Work is worship - Shaad Ali
By Vickey Lalwani, 24 September, 2009 |
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 In Mani Ratnam’s Raavana, Govinda plays Hanuman, while Vikram, the star from the south, plays Ram. Off camera, a heart-warming relationship between the guru and shishya is playing out on the sets. Even the crew equates Shaad to the devoted Hanuman, while his reverence for Mani Ratnam has put the latter on a pedestal as Ram.
Mani could not have wished for a better assistant than Shaad Ali. After directing films like Saathiya, Bunty aur Babli and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Shaad should ideally be concentrating on getting his next (with Yash Raj Films) off the ground. Instead, he prioritised his mentor Mani Ratnam’s film and rushed to the south to assist him.
Shaad’s involvement goes deeper than the professional commitment. He also plays Mani’s nursemaid and right-hand man. He ferociously guards the senior director from potential problems, tends to his dietary needs and keeps a paternal eye on his guru’s health.
When Mani was hospitalised for his heart problem, Shaad was at his bedside constantly. He played a significant role in nursing the senior director back to health. His dogged devotion extends to monitoring Mani’s meals to keep the unhealthy stuff at bay. He fusses over his dietary dos and don’ts and nothing can get past his watchful eye, as he inspects the dabbas daily.
Shaad is up at the crack of dawn for a 6am shoot. At 5am, he makes sure that everything is in order and flawless to give his guru minimum reason to stress when he arrives at 5.45am. Even on the sets, everything is chalked out, so Mani doesn’t have to exert himself physically.
The assistant is also the good cop to Mani’s bad cop. Mani has the reputation of being quite the taskmaster, and the stars dare not voice their objections to the tough orders. Shaad plays the mediator and irons out any disputes brewing on the sets, often leading the problems to amicable solutions.
Even though stars return to Mumbai at the end of schedules, Shaad stays put by his guru’s side and intends to park himself there through post-production and till the film releases. As far as his YRF film is concerned, it was supposed to take off early next year. Mani’s health has delayed that project. An unperturbed Shaad has informed Aditya Chopra to push back the plans as well. Shaad’s new film has three heroes and three heroines, newcomers in all probability. He will not move on to his ambitious project with YRF, until his guru’s film releases in cinemas.
Shaad Ali has given new meaning to the phrase, ‘Work is worship.’
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