Full-on chha gaye, Mishraji!

Mishraji plays the lead role. Frankly this film couldnt have worked half as much as it does, if it wasnt for Mishraji himself. Theres so much humanism, hovering like a halo over his head, that youre pretty much convinced hes telling his own story. File pi

What-s stuck in my memory of the first time I ever visited a movie set - which was as a child on a family trip to Bombay - isn-t so much about getting a group picture clicked with the superstar Jeetendra in Film City. Couldn-t care as much. It-s actually about sighting a bunch of actors, randomly milling around sipping tea on benches, by a tree. One of whom was actor Jagdish Raj 1928-2013, that no one was even casually turning their head towards.

Don-t know about now, but back then Jagdish Raj held the Guinness Book record for being the world-s most type-cast actor! He-d played the same role of a police inspector over 144 films. There-s a passing reference to Jagdish actually his record in writer-director Hardik Mehta-s heartwarming debut feature, Kaamyaab, which opens in theatres this Friday.

The film is about the world of professional screen actors that essentially comprises unknown names, with well-known faces - stretching all the way from Bandra to Bhandup/Bhayander - eking out a living, as anyone else would. Except, their jobs are public still - whether or not the adulation is even half equal to the task, and our memory.

Only a movie-buff child like me would be surprised, looking at actors so famous in my head, hanging around like daily-wage labourers on a set. For, mainstream movies have always been the most capitalistic of all arts. By which I mean a zero-sum game - where only a handful take away all the riches/income, or popularity/fame. Leaving the rest to call themselves -character actors-, as if leads don-t play characters. Or, -junior artistes-, -extras- or -side/sidey actors-.

If you-ve been in Bombay long enough, surely you-ve turned around at some point or the other in a café/park/restaurant/street, done a double-take, and wondered often aloud, "Yaar, isko kahin dekha hai have seen this person somewhere." In fact this celeb-spotting becomes such an obsession with some, that they keep imagining celebrities, especially when drunk at bars.

Because of my currently long, curly hair, at least on two occasions, have had people, obviously with thick -beer goggles- on, click a selfie with me - mistaking me for Imtiaz Ali! Not one to disappoint, of course, I-ve happily posed - only asking them to tag me Imtiaz, that is on social media for sure!

The film Kaamyaab is dedicated to actor Viju Khote. Viju, who? Exactly. Can-t imagine masses lining up for an autograph from Viju, knowing before-hand what he-s going to sign his name as. But you remember, forever, Kaalia from Sholay 1975, and his infamous line from the blockbuster: "Sardar maine aapka namak khaya hai." You can instantly recall Robert from Andaz Apna Apna 1994: "Galti se mistake ho gaya."

Viju passed away in September, 2019. He briefly appears in Kaamyaab as well. According to IMDb, he-d acted in 443 films, late -60s onwards. The hero of Kaamyaab a retired character actor, likewise realises, he-s done 499 films! Doing the 500th might be an achievement, he supposes.

As tributes to people of movies/showbiz go - Kaamyaab is as good as it gets. Even as there remains in fact a jinx attached to films on films, in general - right from Guru Dutt-s Kaagaz Ke Phool 1959 to Zoya Akhtar-s Luck By Chance 2009. They seldom do well commercially. Popular perception is mainstream audiences don-t like the magic of movies to be demystified. But Mehta-s supremely honest script, possibly derived from his own stint working behind the camera as a Bollywood assistant, is more a humanistic piece. In the way it pans out - lot of humour, with rich cameos and ensemble cast, a light background score, and a general lightness of being - it-s probably closer to Larry David-s lovely show Curb Your Enthusiasm set in LA. Rather than a tragedy centred on a faded, out-of-work actor, no more qualified to play daku or doctor. Because times have changed. And so has cinema.

Is there a more -theth-, desi equivalent to Larry David in Mumbai than actor Sanjay Mishra? Nope. Mishraji plays the lead role. Frankly this film couldn-t have worked half as much as it does, if it wasn-t for Mishraji himself. There-s so much humanism, hovering like a halo over his head, that you-re pretty much convinced he-s telling his own story. Playing himself. As Sudheer - like, I don-t know, -70s actor Ranjeet, maybe?

This is besides Mishraji-s own offline persona - blessed with such rustic, auto-swag - that so naturally translates to screen. For all you know this could-ve actually been Mishraji-s story, if it wasn-t for a masterpiece like Rajat Kapoor-s Aankhon Dekhi 2014 that elevated him to a lead role, and several others followed.

Otherwise we would-ve still remembered him for the random line, "Dhondu? Just chill," from Rohit Shetty-s lesser known comedy, All The Best 2009. Mishraji-s Sudheer similarly had one immortal line over 499 films: "Enjoying life.

Aur option hi kya hai!" You do have an option here: Catch Kaamyaab. And enjoy!

Mayank Shekhar attempts to make sense of mass culture. He tweets @mayankw14 Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

The views expressed in this column are the individual-s and don-t represent those of the paper

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