Di four letter word-ah!

What That Four Letter Word means to me,

The first movie we (P and myself) worked on. We were 20, still in college 3rd year when Sudhish approached us for taking up art work in TFLW. Though both of us had already met him in our first year when he reviewed our paintings, I was formally introduced to him through a senior. By the time I was done with my first assignement for him, a flash presentation for his second movie, we found our common interests like TR, Vijayakanth etc elevate our acquaintances to new heights(or should i say weights?). While we did keep in touch on and off, it was this lazy saturday afternoon, he called us to Barista and handed over a bound script and asked us to read it. And we loved it ab-sol-ute-ly. I remember him asking us repeatedly whether we liked it or not. It was very important to him that we believe in the script. And we did. That night, I sent a message saying, lets make your movie. Pat came the reply from him, lets make OUR movie :)!

While we were shooting for P's short film, Sudu started his. And it was unfortunately during our university exams. I've never studied for college exams, so had P. So we did not have the slightest hesitation whatsoever. Haywire. Thats how it was, the shoots. Between location and prop scouting (Sudu had made it clear that we either beg/borrow/steal), collecting costumes from cast and crew, Edit suite (P's movie was edited only then), reshooting with different casts.. I would like to mention somebody here who was an awesome inspiration for all of us. Swathi. First assistant. I've never seen anybody work this hard and still be able to smile. She used to be this bundle of energy always reminding everybody, keeping tags and taking care that work gets done.

Oh yes! I cant forget the day we fucked up Sudu's bike. He handed over his bike and spray can. And the result, cannot be described in words. Sudu still has it and hopes to sell it to the museum of GORE (our TFLW?) He was too tired, lack of sleep and proper food had made him a zombie. And thankfully we escaped that day from his wrath. And he had to put up with the irks and smugs from colleagues, till he bought his Avenger.

Our exams got over, and we had one day of shoot left at Pre's house. While the whole class was celebrating the last day of college, we hurried back to get her house ready. When we wrapped up, Usha was leaving, Sudu was almost dead, the cameraman thankful and Sunil's hair was longer than mine.

Our personal favourites in the cast list is Aashil and Sunil. The bar scene with both of them was a naturale. They both were a ruckus on and off screen.

We gained inexplicable experience not only because it was a low-budget, and shot in a period of 14 days, but because of working, up and close and personal with people who were all about the same age (about 20-30 and I think, we were the youngest) be it cast or crew. And we are thankful to sudu for believing in us and we dedicate this oscar to.. oops.. ahem..

Watch the film. It might not be a turning point of your life. Its just life. On the face of it. And whats our four letter word?

RIDE. An unforgettable one.

Um..

I think I'm starting to think like men. Life suddenly became simpler..

The Yellow Post-it's

He had no clue she was planning to suicide. He woke up as usual to an over-rated day of work of hard edged black suitcases and mechanical ties. His car, the latest in the market with Sony coaxial speakers XS to flaunt and a wood panelled dashboard, he had everything in his life. Or so he thought. It did not occur to him that, inevitable of riches, there was a missing puzzle to complete the jigsaw. He forgot that there was more to life than colourful creditcards and incentives. He forgot to live.
Thats why it surprised him when he stopped his car down that clean highway to pick up a wayside purple flower pierced through thorns, the one he noticed, through his frosted windshield while driving past. It reminded him of her. He tried almost immediately to place a call to her. Network troubles. A U-turn could have saved her. But he drove on, keeping aside his thoughts and focusing on his international flambouyant clientele.
The day wore on with crisp ironed suits while his thoughts strayed from time to time to that purple flower that was begining to fade. Lack of sunshine, you know. He had that ready smile for everyone. Almost plastic. He was the popular one in office. The competiton would kill to have such a guy whose dedication to work was well appreciated in the network. And well, it did kill unaware.
He shutdown his laptop getting ready to leave, and picked up that withered flower. It felt cold, because of airconditioning. He placed it on his dashboard and switched on the ignition. He took the same highway, driving past the sinking sun, homewards (home?) towards her.. when he recieved that fatal call. He screeched the car, the first sign of normalcy perhaps. He noticed that he was at the same spot where he picked the flower. He had picked it only for it to wither, instead of letting it grow. Silence.

He had bought her a necklace studded with diamonds and a blood red ruby for their anniversary, when a rare lily would have helped. He should have written in his post-it.