To Sir, with Love

Until one afternoon of July’ 2007, when I was sitting in the lobby of Synergy Adlabs waiting to be interviewed for the post of an Asst Director; “Ravi Baswani” for me was just a face of an actor. I did not even know that the name of that face was ‘Ravi Baswani’!

After having spent fifteen minutes with him that afternoon- where he interviewed me- he being the Director of the show- I knew i 'HAD' to work with him.

After having worked with him as his assistant director on the said tele serial that he was directing I realized the vast knowledge and wisdom i could gain from the man and in that process of learning over the last 3 years, the man became my teacher, my guardian angel, my friend, my family and all of this, mind you, without any explicit emotional expression or distinctive declaration. I became a regular at his house where i would borrow books from his collection and see films he had collected often guided by him.

In the process I discovered that I was merely one of the many dreamers/ struggler's/ prospective film makers, actors, technicians etc who felt the way I did. All of these individuals were at various stages under his mentor-ship. This list of individuals had on them, names of film makers and technicians who had made it as big as getting nominated for an Oscar to some who had mastered the art of corrupting cinema and lives to some who simply gave up mid way to some who had nothing to do with film making but whose lives Mr. Baswani had touched, cured and blessed. All of them had stayed for prolonged period of time at Ravi Sir’s place, had read the books he gave them, saw the films he asked them to and followed him like a shadow in their primitive years.

His flat housed in Nityanand building in Mumbai’s andheri suburb was a melting pot of creative activity, a hub for learning, experimenting and even unwinding your frustrations!

I had named it “The Nityanand School of film learning”. There has been something purely healthy and motivating about that place which makes you want to complete that stuck up script of yours or watch that film you have been wanting to see or read that book you could not make sense off. The house also had a board outside that claimed “food is available 24*7”. Apart from food which is unanimously accepted as the worlds’ best dal-chawal prepared by his brother, all of us strugglers- even those who had moved on- to this day wonder how tea in the thermos and old monk in the glass jar never ran out no matter how many people landed up to drink and eat!

For the world he was an actor…. may be even a failed actor who could not sustain what started out as a promising career; but to all of us who were privileged and blessed to know him, he was our “Ravi sir” whose authority was never imposed on us but was always felt… who never asked us for anything but only gave… a guardian who tactfully knew how to handle each one of us in a unique way making each one of us believe that we were closest to him and he to us…and while he was all of this he was also what I called “the oldest child I had ever known!!”

That twinkle in the eye or that mischievous grin from behind the walrus mustache would unnerve the most confidant of high profiles!

It used to be a trip to accompany him for film trials, premiers or any such, “Oh so proper events”, for he would invariably say out loud, what was on everyone’s mind but none had the face or sincerity to say it, only he did!! I felt very strongly that his sincerity and boldness was also a reason why he did only 30 films as an actor in a career spanning 30 years despite being an inspiration to the likes of Naseerudin Shah and himself being an artist who understood the nuances of a performance and the grammar of its delivery. His ability was supreme but what were even more superior were his values that did not give him the luxury to compromise.

Starring one evening at the filmfare trophy that stood on a corner table in his flat I once asked him why there were not more of this or its likes, he looked into my eyes and answered very matter of factly,

“Amey, it’s the choices we make that determine where we head to. I made mine and here I am, others made theirs and there they are. I can’t speak for them but I am one hell of a satisfied man, cheers!”

I believe when you give that much dignity to life; death repays you by delivering you with that dignity. He passed away on the 27^th of July’2010 while he was in Nainital doing a tech recce for a film he was supposed to direct. I had spoken to him a night before and I being the Associate Director on the film we discussed a whole lot of things that needed to be done and said our good nights. He was his usual energetic and naughty self. I never knew then that it would be the last time I would be speaking to my hero.

Next morning he announced that the team (He, an asst director, two production guys) needed to return to Delhi and like was the system, no one asked questions and plans were made to head back. On the way again it was he who insisted on stopping at a dispensary where he walked unaided and waited while the doctor was summoned. However before the doctor could come in and see the patient, the patient had seen what was coming for Ravi sir looked into the eyes of the assistant director-Sarthak- who had accompanied him from Delhi and whispered, “I am going, Take care” and he was gone.

I always used to ask him whenever he foresaw things as to how he did it. He would reply with that characteristic grin and twinkle in the eye, I am afraid I cannot ask him about this last one.

I miss you sir but knowing you I am sure wherever you are, you are a satisfied man and the people around you are having a ball.