Seema Sinha

Step into Mumbai's Film City Studio Stage 10, and you will be transported to a different world.

It is a small village in Punjab. Raman Kumar, of Tara fame on television, is shooting for Sarhad Paar for Nimbus Motion Picture, with Sanjay Dutt, Tabu and Mahima Chaudhry.

Dutt is paired with Tabu while Mahima plays Dutt's sister. Chandrachur Singh plays Mahima's husband.

This is the fourth time that Tabu is playing a Sikh girl. And Tabu's first film with Sanjay Dutt. "He has done many films with my sister Farha; I never got the opportunity. There were many offers but they didn't work out. Now I'm very excited," Tabu pipes in.

"Sarhad Paar is the story of the prisoner of war," says Raman Kumar. "When a soldier crosses the border, the other country is not ready to consider or treat him like a human. One country makes its citizen a soldier, another is not willing to recognise him as a human! That is the dichotomy I am trying to explore."

An assistant director interrupts, wanting to know whether Tabu should wear a torn kurta and whether her hair should be in a mess, since they have to show how her fiancé attempting to rape her.

Vijay Tandon is the storywriter while Akash Khurana and Robin Bhatt have written the screenplay of the film.

Enters Sanjay Dutt along with some guests. With one hand in his pocket and the other holding his cell phone and a cigarette, he greets the director. He is wearing an ink blue coloured Pathani salwar kurta, white and blue checked turban and a thick steel kada [bracelet] on his wrist.

He is Vir in the film. His makeup man is worried about his beard and moustache. Scores of people and children with parents enter the set with cameras and autograph books. Dutt cheerfully obliges.

Mahima, meanwhile, complains about how she burnt her hand as she picked a roti off the tandoor for her screen brother Dutt, to prepare for the next shot. She is wearing a bright yellow printed salwar-kameez and colourful dupatta. She likes wearing payals [anklets], she says: "I like the noise it makes when I walk." Turning, she tells the crew, "Get me a better-looking roti. It is supposed to be cooked by me!''

The next scene has Sanjay Dutt and Mahima. "Oye Simran, roti laa [Simran, get the roti],'' demands Dutt, sitting cross-legged on a cot in the courtyard.

Mahima serves him one, complaining, "You have already eaten 12 rotis. Why don't you get someone to cook for you?''

Dutt promptly retorts, "All the nice girls in our village are already engaged. I'm a soldier, I look after our country. So it is your duty to look after me and find me a girl. Didn't I get you engaged?''.

Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye Dutt inquires about her friend Pammi, the character played by Tabu.

In-between takes, Mahima jokingly starts mouthing dialogues in chaste Punjabi.

She gives the shot, asks for her cell phone from her hairdresser and moves away from the crowd. Dutt discusses his scene with the director.

The shot continues. Vir learns that Pammi is engaged. "I got late only by a week,'' he tells his sister. There is a knock at the door.

Mahima goes to open the door, wiping her hands with her dupatta.

The scene changes. There's a fire, earthen pots and copper vessels in a room. Tabu enters. She is wearing a peach salwar-kameez with silver embroidery around the neck, and gold coloured mojri.

Her kameez is torn in certain places and her hair's all messed up.

As the backdrop is readied, Tabu jokes with Dutt and Mahima. Dutt calls Mahima 'Ma' while passing by and teases Tabu.

"Shut up," Tabu is heard telling Dutt a few times.

The next shot. Mahima opens the door; Tabu enters, weeping and trembling. Dutt turns toward her, and Mahima, consoling Tabu, covers her with her dupatta, taking her into one of the rooms.

"Walk slowly,'' instructs the director, to the two.

Satyen Kappu, who plays Tayaji, comes out, wanting to know what the matter is. Dutt pleads ignorance.

Soon, Tabu's screen fiance, Billa, is heard hurling abuses: "Kis yaar ke ghar mein chhip gayee, bahar nikal [In which boyfriend's house are you hiding, come out]."

The next shot is all Mahima's. She consoles Tabu, who is now staying with Dutt and Mahima, telling her not to worry. Dutt keeps giving Mahima hints, by way of sign language, that he is interested in Tabu, but Mahima doesn't catch on.

Dutt sighs.

Finally, Dutt blurts out, asking his sister whether her friend would cook for him. At this, Mahima runs towards her brother, hugs him, dances a few bhangra steps, saying excitedly, "Oye balle balle. Yeh to maine socha hi nahi" (I never thought about this).

Everyone is impressed with Mahima's performance. Mahima goes to check out the shot in the monitor, looks extremely pleased with herself.

India News Feature Service