The Reel Memoirs

In the scrap book,Rangoonwala has four coloumns for the name of the movie,the date when he watched it,the venue or theatre,and a one-word review on the same. “I visit all the film festivals held at the National Film Archives of India,Film and Television Institute of India,Goa,Mumbai Academy of Moving Images and so on. And I immediately list them in my book after coming back,” says Rangoonwala who has listed films watched in theatres like Radio,Derby and Naaz to Inox and Gold Big Cinemas. His first listing dates back to August 3,1958 when he watched 24 Ghante at Swastik,Mumbai. He remembers reasons and events associated with his film-watching experiences. “I watched Ten Commandments to celebrate my first job as a clerk,” he recalls with a smile.

“My father directed two films which were never released. I was strongly discouraged to take up films as a career. But nobody could prevent me from writing them down as a memory,” he says. “Simply watching a film and then forgetting about it is just not done. A lot of hard work goes into each and every film which is released and which is not released. I list every kind of film that I come across,” he adds of his unusual hobby.

In his own way,Rangoonwala has witnessed five decades of change in the industry. “My first listing was done after watching a film for just three annas. My last film in a theatre was Buddha Hoga Tera Baap. I had to pay a hefty amount of Rs 300 for the same,” he adds. Rangoonwala has also listed films watched on television channels,VCRs and CDs. But about the television experience,he says,“A two-hour film is stretched to four hours. With the frequent advertisements,I lose my patience and the flow of the story!”

He prefers film festivals to any other medium these days. “The Film Culture Centre or the Kale Hall on the top floor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and the View Aspect Film Society of University of Pune have remained closed for the past 20 years. But I was lucky to attend film festivals there,” he says.

As he turns the pages of his scrapbook,Rangoonwala says he will continue listing movies till his last breath. “It is just the beginning of a memorable end,” he says. “When I flip through the pages,I can recall all the events associated with the films,” he says while describing it as a record of his life. From bunking school to watch Laila Majnu to passing an evening with Abohomaan at the FTII,the book has it all.