Suresh (he, the one that got kissed by Cate Blanchett) laid out my favourite shirt. It’s a yellow shirt that does not fade, and crumples in a way that speaks of casualness and not shabbiness, and it’s so loose that I can slump around anywhere and it will hide my body posture. Plus every time I wear it people say “hey, you look great and so healthy”. As a director I know that is just the bright yellow reflecting on my skin to create an illusion.
So I save this particular shirt for special occasions.
Which it was not today. Just one of those days where I was going to drudge around complaining to myself about not believing in the scene I just wrote for Paani. I did not get goose flesh, I did not shed tears, I did not get angry, so just convinced myself that 50% of all great films too, are just connective tissue between moments of honesty,
So just as I was going to save the yellow shirt for a better occasion, I thought, perhaps it was placed there for a reason ? I mean why did Suresh pick this shirt. What did he know about the events of the day that I did not. Or maybe he did not. Maybe there was a special reason that yellow shirt lay there, staring at me, saying
“you have a Destiny today, wear me and you shall know it”.
Is there an event that calls me, and the yellow shirt a portal to a whole another experience that is already there ? A door that opens every moment in our lives and we either walk through it or not ? Can something as insignificant as the colour of the shirt you wear lead you to an existing experience, or am I causing it by thinking and believing in it. Whichever. I wore the yellow shirt.
No one thought I was looking great. They did not have to. I believed it. Optimism filled the air around me and I smiled. People looked around and thought “why is Shekhar Kapur smiling at us”. I sat and it suddenly came to me. Something I have been wanting to do for long. Very long.
I picked the phone and called my agent and said. I want to speak to Christoph Waltz, the amazing actor that won the Oscar for his performance in ‘Inglorious Basterds’. I must have sounded passionate, the kind of passion that comes from optimism and belief. And so that evening I spoke to Christoph and pitched him Paani. I told him the story and the world of Paani. I told him about the character I wanted him to play. And he said he loved it. And we decided to meet to see how we can work it out etc.
That evening I wrote the troubled scene in Paani. I had a great actor in mind so it suddenly got easier. Reluctantly I took off the shirt and put it the laundry at night. Maybe it will come back through the wash unexpectedly again, and I will walk through another portal !
‘break a blade of grass and you alter the universe” says a Buddhist saying. In this case it was “wear a yellow shirt”
shekhar
hahahaha…Serendipity!
Talking with self.
Thanks for sharing.
Today I was watching a local kannada news channel. There was a news that, people in Bijapur were furious over water supply. The reason was for weeks there was no water supplied to homes. When the public attacted the local water regulation body, they found out that there was water in the tank, but it was being supplied only to influential people like Politicians and Business men. You needed to have political influence to get water in the tap !!
Yellow my fav color, cheers me up every time i wear it.::)))
I believe it! And Christopher Waltz was…incredible in Inglorious Basterds. I canNOT wait to see him in Paani.
hey cud you wear that shirt n click a pic of yours n put it here! jus curious to see it 🙂
If your belief (or superstition) envelops you in optimism, smiles, passion, and towards positive action – enough to alter the universe – does it matter whether it is your ‘thinking and believing it’, or something beyond, that leads you to an existing experience?
beautiful post 🙂
had the same feel when i rediscovered an old forgotten favorite Tshirt a week ago – drove all over delhi in the heat to meet my friends with a smile splitting my face
Hi Shekhar,
This is great 🙂 Interestingly enough, the director I have been working with on a script was for a while entertaining the idea of casting Christoph for one of the leads before he righteously won an Academy Award… Watching his great acceptance speech we knew he had become untouchable for the budget we are working with, but I couldn’t be happier to learn you want him for Paani.
Christoph is a great actor and deserves a great director, so, just like that, yellow shirt or not, justice has been restored 🙂
g
SK, u must make Elizabeth 3 very soon…..that is the most beautiful period of queen’s life..
Liked it. possibly coz I could relate a similar story of mine to yours experience.
Maybe you should wear the yellow shirt in case of “Just one of those days where I was going to drudge around complaining to myself about not believing in the scene I just wrote for Paani .” So the film is going to be fantastic and special because of the meaning and of your believing.
And if it really matters if “Can something as insignificant as the colour of the shirt you wear lead you to an existing experience, or am I causing it by thinking and believing in it. ” go and ask Suresh ( who startet action by laying it out) because if it had a meaning to him or he knew something you woud not he will remember till now.
Beside it yellow symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness. People of high intellect favor yellow.
It´s the colour of the sun. I wish you a cheerful (sunny) disposition.
Janita
It? a grey, cloudy, cold day today, ice and snow over and over again.The chicken are running into my arms because they notice my voice, they listen to the sound of my steps and the snow under my feet,they are thirsty.They drink the warm water greedy. Then they huddle to each other in the stable for warmth.
I´m wearing my yellow shirt and smile because i think of Paani. How important it is to life.I wait patiently:-)