Before proceeding to south India on a major documentary assignment as cameraman with my boss N V K Murthy, the producer (Newsreel) told me a month before February 1968, to arrange an exclusive interview coverage on Sir C V Raman during our stay in Bangalore.

I found a source that was very close to Raman: Coffee Board Balu. Being the only visual medium then, he assured me of all help but warned me that if we mess up in our approach we will certainly be thrown out of the lab. We started planning to film the personality known for his short temper, with least resistance and maximum success. Our planning was similar to the one planned in war for ambushing the enemy.

Our team with well-equipped shooting gears reached the Sir C V Raman’s Institute on February 25, 1969 around 10.30 am. Balu gave us last minute briefing before he slowly sneaked into the big sprawling building. After about 10 minutes Balu signaled us to bring the equipment to the western side of the building. Another hiss from Balu gave us the clue to run in immediately and fix the cameras in the professor’s room. First Murthy slowly went up to the room. He didn’t enter, but gave us a signal to sneak in quietly.

Just then, we heard the professor shout loudly: “What’s all this? Who are you? Who has asked you to barge in here like this? All of you are not wanted here”. Right at that moment Balu started introducing Murthy.

Murthy asked the professor the colour of the flower on his table that were fascinating and said, “That is what we like you to talk about”. We could see the smile on the professor’s face. We knew we had achieved our mission.
Then on, the professor wouldn’t stop talking nor would I stop capturing him. He kept on showing several flowers lying on his table; looking through his pocket Spectroscope. My camera was capturing all along his extraordinary expressions.

He told us, “Let’s go to the garden. I will show different flowers and its colour”. As he got up and  started to walk out of the room, I noticed that he was wearing horse riding brown colour boots to match his medium brown colour coat. He was wearing his favourite Mysore turban.

Finally, he liked our work so much that he said “we should go to the forest where you can shoot the calm and serene atmosphere”. It was an excellent location, where I made the professor sit on a high bench and showed him through several angles with an emphasis on his contemplation. Fortunately, the sun was about to set. I had got his shot against the setting sun, walking away from the camera in a long shot. I was delighted with the last shots as it was most appropriate for his earlier answer, “One shouldn’t always be surrounded by friends and admirers”.

Two weeks later, my boss rang up to say he would need additional shots of Raman to complete the film. Again I was in touch with Balu. This additional shoot was without any hassles. Before I left the institute, Raman reminded me about showing the film to him before its release. I assured him that I would shortly arrange the film’s preview in a local cinema hall before it was finalised for release all over India.

A few days later, the final print of the special Indian News Review on Sir C V Raman arrived. On the day of the preview, Balu and I went to the institute before the appointed time. The professor was ready. He wore his coat and tie and, of course, had his turban. He walked majestically to the taxi and sat comfortably in the front and continued talking to us.

I contacted my friend Gopal, owner of the Kapali Cinema Hall in Gandhinagar, for the special screening. Gopal was happy and felt honoured to receive the distinguished scientist. He kept asking me about the arrangements to be made. I requested him to be present at the main gate to receive him. As our cab arrived at the cinema, the professor got down. A tall man, he felt the turban move from its well-adjusted position as he got down and said laughingly: “Oh, these cars are not made for people with turbans!”

As he sat in the huge balcony, the professor admired the designs on the ceiling and asked Gopal “who made them”. Gopal, somewhat embarrassed, replied that they were not designs but exhaust fumes, drawing a smile from the scientist. Our film began. The professor was totally engrossed in it. I was only looking at him for his reactions. I could occasionally see him smile.

When the film was over, he said, “Not bad you know. It’s done well. I must appreciate Balu who managed the entire shooting”.

After dropping the professor back at his institute, I called my boss and repeated exactly what he had to say about the film. Murthy was happy about the comment and said: “We will release the film without any changes”. The special News Review on Sir C V Raman was released in all cinema halls in August 1969.

(The writer is a retired employee of Films Division)