Note: This is the Third Part of a Dutch Feature Film – Bardsongs. This part is called the ‘Father, Daughter & Dzo’. The First Part was shot in Africa and the Second Part was shot in Jodhpur – Bardsongs, ‘The Plastic Collector.’ We were the part of the Indian Crew for the Second Part as well.
It’s almost been 2 weeks in Leh. We have the first version of the schedule, a location report and the cast in place. We start shoot on the 10th of August. We were scheduled o shoot on the 9th of August but had to push it by a day as the Dalai Lama is visiting the city then.
It has been the most visually exciting 2 weeks of my life. Within a few miles you get to see a vast variety of landscape. One moment you have yellow desert like landscape and in the other you have the green-yellow farm lands with maroon mountains set as the backdrop. You have purple rocks capped with white snow. Mountains decorated as if a giant zebra is lying on its belly. Rocks projecting as if lost township is hidden under it. Crystal clear blue water bodies as if only Gods were allowed to touch it. The feeling is overwhelming and there aren’t words to describe it.
My grandmother once did tell me – “You must travel India first and then the world.” – now I understand her.
Kawal and I decided to travel to Leh by car, thinking that it would help to acclimatize. We took it easy and took 4 days to reach Leh. Aditya, the musician for the film also accompanied us. The first night we stayed in Manali. All went well – everything normal.
The second night we stayed in Jispa. Some of us did start feeling the lack of oxygen but stayed calm without complaining. We were suppose to travel 320 Km the next day for Leh, crossing Taglangla, the second highest pass in the world (17582 feet above sea level), but we got a call from Karin (Line Producer) who warned us about the drive and suggested to break our journey and spend a night in a camp. Thanks to Karin’s warning we reached Leh acclimatized. [ Karin, herself had to pay a price for her 2 day roadtrip. She is still recovering, though she is much better now ]. The 3rd night wasn’t easy. We spent the night in a camp in Tsokar, 16000 feet above sea level. All of us including our driver felt dizzy. Some threw up and some needed oxygen. Luckily, we did carry 3 cans of oxygen with us. The next day we left for Leh, passing Taglangla on our way. Sander Francken (Director), Joost (PA to Director), Karin S.de Boer (Line Producer), Dechean & Stanzin (Local Fixers) awaited our arrival. We were in Leh for lunch.
It is a bit difficult to work here and things take time to get processed. I haven’t read a newspaper in days. The newspaper comes after 3 days. You can’t find a printer cartridge. Printing a 4×6 inches picture costs Rs.20 when it costs Rs.4 in Delhi – there are no digital printing machines. Everything here is double the MRP, but that’s what happens when you live for 6 months in a year. You have to pay the price for the scenic beauty and the hospitality of the people which lives in isolation from the rest of the world.
A week and a half has been spent on finding actors and locations. This is the first time that I enjoyed location recce. We went West of Leh, East of Leh as well as North of Leh and voila we have all the locations for the film. Now its time for Dechean and Stanzin to get permissions for the locations. Hope its not as complicated and confusing as it was in Jodhpur for Bardsongs – ‘The Plastic Collector’.
Today we had a meeting on the schedule. The director is still working on the shooting script and has agreed to adapt the prepared schedule. We have a few issues with the script though:
- we need to change the script in order to get an approval from the Hemis Monastery. We cannot suggest that a girl stays in a monastery. We’ll change the script for them.
- we need to work out a way, how we can attach a cart to a Dzo. Never in the history of Leh, has a cart been attached to a Dzo.
- we also changed the title of this part of the film from ‘Father, Daughter & Yak’ to ‘Father, Daughter & Dzo’ as we realised that Dzos are more timid and humble than Yaks. A Dzo is a cross between a Yak and a Cow.
There have been some heated arguments between the Line Producer & the Director / Producer regarding the payment schedule and the budget, but everything seems calm today. Hope they have sorted out their issues and the production goes on fine.
in my film career... 