Mita Vashisht Instagram – What’s a Modigliani? I asked…
In those early films, and in those early days, I, as a twenty six year old actress of the the several feature films of Kumar Shahani, Mani Kaul and Govind Nihalani just took it for granted that life was about being surrounded by greatness and great people all the time.
Govind Nihalani and the team was in Pune for a screening and seminar of his latest film in which I featured and he said, I am meeting Vijay Tendulkar Saab for lunch, would you like to come along???
VIJAY TENDULKAR!!!?? Ofcourse I ‘came along’ and sat quietly through the lunch at ‘Krishna Dining’ eating from my thaali and listening to these two brilliant artists in discourse…
One winter in Delhi, Kumar Shahani said, I am going to meet Nirmal Verma at his house near the Deer Park, would you like to come along? NIRMAL VERMA!!!? Ofcourse I ‘came along’….and again, sat quietly listening to these two greats as the winter evening slipped into a winter night with the same quiet, intense and gentle energy that emanated from them…
Mani Kaul was happy with how ‘Siddheshwari’ had shaped up.
He wasn’t one for complimenting his actors however (much less his actresses).
We had captured the nude scene for the thumri ‘Thadi Rahun’ without much fuss.
Later that evening, over dinner he turned to me and remarked ‘You are like a Modigliani…long limbed..!’
‘Don’t you think, she is?’… He turned to his Cinematographer and Assistant director with that question…
What’s a Modigliani Mani?’ l asked…
I had grown up with a passion for Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Toulose Lautrec….
That day thanks to Mani I was introduced to the wonderful painter, MODIGLIANI …
#actorslife #indiancinema #modigliani | Posted on 23/Jul/2023 11:37:12
