Ramblings of a Bandra Boy, Book release: Haps, mishaps and madcaps

Joy Bimal Roy has lived his entire, or almost entire life, in the Mumbai suburb of Bandra. The only son of venerated film producer and director Bimal Roy, his address was Godiwala Bungalow, Mount Mary Road. And living there has given him much joy, though his name ought to be spelt Jai for non-Bengalis, Joy being the Bengali way of pronouncing the more common Jai. Joy’s book, Ramblings of a Bandra Boy, was released at the first floor hall of St. Paul’s Institute of Communication Education, above the Title Waves bookshop, located about 2 km from Godiwala bungalow, on Saturday, 01 September.

Since he was born in 1957, Godiwala bungalow, a rented accommodation, literally fell in his godi (lap), while he was still in his mother's lap. Godi also means harbour in local lingo, which is what the first owners would have had in mind, being located less than half-a-kilometre from the sea. While he kept lapping it up, he must not have dreamt that, one day, the family would lose a legal battle to continue living there. Their current abode is another bungalow, just across Godiwala. I wonder who lives with him there, because his sisters are either married or have passed away. I am not even aware whether Joy is 'gainfully' employed or into some business or other. Or, as I presume, he has eschewed every vocation in favour of a permanent vacation. Last I heard was that he worked for The Gramophone Company of India Limited (HMV/Saregama), in the last century, where he had plenty of occasion to interact with a boss who was known for the crackles in his voice and the shackles he put on his employees. I can vouch for this, because I have worked for the same company, albeit briefly, many Chandrayaans (read moons) earlier, and reported to the same boss, much to my chagrin, and please don't grin!

Neal Murray was the Master of Ceremonies, doing just what was required, with confidence and grace. An old, short film, Bimal Roy Does Not Live Here Anymore, by the acclaimed film-maker, Nasreen Munni Kabir, about the bungalow, was screened on the occasion. It juxtaposed the song, ‘Toote hue qhvaabon ney’, from the Bimal Roy super-hit, Madhumati, picturised on Dilip Kumar, against the interiors of the bungalow, as Joy took Nasreen on a guided tour. There was reading of passages from the book, by Denzil Smith (my old college mate and a theatre veteran, not to mention films), Nandita Puri (journalist and author, wife of late Om Puri)

Nandita Puri, left, awaiting her turn to read from the book

and Shireen Gandhy, daughter of art gallerist, art collector and art connoisseur, late Kekoo Gandhy. Denzil did a superb job, Nandita tried hard to match him, with an excerpt about the visit of Rekha to the bungalow, and Shireen Gandhy was choking. I am not joking. She could not hold back her laughter, chuckles and giggles, as she tried to read a passage featuring her late father and Joy. Ultimately, she threw in the towel,  Denzil caught it, and returned to the stage, to replace her. The Gandhys have been family friends of the Roys for decades. Kekoo and Joy have been part of many escapades, one of which was read out loud. The book is replete with such haps (happenings), mishaps and characters who would be proud to be called madcaps.

Shireen Gandhy and Denzil Smith

Another episode read out was about the goings on at the shooting in Goa of the film Trikaal, where Joy was an assistant. All that you have heard about film personalities being promiscuous, ready to jump into bed at the drop of a pant() and going full throttle with the bottle, given the opportunity, is clearly indicated and fully vindicated in this exposé. What say? Adding to the glamour quotient was actress Aditi Rao Hydari (Padmaavat, Daas Dev, The Girl on the Train, Ajeeb Daastaans) who is the niece of cartoonist Mario Miranda’s wife. Trikaal was shot at Mario Miranda’s 300-year-old bungalow. Slim and svelte, she spoke briefly and carried herself gracefully. Dinesh Raheja, former editor of Movie magazine, conducted a one-on-one with Joy. During this conversation, it emerged that Joy was influenced by P.G. Wodehouse and that Dinesh had come across the words ‘assiduous’ and ‘unctuous’ for the first time only in Joy’s writings. Assiduous means diligent, persevering, industrious and more, while unctuous stands for ingratiating, sycophantic, obsequious, and so on. It was also revealed that Joy was never in awe of film-stars, what with the King himself, Dilip Kumar being an occasional visitor to the bungalow.

Dinesh Raheja, Aditi Rao Hydari and the Boy Ahoy, Joy Bimal Roy

At the event, I met several assiduous acquaintances, like Denzil, Nandita, her son, who is currently undergoing internship, Ishan, Dinesh Raheja and Vinta Nanda (TV serial writer-producer-director; it was for her serial Tara, on ZEE, that I established a record by narrating the recap of the previous episode in every subsequent episode for several hundred episodes). Luckily, I did not come across any unctuous personality.

After the formalities came to an end, the audience was treated to ‘jol khabar’ (literally: water-food, in Bengali, though why is it so called ‘jol’ beats everyone, including Joy). In the invitation, it said Bengali Hi Tea. There was no sign of tea, neither of the Lo variety nor the Hi (hic) variety. It was a full meal. But since the clock was clocking only 8, it was too early for dinner, so I concentrated entirely on the ‘mishti doi’ (sweet curd). To my pleasant surprise, it was delicious, and added to the good-humour that was going around. For more (good?) humour, read the book, Ramblings of Boy Joy Roy…er that should read Ramblings of a Bandra Boy. It is available at Title Waves.