She also wanted to shoot the movie in one single moving shot for dramatic effect.

We went over the fifteen appearances by people in the script and then called in our office boy to do some sample shots. Shankar was overwhelmed by the occasion and immediately started overacting. Preeti was very patient but nothing irritates me more than people screwing up a good creative script. I tried telling him several times that he should not speak in good English or be too graceful because it would not look natural for an office boy.

After twenty minutes Shankar submitted his resignation to the HR department and went home. It seems that he felt insulted when I told him that his hair was combed too cleanly. Does Mohanlal feel bad when people say things like that? No! Why? Professionalism!

It seemed like a crisis. Preeti was getting very agitated until I told her that perhaps I should simply pick up the role myself. In any case it was the longest role in the film and I had a fair amount of experience. She agreed immediately. We filmed a few shots and they seemed to look quite good. I tried limping like Kevin Spacey in some of the shots to give the character some depth but Preeti said no.

We finalized the idea and the scene sequences. Preeti said that as soon as they got a few quotes from videographers, and we got a budget approved, we could start shooting.

I am not entirely happy with the script and concept. But I can use my major role to lift the whole film a little.

Exhausted.

Sachin hasn’t come home yet. Maybe he is with Gouri. At her place. Doing … stuff.

Focus, Einstein!

I cannot let my mind wander when I have such a major film project coming up.

Good night.

8 September 2006

1.02 a.m.

Oh Einstein, you old-fashioned romantic!

You thought that the woman of your dreams was in a relationship with your below par Day One roommate! And you had decided, heartbroken, that it was time to move on and begin a relationship with someone else even though they could never match up to HER. Like perhaps Preeti in corporate communications. Or Shreya in the Delhi office. And you had decided to let Sachin and Gouri get on with their lives if it made them happy. Like a gentleman.

But all along you knew that something was not right. That there was something fishy about all this. That there was no way Gouri would go out with an all-round mediocre type like Sachin. He is STILL filling forms and making phone calls to get a new credit card. His company does not give him one like Dufresne does. He might even finally apply for one from Punjab National Bank in desperation. Pity.

Which is why you took a half-day off today and went to Sachin’s office to see where he goes after work. Why does he carry an extra bag with him when he goes to work on Wednesday mornings? Why does it have clothes and deodorant in it? Why does he come home after midnight every Wednesday? Why does he mention Gouri over breakfast the next morning thereby making you want to strangle him with his cheap company issue tie? Or make you hope he chokes on his toast, and then strangle him with his tie to make sure he is dead?