Bombay Talkie

- King-size typewriter. - Nice.

- T ook 25 days. - Wow.

The workers work day and night to get the job done.

Marvelous!

The girls dance on the keys of the typewriter.

What's this?

This is Hari, the writer of our film.

- The writer. How do you do? - Pleased to meet you.

This is Lucia Lane, the famous international novelist.

- Ah. Consenting Adults. - You read it?

Of course, who hasn't? Everyone is talking about it.

Aren't they great?

How do you do?

I want to introduce you to Vikram.

- This is Vikram, our star. - Our hero.

- This is Lucia Lane. - I've wanted to meet lndian actors.

- This is Dwarka, our director. - How do you do?

Are you an actress?

You must excuse him, he can't read.

Have you ever heard of Consenting Adults?

I saw it.

It was a book before it was a film. There are books as well as films.

People write them, you know? Write.

You have a fantastic set.

- We call it the fate machine. - What?

See... Typewriter keys represent the keys of life.

And we human beings dance on them.

And then when we dance, as we press down the keys of the machine,

the story that's written... is the story of our fate.

- (Lucia) It's very symbolic. - Thank you.

Maybe have a photograph over there? Please come.

Please ask the girls to move. Girls. Come on, here. There you are.

Hariji, please come.

Thank you.

- Can we go up there? - Yes, yes.

- May I help you? - OK.

Oh!

- Helenji? - Hariji?

Please come.

This is Miss Helen, our leading lady. This is Lucia Lane.

- How do you do? - Hello.

Right here?

- First visit to lndia? - Mm, yes.

Your book was about Hollywood, wasn't it?

Yes.

And now you've come here to write about our Bombay film world?

Perhaps. If I find it interesting enough.

Vikram... (speaks Hindi)

- (speaks Hindi) - (man speaks Hindi)

Excuse me.

Come on, let's... Let's move, let's move.

What sort of an actor is he?

Like all our Bombay actors.

All they want is to be popular at the box office.

Everything for the box office.

There's no pleasure in writing for people like that.

Well, I do it for a living, but...

my real life is writing poetry.

- I write poetic dramas. - Mm.

I'd like to show you my work one of these days,

if you'll let me read it to you.

Mm, that'd be nice.

Of course, I write in Hindi, but...

I could always translate it for you as we go along.

And explain what has to be explained.

I'd like that.

Come on, come on, let's go, let's go.

Yes. Quiet! Playback.

Action!

Well, he's anxious for his country, the welfare of his country,

Iike he would be for a beloved or a mistress.

It means, "Lest your feet should tread on thorns."

- What? - It means... No.

"Lest your lotus feet should tread on thorns."

See, my play is actually symbolic of present-day lndia.

I've used the court and the emperors

to be symbols of contemporary lndia.

- ln... - Can you help me?

Come on.

Thank you.

My main theme is that unless there is unity and integration,

we are going to suffer the same fate,

and subject ourselves to the same humiliation as under foreign conquest.

You're getting tired.

No, not at all, it's fascinating. Let's have another drink.

There are many contemporary references.

And even some caricatures of well-known figures of lndia today.

I don't spare the film world either.

You know, there are times when I feel that this world is a...

is a microcosm of the outer world,

with all its intrigues and corruption and overblown personalities.

- What's he like? - Who?

That actor.

What's his name? Vikram.

What's he like as a person?

He's very handsome.

That he is.

Come here. Come and sit down.

This is nice. I must get one of these.

It's from Lucknow. I'll get one for you.

Show me.

It's beautiful work.

- One day, I expect I'll have to sell it. - Are you poor?

I knowwhat that means.

My first husband... Ieft me stranded in New York without a cent.

- All alone? - Except I was pregnant.

Family in England wouldn't help either 'cause I'd eloped with him.

I was only 1 7. I didn't know a thing.

That's when I learned. I learned to be tough.

- You are not like that. - Oh, no?

No.

You are so tender, like a flower.

- Like a flower? - Like jasmine.

I even sang in a cabaret once. Couldn't sing and I had bad legs.

- No, you haven't. - I have. I have knobbly knees.

Your knees are lovely.

Hello, everybody. It's wonderful to see you all here tonight.

? I'll tell you of a vision...

I get so upset when all these people mess about with my lines.

- But we needed some pep in it. - Pep? Oh, God.

Anyway, who are you to say what is needed?

- Why is he always so angry? - It's a misunderstanding.

You know, he's like that, what is it called with that... with those speckles?

- Porcupine. - Yes. If you... if you touch him...

- You see, you get hurt. - I'm not one of them.

Oh, come on. Here, have a cigar.

- No, thank you. - See how nicely he's asking you.

Take it.

Now I want all of you to join me and say..

? Hari om tat sat

? Hari om tat sat

? Hari om tat sat

? Hari om tat sat

? Hari om tat sat

Come on.

? Hari om tat sat

? Hari om tat sat...

Something happens to me when I see him. It's his fault.

- What do you mean? - Oh, I don't know.

It's just him. Look at him.

Look at him!

I suppose I'm mad.

This is a good cigar. It makes me want to recite poetry. My poetry.

Oh, please.

The atmosphere is not congenial.

And now it's even less congenial. In fact, positively putrid.

Mr. Bevin Bose.

Ah, Mr. Bevin Bose.

- What an artist. - Thank you.

He makes you laugh and cry. Wonderful.

What dirty pictures are you making now?

Always joking. You are a first-rate comic, Hari.

May I take this chair?

I have only one ambition: that one day we shall work together.

The day you sign up with him, you will be finished as a star.

Great artists must always explore new horizons.

The spirit must soar like an eagle. Like an eagle.

I don't make your kind of movies.

What are the new frontiers in the cinema today?

- Sex is not bad, not crude. - Excuse me, please.

That's only the appeal of ignorant people.

Look at these foreign films and magazines. What do they show?

The human body in all its most beautiful forms and aspects.

It's a new religion.

They call it new, but of course in lndia we've had it for thousands of years.

What are our temple's sculptures but a hymn to sex?

In the past, we were in the forefront.

Come on.

- ? Hari om tat sat - (woman) Once again now!

? Hari om tat sat, hari om tat sat...

I'm a very selfish person. I've taken too much of your precious time.

- We'll meet again. - I don't think so.

You'll change your mind.

- He makes me feel so... - Slimy?

You knowwhat "Hari om tat sat" means,

and we've got to give it all our heart and soul.

- Ah! - Namaste.

- I saw your lovely film. - Thank you. My wife, Mala.

Lovely to meet you.

Yes, of course, it is a popular film, but it has such vigor, such...

- May I come and sit there? - Mm-hm.

- Consenting Adults. - Excuse me.

You mean you really liked it?

Yes. It was so heroic, if you knowwhat I mean.

It's given me such ideas. We must talk. You don't mind, do you?

I have an idea for a story.

This is nice. I like that. Did you get it here?

Well, it's not so easy to put into words just now.

It's not so much a story as a feeling struggling for expression.

Something very, very personal. But this is boring for you.

- Smells like a good cigar. - Would you like one?

- Yes, please. - Mm. Here you are.

- What about your story? - Darling, I think we must go now.

Is it... is it set in lndia?

Don't forget you have early shooting tomorrow, V.

Yes, it is. It's about a very famous Hollywood actress