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SHAKTIMAN
AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST
He looks like one of those supermen at times. He came to Hindi
films to make it as an actor but failed to find the roles that suited
him. He took to writing and is writing five big films, trying to
come up with something which will go with his name `Shakti’
(Strength) `man’ (mind). He is now using the `shakti’
of his mind to write films and he is lucky, he is finding the opportunities.
His first test is a major film called “Gadar”... He says
he works almost round the clock because he can not let such a great
opportunity and those who have seen parts of the film have also
seen a new kind of writing of screenplay and specially dialogue,
the creation of Shaktiman, a writer who still calls himself a struggling
writer but will work till the word struggling is wiped out. Shaktiman
sounds better when he talks about himself and so here goes the story
of Shaktiman, the writer on the move in his words, in English the
way he knows it best. I think unknowingly the journey of Shaktiman
began when he was a 10-12 year old boy crazy about watching films.
I would watch films not once or twice but even upto fifty times.
At that stage the only important thing was to watch a film by hook
or by crook. I told lies and even robbed money to see a film again
and again. I would then imitate all the actors in front of my friends.
This interest continued even when I was young and finally forced
me to leave my job, my house, my town and my near and dear ones
to come to a strange city like Bombay.
It was here in one of those dusty guesthouses that I got acquainted
with ’hunger’ which soon became my friend. At that time
TV was not a very well established medium and there was nothing
else with me to fight hunger except the strength from God and my
self confidence due to the blessing and prayers of my mother.
I tried my hand at acting and even got some bit roles, which were
eventually either chopped off for various reasons or were too insignificant
to leave any impact. I constantly worried how to make a mark as
an actor but God had something else in store for me. He did not
want me to face any more problems and probably that is why I became
a writer by chance.
There was this director who was my friend and in whose film I was
going to play a part. He would take me to his story sittings and
even ask for my opinion on his script. Being new and naïve
I would bluntly speak out if the scenes were not good or new. The
director would ask me for alternate scenes and my imagination would
naively offer alternate scenes and situations which my director-friend
found very refreshing. One day he just put me up in a hotel room
and declared that I would be writing his film. I was taken by surprise
and didn’t know where and how to began. He offered to help
me out. Although that film never got made but my tryst with writing
had begun. Not that I did not have to struggle to make it as a writer
but somehow at that time I felt that being known as a struggling
writer was a little more respectable than walking around as a struggling
actor.
I wrote my first film. It was like a second birth for me. My first
film to be released was F. C. Mehra’s “Jaal” with
Rekha and Mithun in the lead and directed by Mr. Umesh Mehra. It
was a silver jubilee but probably fate still had to test me. Some
more films were offered but unfortunately they were either not started
or left incomplete. Being an eternal optimist I did not give up
hope and finally the films which were released were “Aashiq
Awara” with Saif, “Bhabhi” with Govinda, “Policewala
Gunda” with Dharamji, “Kasam Teri Kasam”, “Numbri
Aadmi” with Mithun and “Yaar Gaddar” with Mithun
and Saif again.
Gradually I got so involved with my work as a writer and continued
and in fact improved day by day. My work got me the experience and
much needed financial security. I could now afford to be choosy
and so decided that I would do limited but quality work in films.
I have always felt that the people, the masses wanted to see something.
fresh. I took my time and started writing “Gadar-Ek Prem Katha”
for director Anil Sharma. I had written a few subjects earlier for
Anil Sharma but unfortunately they never got made due to some reason
or the other.
Mr. Nitin Keni is the executive producer of “Gadar-Ek Prem
Katha” for Essel Vision. All those who have seen the trial
of the film have liked it and I have complete fiath that “Gadar-Ek
Prem Katha” will be liked by the audience. My faith in my self
and my work gives me the feeling that “Gadar-Ek Prem Katha”
will be understood by people all over who have seen the holocaust
of the partition or have atleast heard of it or seen it in documentaries
or films made down the years. My film, “Gadar-Ek Prem Katha”,
is a story which can even change hearts on both sides of the continent.
It is a sensitive love story on the background of Partition. I have
just completed another subject which is a youthful musical love
story for director Subhash and me which will soon be going on the
floor. We will not go on the floor till we have a perfect script
without a dot of a flaw in the script. There are other good subjects
I have to follow.
No doubt, I have yet to prove myself but I promise to give the audience
something refreshing in the name of entertainment and work with
complete dedication towards my goal. My only dream and ambition
is to be ranked among writers like K. A. Abbas and Salim-Javed.
My life and career have been packed with surprises. There are some
very ambitious surprises which I have in mind but I feel it is too
early to put them into practice till I have proved myself. No plagiarism
no shamelessly stealing and no cheating of any kind when it comes
to writing for me which is a very precious gift God has gifted me.
How can I misuse or abuse this gift. Not everyone is as blessed
as I am. Thank you,God.
Ali Peter John
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