Hawaii to relive the magic of Indian films

She talks about how no one charged her a penny and why she is fascinated by the teamwork that creates magical costumes and sets in Indian films Honolulu is not quite the place yoursquod expect to see Indian film buffs lining up to watch the latest Bollywood release But it is here that Cheri Vasek an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai39i Manoa is putting together a rather comprehensive exhibition of costumes posters set designs and sketches that showcase the Indian film industryrsquos journey in the past four decades Titled Bollywood and Beyond Costumes in Indian Film the exhibition is slated to run from September 29 2013 to January 5 2014 at the universityrsquos East West Centre It will also showcase rare film posters including those of Mother India Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Johnny Mera Naam apart from sketches and costumes from modern classics such as Jodha Akbar and Devdas and memorabilia from Bimal Royrsquos landmark films Do Bigha Zameen and Bandini Vasek readily admits that much of this would not been possible without the active help and support of people such as Bhanu Athaiya the Oscarwinning costume designer who has also shared stuff from her collection for the exhibition Art director and production designer Nitin Desai shows Cheri Vasek sketches from the films Jodha Akbar and Devdasu00a0PicCheri Vasek When we catch up with Vasek over breakfast on her last day in India she sounds genuinely excited to put up the exhibition and talks about how generous almost everyone she met has been with their collections ldquoI cannot imagine this happening anywhere else in the worldrdquo she tells us But we are intrigued How did a professor in Hawaii get interested in India in the first place And how much does she know about the countryrsquos several film centres which together produce more movies than any other nation in the world ldquoI grew up watching Indian films with my friends in college and dropping in to Indian restaurants frequently back in the 1970s I have been interested in Indian culture and food for almost as long as you have been on this earthrdquo she jokes We are impressed So we egg her on to tell us more over croissants and coffee Vasek also met celebrated costume designer Bhanu Athaiya for her researchu00a0PicCheri Vasek Magical teamwork in Indian films ldquoYou know every time I saw a Hindi film I noticed that they had six or seven costume designers in each film I wondered how so many creative people could work together It intrigued me as a professional costume and set designer as well as an academicrdquo she says So in 2009 she travelled to India with her colleague Deepshikha Chatterjee She returned in the summer of 2011 this time for longer ldquoI visited Mumbai Hyderabad Chennai and Kolkata and met costume designers dressmakers embroiders tailors make up artists hairstylists designers and of course directors and production house bosses It was an eye openerrdquo she recalls A poster of the film Muqaddar Ka Sikandar is one of the many Vasek collected durnig her stay in India Vasek says she has a fair experience in sets and costumes of Broadway plays and Hollywood films but nothing compares to the kind of teamwork Bollywood has ldquoI was amazed to see 12 artisans working together to stitch a couture in two weeks It would be pretty much impossible inb the US There would be clash of egos and ideas But these guys were awesomerdquo she recalls This teamwork she says is evident even at the highest level The exhibition But will there be interest in Indian films in Hawaii Vasek says Indian films much like Indian food is very popular in the US and Hawaii is no exceptionldquoThrough this exhibition I wish to showcase the best of Indian film design and highlight how all these art forms come together in such a short time to create magicrdquo she says A sketch of a costume worn in the film Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Chor The academic says she has been lucky to source stuff from people who have collaborated on the same project For instance celebrated set director Nitin Desai has given her sketches of both Jodha Akbar and Devdas as well as photos of the actual sets being constructed u00a0Designer Nita Lulla has shared sketches and embroidery samples of costumes she designed for the same films And director Ashutosh Gowarikarrsquos production house happily helped with clothes and props from Jodha Akbar But Vasek didnrsquot stop with Bollywood ldquoI went to Kolkata and met the family of the late filmmaker Bimal Roy His four children readily agreed to lend me rare costume pieces from Royrsquos landmark films Do Bigha Zameen and Bandini Then in Hyderabad the Aannapurna Studios management came on board and are contributing costumes and sketches from various Telugu filmsrdquo she adds excitedly Back in Mumbai Percept Picturesrsquo Yusuf Shaikh has shared vintage posters including those of Mother India Johnny Mera Naam Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and recent ones like Namastey London and Singh is King Vasek says she is going back with not just a trunk full of exhibits but also happy memories ldquoI am touched by the generosity of people here None of the people I met charged me a penny for sharing stuff from their collectionrdquo When we ask Desai about it he smiles ldquoIt is our duty to see that Indian films and our stories are told to the world I was happy to helprdquo he says u00a0