Viewfinder: Palekar's memoirs capture his story, a bygone Bollywood era

Viewfinder: A Memoir

Author: Amol Palekar

Publisher: Westland

Pages: 332   

Price: Rs 999

  At a time when there were no monitors to preview shots, directors would use viewfinders to determine the dimensions of the frame, the lens required for the camera and the angle from which to shoot. Celebrated actor, director and producer Amol Palekar decided to name his recent memoir after the director’s viewfinder, a gift from Hrishikesh Mukherjee — who, in turn, had received it from Bimal Roy. To Palekar, the viewfinder symbolises a kind of legacy that was being passed from one to the other. It is through this same viewfinder that he shares the distilled memories and experiences of his eight-decade journey that encompasses art, theatre and cinema.

 

Palekar believes that it was a series of serendipitous accidents that led him through most of his life. Few probably know that he began as a painter, graduating from Sir J J School of Art in 1967. Thereafter, he did advertising agency assignments for a while, and later landed a job at the Bank of India. A chance encounter with thespian Satyadev Dubey at the age of 23 led him to theatre. While dabbling in experimental theatre, he gradually began getting film offers. His refreshing “boy next door” image charmed audiences, and he was soon established as a successful star in Hindi cinema. Thereafter, he transitioned to direction, exploring complex themes in his thought-provoking films. It was also around this time that he met Sandhya Gokhale, his second wife.

 

In his candid memoir, Palekar offers several anecdotes. His rebellious nature and nonconformist attitude distinguish him from others. According to Palekar, his first act of resistance was marrying Chitra Murdeshwar, his first wife, despite fierce opposition from his mother. In the first chapter, he addresses the precarious state of artists in the country. He confesses that he has filed three public interest litigations so far in the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court against censorship. “Freedom of expression is being systematically restricted to disseminate anti-Muslim hatred and promote the Hindutva agenda,” he writes.

 

In the past, even though Palekar received offers to join the Congress and the Shiv Sena, he declined – primarily because of his belief that independence from politics is crucial when it comes to questioning the system. “Are we really willing to sacrifice our dignity for a few assignments, grants, donations, houses under artistes’ quota, committee memberships and other accolades?” he asks. 

 

Along the way, Palekar shares reflections on various important people in his life. He describes Dubey, whom he considers his guru and mentor, as a “tough autocrat”. He then talks about the special bond that he shares with Basu Chatterjee, with whom he went onto do six “simple, minimalistic” hit films, including Rajnigandha, Chhoti Si Baat, Chitchor, Do Ladke Dono Kadke, Baton Baton Mein  and Apne Paraye.

 

Another legendary figure whom Palekar shared a close professional and personal bond with was Hrishikesh Mukherjee, with whom he completed a spate of blockbuster films, such as Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Rang Birangi and Jhoothi — remembered mostly for their straightforward storytelling. This was followed by other notable films in his illustrious career, such as Spandan and Ashray by Biplab Roy Chowdhury, and Aadmi Aur Aurat by Tapan Sinha.

 

The decade from 1971 to 1982 was perhaps Palekar’s peak, during which he managed to juggle a nine-to-five job with art exhibitions, theatre shows and a steady flow of films. “I wore many hats: of an actor, producer, director and a devoted family man,” he writes. Few people probably know that it was during this time that Palekar took the bold decision of resigning from his banking career.

 

Palekar spends a lot of time making technical observations on the art of theatre as well as meticulously details the methods he used when directing various plays over the years. “It is an open secret that awards are often managed through agents and secured by reciprocal favours and even dubious transactions,” he writes. It is no surprise, then, that despite half a century of active work in three fields of the performing and visual arts, Palekar has never received a single award from the government — something that he proudly wears as a “badge of honour” to his unyielding spirit.

 

His career also reflects his passion for autonomy — never typecasting himself, always opting for unconventional routes and never shying away from taking risks. At a time when most big stars routinely worked two shifts a day, Palekar decided to do only one eight-hour shift, working on only one film at a time. An industry outsider, Palekar rarely attended premieres or parties or followed social protocol. Like many of his contemporaries, he never buttered up producers to secure roles or sent gift boxes to distributors. Nor did he ever appoint an agent or secretary to promote his public images or lobby for new opportunities.

 

In fact, Palekar even filed a lawsuit against celebrated director and producer B R Chopra when the latter did not pay him unpaid dues worth Rs 40,000. “It wasn’t about the money, but about my work ethic and dignity,” he explains. Thirty years later, Palekar won the case, receiving five times the amount with interest, which he donated to charity.

 

Palekar has also infused the book with some of his lovely coloured sketches. Apart from many photographs, the book also has QR codes connected to various posters, films and audio-visual recordings. In a sense, the book captures not only Palekar’s interesting story, but also truly brings alive a timeless bygone era in Bollywood.

 

The reviewer is a freelance writer based in New Delhi