Sets talk
by: Suruchi Mazumdar
- expressindia.com
The Bigg Boss house has metamorphosed into a dense forest. Birds are humming around us and we also see remains of an old temple. Two days back, there was even a babbling waterfall that drenched Urmila Matondkar as she danced to Mehbooba. This is the set of Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay at the superb N D Studios in Karjat.
“The locale has been created especially for the song,” says wiz art director Nitin Desai who has been commissioned by RGV for the remake.
Just close by, a red fort calls for curiosity. The shooting of Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodha Akbar, with Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, is on just a few metres away from us. That has both, Desai and me excited.
“It has been constructed in such a way that it can stand for another 50 years. Agra and Ajmer forts have been recreated in the movie. We spent weeks in Agra photographing them and it took us months to improvise. Soon we’ll be creating an old city too,” adds the gent behind the picturesque backdrops of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Lagaan and Eklavya.
The 60-feet high fort sprawls across six acres in Desai’s scenic studio. “Nearly 55 to 60 per cent of Jodha has been shot. The fort will be open for public viewing once the entire construction is complete. It will be useful for architectural studies,” says Desai. A book on the making of Jodhaa Akbar is scheduled to be published by India Book House with exclusive photographs of the stars on this lavish edifice.
“Films that require such sets allot Rs 7 to 9 crore of the overall budget to it. Such films give us an opportunity to showcase our grand culture before the world,” says the 41-year-old who began his career assistant to the famous Nitish Roy.
Related Links:
03/23/07 Guest who is here? - mid-day.com
03/18/07 Play it again - expressindia.com
03/18/07 Let there be light! - mumbaimirror.com
03/08/07 Nitin Desai's ND Studio completes two years
03/08/07 Gowariker: I've done my research for 'Jodha-Akbar'
03/05/07 Ashutosh Gowariker relieved by court
03/05/07 Big B to visit Ash on the sets of 'Jodha-Akbar'
02/27/07 News Tidbits - various
02/16/07 A cut above? - mumbaimirror.com
02/06/07 'Jodha Akbar' set thronged by visitors!
02/06/07 Fit for a king - mumbaimirror.com
01/08/07 Hrithik loves his Chandni! - mid-day.com
01/04/07 Soundtracks to look forward to in 2007 - indiafm.com
