Passage to India

The Italian echoes the emotion shared by the latest crop of international talent that is looking at Bollywood as a lucrative industry to work in. In return,Indian filmmakers too,are keen to employ their skills in key areas to add value to their films. From Prakash Jha who has worked with American music composer Wayne Sharpe in his last three films including Raajneeti to Dibakar Banerjee’s edgy Love Sex Aur Dhokha which made Greek cinematographer Nicos Andritsakis famous in India,or forthcoming films like Aamir Khan Productions’ Delhi Belly where Jason West is the director of photography and Robot which gives credit to at least half a dozen international technicians for action,choreography and special effects,the Indian film industry is ready to absorb international talent.

Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia,who co-wrote Parzania with David Donihue and has worked with British cinematographer Jamie Fowlds in Mumbai Cutting and more recently in Lamhaa,believes that a non-Indian often brings a more neutral perspective to the landscape and story. “Apart from the talent he brought to the table,Jamie could also view Kashmir in a different light. He looked beyond the beauty to see a place where action is spontaneous,the perfect picture of present-day Kashmir,” says the director.

However,the decision to employ a foreigner,especially a talent from the West,arises from the requirement of the film’s treatment,Banerjee asserts. “The camerawork in LSD was unlike other films’ and required an experienced cinematographer who was willing to experiment,” the director explains. Shankar,director of Robot stresses that since the film is a state-of-the-art film at par with international science fiction films like Avatar,hiring international technicians was not a matter of choice. Dholakia adds that a story that probably takes root in Indian hinterland may require local talent instead.

It may,however,seem ironic that the technicians,many with an established career in the West,should opt to take up Indian projects given that the industry,though popular,is not known for its technical proficiency or for valuing those who work behind the scenes. Fowlds accepts that the shooting schedules are often gruelling but the way Bollywood functions allows him “the space to experiment”. “Filmmaking in the West can be rigid in certain ways but India offers you the flexibility. I got a chance to experiment with my camera work in Lamhaa,which was well-received,” says the cinematographer who has made India his home over the last three years.

Sharpe adds that in his case,it is the challenge of fusing Western and Indian music to suit Indian sensibilities that draws him here. “Now,the background music is becoming more important to both the directors as well as the audience. There is more thought,time,and budget being put into how the background score can affect the emotional content and story of the film.”

But it isn’t always a smooth transition for either parties and food habits and communication are the most commonly-faced problems. “Communication between the gaffer and the cinematographer is very important. But Indian gaffers may not always belong to the affluent class,” Banerjee points out,adding that he was lucky to have a young team at hand who understood English. Dholakia recounts that there were times when the over-six-feet frame of a white guy roaming the streets of Kashmir backfired. “We were to shoot at Jama Masjid and the security cover refused to take responsibility for Jamie. We had to take the risk and go without a security cover,” he says.

While people like Sharpe and Pecorini are considering making Mumbai their second home “if this wave of new age cinema continues for long”,Fowlds already lives in the city’s Bandra suburb and leads the Indian life. “All I wish now is that the union would allow me to become a member of the cinematographers’ association,” he hopes.