Peace At Paharganj

KATE Winslet was no accidental tourist when she surprised the country with her presence in the middle of a scorching summer earlier this year. Her attendance at the evening puja on the Ganges in Rishikesh, the yogic posture in Jaipur, strolling down Janpath in Delhi, doing the touristy thing, wearing well-worn shorts and without a trace of make-up, were part of a larger picture. That of 'Ruth', the role which she grabbed after a worldwide audition. Co-starring with Harvey Keitel in a movie that revolves around a young Australian girl's search for solace and spirituality which begins with her journey to India.

We are on the sets of Jane Campion's new movie, Holy Smoke. Only, the set happens to be in the narrow bylanes of Delhi's Paharganj. An eclectic mix of adults, children, television crews, cows, haphazardly parked and moving vehicles, garbage, tea stalls, and shops all jostle for space outside Hotel Rak International where Titanic star Kate Winslet is breakfasting over scrambled eggs with boyfriend Jim Threaplton. In short, no place for an international film star. But Winslet—who reportedly rakes in Rs 10.5 crore per film—sits, without obvious tantrums, through an afternoon-long power cut, haranguing fans and intruders who sneak past the security guards to see what she looks like. All for that authentic feel that Campion, director of the award-winning film, The Piano, strongly believes in. Scripted by the director and her sister Ann, the film has been shot extensively in Flynder's Rangers in south-west Australia, with India as its last schedule. Says cinematographer, Dion Beebe: "There's a mix of locations and exploring two different cultures. For the young girl it's exotic, yet a little scary. We've tried to keep India upfront, in your face."

Work on the film started in September '97 when Delhi-based Location India showed Campion over 100 locations of which Paharganj, Chandni Chowk and Pushkar were shortlisted. Says US-based consulting producer, Deepak Nayar, who runs Kintop Pictures: "Jane wanted this kind of look and Paharganj fitted the criteria." Hotel Navrang, a stone's throw away from Rak, was booked a year in advance and portions of the film are shot here. Though like a thousand other cheap Paharganj motels, Navrang has an honourable mention in The Lonely Planet—where the producers discovered it. The film opens with India and is almost like a travelogue in its first few minutes.

But it has been no Titanic experience for Winslet. An independent film, with a middle-size budget of $10 million upwards, has meant no extra frills. Says Nayar: "It's not like Gandhi. It's a hard film. We are, for instance, putting up at Hotel Imperial though I am sure the crew would have liked to have stayed at a bigger hotel." The grilling schedule—the unit got only two days to unwind when they reached India after a three-month stint in Australia—notwithstanding, Winslet is faithful to her diet of fruits, juices, and some light Indian dishes. Yet she is no Twiggy and claims she prefers it that way.

In the four days of shooting, Winslet functions in real-life situations without the trappings that go with a star. No special treatment, no air-conditioned make-up vans, special dining space or even bathroom facilities are earmarked for her—the car she used in the capital is a rented, very middle-class Ford Escort. It was Campion's reputation for serious author-backed roles for actresses, and not the budget, that attracted Winslet. Slated for a summer release,  producer Jane Chapman isn't worried that the film will lose out in the face of studio blockbusters. She says: "With Kate in the lead, the film crosses over."

 In fact it's Winslet's presence, without any show of glitz and glamour, that overshadows everything else. Outside Rak, 300 children await Winslet for that elusive autograph or even a glimpse. Not many, even in the media, are aware of what Campion looks like and all interview requests are for James Cameron's Rose. Samantha Murray, a young unknown Australian actress who plays Ruth's friend, is rarely noticed. And boyfriend Threaplton who is marking time as an assistant director (they met last year on the sets of the film, Hideous Kinky) is often pressed into the role of bodyguard and saviour from the burgeoning mass of celebrity gazers and autograph seekers. Says Australian art director, Chris Elliott: "We got the paparazzi in Australia. On the sets we are all kind of protective about Kate."

With Pushkar beckoning, Ruth's search for spirituality will find its climax. As for Kate's aspirations, the box office will decide if her screen image is to go up in Holy Smoke. Well, it certainly didn't sink with the Titanic.