vinayak
You are right, it did give the movie a ‘real‘ feel to it because i remember around the same time as this movie release, new delhi started it‘s tryst with terrorism, and one of the first acts of that cowardly act was a bomb blast at a young girl‘s birthday party in a house in G.K. I was 8 yrs old and the innocent me thought that Tina was that girl
I can NEVER forget that blast or that scene. The association is too strong (deep) in my mind. Oh! and I didn‘t celebrate my birthday that year in remembrance.
Little Tina’s death did earth the film i agree Shekhar..
Whenever any of our friends remember Mr. India…we all stop at the point….oh remember when Tina dies!!! And then there is a choking silence…i think Tina’s death is the most momentous death in our recent cinema…Anil Bhaaaiyaaaa….
Reading this got me teary…but sir…seriously am surprised that we do not have more such directors in India…I see a few every now and then but I guess u were the only 1 then…kuddos!
I have always been a movie buff and I guess have watched almost every movie out there released in last 20 years including the lesser know parallel fare and even the b-grade with equal delight and till date the death of ‘Tina’ remains one of the most moving scenes captured on screen. I remember having asked a question about the whereabouts of Tina and the little Mini from Masoom in comments on one of the earlier posts.
Thanks a ton for the revelation and this little story here about the scene. If my memory serves me right, I remember in one of your TV interviews you shared the story about how you gave her a huge page of dialog to deliver when you wanted her to cry in that scene where the kids go hungry. (I hope I am quoting the right context). Please do share more stories from the film.
Yesterday only i watched Mr. India. Your imagination regarding Tina was spot on. After watching movie i had a deep thought that in our country we have all sort of problems (even more & updated one) as in the movie of Mr. India. Just imagining what could have happened if problem solvers like Mr. India exist now-a-days. However, enjoyed the movie and pseudo-presence of Mr. India.
Last night on Zee Cinema they were showing Mr India and when I got to it they were showing that lovely song, “Zindagi ki yahi reet hai…” and then immediately I switched channels– no I do not want to see her die again. It is like a frozen moment and
God knows in real life one has lived this often enough and yet…
And I remember asking you here long ago, why did you kill her?
Will try and remember the laughter peals. I truly hope she had a wonderful life for all the dua coming her way.
Thanks for sharing.
scary to think a mother would drug her child for a film shoot and that a director would go along
Beautiful. It is amazing to see what all goes down to make a film come alive. And I must confess, I’ve given my son benedryl to knock him off on a 24 hour flight to India. I told his doctor, ” Please give him something to sleep, or he will be miserable and so will the passengers around me” He slept throughout. baby was happy, mom was happy, the rest of the passengers happy.
I did shed a whole lot of tears when Tina died. But that was the turning point of the movie.
Yeah Little Tina’s death is what one remembersmost, I liken it to Beth dying in Little Women, some dealths are bitter sweet….what does Tina do now, how does she look I wonder..
what was the real name of Tina? What she is doing these days?