MOTHER Act

Today is the last schedule of the film and Bhosle feels a tinge of sadness as she enjoyed her first tryst with the camera,and the cast and crew had become family. The set is a bungalow that has been re-decorated by art director Bijon Das Gupta into Padmini Kolhapure’s and Ram Kapoor’s (who play the singer’s daughter and son-in-law) home. The scene is being shot in a room which belongs to the singer’s teenage granddaughter. A collage of famous sportspersons hangs on one side of the wall while pink and orange curtains cascade down one window. As director Mahesh Kodiyal says “Action”,Bhosle strides slowly towards the window. It’s the first rainfall of the season,and the grandmother wants to enjoy it with her granddaughter,so she calls out to her.

“Madhu,baarish aa rahi hai,” she says as she pushes her hand out of the grill to feel the cool water.

Some water gushes in and the singer’s blouse gets wet,setting the crew in action as they scurry to get a hair-dryer. There is one more take before the director is satisfied.

On the ground floor,Ram Kapoor fools around with the film’s crew as he waits for his shot. “Ashaji is a dream person to work with. You know,after every shot I give her a jaadu ki jhappi,” he laughs,as he explains that she plays a widow in the film who comes to live in his house

after her son goes missing.

It’s almost four in the evening,and as we are about to leave,Padmini Kolhapure steps out of her car as her scene is to be shot last. Dressed in jeans and a Tee,the actress,who plays a TV reporter in the film,is called ‘hot mum’ on the sets by everyone! She has known Asha Bhosle for years,she says,but working with her as a co-star,who plays her mother,was a different experience. “There was a scene in which she sings a lori as I put my head on her lap. She sang with so much emotion that it brought tears to my eyes,” said the actress before she headed to her make-up room.