patol babu short summary
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One morning, as Patol Babu was about to go out shopping, his neighbour, Nishikanto Ghosh, came to visit him. He told Patol Babu that his brother-in-law, who was in the film business, was looking for an actor and Nishikanto had suggested Patol Babu’s name. He also assured Patol Babu that he would be paid for the role. Patol Babu was taken by surprise because he had not expected to be given a chance at this age. But, Nishikanto knew that he had acted on stage when he was young and so suggested his name.
As he went on to buy provisions from the market, Patol Babu was excited and this made him mix up his wife’s shopping list. He was preoccupied with his thoughts about the days when his name brought people to see the plays and theatricals he acted in. He was passionate about acting. Back then, he had a good job in the railway factory in Kanchrapara. Later, he got a better job offer in Calcutta and moved here with his wife. All was well and Patol Babu was thinking about starting a club in the neighbourhood when he lost his job due to the war and its effects. After losing his job, Patol Babu had to face many difficulties to earn a livelihood. He tried various things, like opening a variety store and working as an insurance agent in order to survive. In his day-to-day struggles, Patol Babu forgot about his acting talent, but at times he would recall lines that he had learnt for his acting.
Naresh Dutt arrived at Patol Babu’s house and offered him a small part in a film. The role was of an absent-minded, short-tempered pedestrian. He instructed Patol Babu about the way he had to dress and told him to be at the shooting the next day at eight thirty sharp. He also gave him the address of the place. Patol Babu eagerly accepted the role but wanted to know whether the role was a speaking one and when he got a positive reply, he was relaxed. After Naresh left, Patol Babu broke the news to his wife and reminded her how he had started on the stage with a small role.
Patol Babu arrived promptly at eight thirty. He was dressed up for the part, too. He saw many cars and a bus that carried equipment. The place was crowded with people but Naresh Dutt was nowhere to be seen. Patol Babu was feeling hot because of his warm jacket and he was just moving towards the entrance when Naresh Dutt called him. He praised him for his punctuality and asked him to wait under the shade till he was called for his turn. Patol Babu did as he was told and stood under the shade of a paan shop. Looking at the young people working with the equipment, Patol Babu could not help admire the hard work involved in making a film.
Patol Babu was worried about the dialogue that he had to deliver because no one had given him his lines and he needed to practise, even if his role was a small one. As he was about to ask someone, the shooting started. A man standing next to Patol Babu told him that the hero of the film was Chanchal Kumar and although Patol Babu did not watch many films, he had heard the name before. Patol Babu enquired about the director so that he could tell his wife when he got back.
Finally, Naresh Dutt gave him his lines and when he saw the dialogue, he felt as if they were making fun of him because it consisted of a single word, ‘Oh.’ He was told that he should feel lucky that he got a role in a film directed by Baren Mullick and the hero was none other than Chanchal Kumar. Although he was a little upset, he thought he would make the most of the situation and started practising his single dialogue in different ways.
Before his turn, Patol Babu suggested a rehearsal, but he was turned down. He was given a moustache that rather suited him and was told to start the role. Patol Babu became so engrossed in his role that the collision looked a real one. Everyone praised his timing and he was asked to wait so that he could be paid. Patol Babu knew he had done a good job and he was satisfied. Acting was his passion and he did not want to wait to be paid and so he quietly left the scene.
This story depicts the dreams and aspirations of the small timers and the apathy of film people for whom making films is a business. Patol Babu was a middle-aged man of about fifty years with a bald head. His neighbour. Nishikanto Ghosh informed him that his brother-in-law Naresh Dutt, a film producer, was looking around for an actor for a scene in a film, with looks like that of Patol Babu.
Patol Babu was so excited to hear this news that in his excitement, he made the wrong purchases in the vegetable market. Patol Babu remembered fondly that he always had a great passion for the stage and in his youth he had acted in many ‘Jatras’. Indeed there was a time when people bought tickets especially to see him.
It was in the year 1934, when he lived in Kanchrapara and worked as a clerk with Hudson and Kimberley. He had thought of floating his own theatrical club but he lost his job. Ever since Patol Babu had to struggle a lot to make a living. He worked in a Bengali film, worked as an insurance salesman but nothing lasted. He paid regular visits to various offices for jobs but nothing worked. He still remembered some of the dialogues of the plays he had acted in. A new offer to work in films sparked his interest. Naresh Dutt duly arrived and told Patol Babu to report at Faraday House, next morning. On enquiry, Naresh Dutt told Patol Babu that it was a speaking role and he had to play an absent-minded pedestrian.
Patol Babu was extremely happy and confided to his wife that he was aware that it wasn’t a big role, but one rose from small roles only and this might prove to be the beginning of a great career. His wife expressed her reservations but Patol Babu was in no mood to listen. Next morning, Patol Babu reported on time at Faraday Building. He saw a big crowd with instruments and cameras being shifted here and there. He was instructed by Naresh Dutt to wait for his turn. Patol Babu was quite nervous since he had no idea about his dialogues and he didn’t want to make a spectacle of himself in front of the lead actors.
In the meantime, the shooting of the movie started and one scene was shot. Patol Babu couldn’t wait any longer. He went to Naresh Dutt and asked for his dialogues. On glancing at the paper, Patol Babu was really depressed, since he was required to speak just one word ‘Oh!’ Patol Babu was supposed to act like an absentminded pedestrian and collide with the lead actor, Chanchal Kumar, utter ‘Oh’ and resume walking. He was instructed to go and wait on one side. Patol Babu felt humiliated and let down. He felt that the entire Sunday was lost in the false anticipation of a good role.
A faint memory stirred his mind. He remembered his mentor, Gogon Pakrashi’s advice that as an artist, one must make the most of one’s opportunity, whatever it might be. This thought drove away his depression and he started rehearsing all kinds of exclamations ‘Oh’s’ that could be given at different occasions.
Finally Patol Babu was called after an hour. Patol Babu suggested to the director that the scene would look more realistic, if the collision took place, while he had his eyes on the newspaper. A newspaper was immediately arranged. The director suggested that a moustache on Patol Babu would really look more interesting. A moustache was stuck on his face. During the shot, Patol Babu packed in his best effort mixing 25 parts of anguish and 25 parts of surprise, in a single ‘‘Oh!’’ Everyone around praised Patol Babu’s acting skills and he went back satisfied near the paan shop.
Patol Babu was tremendously pleased and felt that his acting skills were not blurred even after so many years. But now he felt dejected because there was no one who had appreciated his dedication. For the film-people it was a moment’s work and the next minute they had promptly forgotten about it. He knew he would be paid, it would be a very small amount and he did need money very badly.
But could twenty rupees measure against the intense satisfaction of doing a job perfectly ? Ten minutes later Naresh Dutt was surprised to find Patol Babu missing, without collecting his remuneration. Next minute, all that was forgotten and the camera started rolling for another shot