PATOL BABU, FILM STAR
Theme: True fulfilment and satisfaction stem from passion and dedication to one's
work, not external recognition or financial gain.
Message: The story teaches the importance of sincerity, hard work and finding
personal fulfilment in the act of creation itself, emphasizing that no work is trivial
when approached with the right attitude.
(a) Nishikanto’s offer stirred Patol Babu to the core. Comment.
Ans- Patol Babu had a passion for acting and theatre. So, when his neighbour
suggested that Patol Babu may play a potential role in a movie, Patol Babu initially
expressed great hesitation. He was really pleased to get such an offer at his age but
he eventually started building castles in the air as the idea gradually began to
permeate his mind and spirit.
(b) How did Patol Babu react? Why?
Ans- Patol Babu was taken aback by the acting offer. He was surprised as it seemed
unbelievable to him that a 52-year old nobody like him was getting a chance to act in
a film.
(c) Why did Patol Babu lose his first job in Calcutta?
Ans- The Second World War had resulted in Patol Babu being retrenched from his
nine-year-old clerical job at Hudson and Kimberley.
(d) How does Patol Babu reconcile to the dialogue given to him?
Ans- Initially, Patol Babu was shocked to see his monosyllabic dialogue. However,
after rehearsing his dialogue, he felt that a true actor could make his mark even with
a single syllable. His mentor’s words rang in his mind who had once said that each
word spoken in a play was like a fruit in a tree. Not everyone in the audience has
access to it. So, the actor must know how to pluck it, get at its essence, and serve it
up to the audience for their edification. These words helped Patol Babu perform the
role assigned to him with conviction.
(e) Who was Mr. Pakrashi? How do his words help Patol Babu in enacting his
role?
Ans- Mr. Pakrashi was Patol Babu’s mentor. He told Patol Babu, “Remember one
thing; however small a part you’re offered, never consider it beneath your dignity to
accept it.” These remarks had a big impact on Patol Babu and gave him the
confidence and will he needed to do his part. Patol Babu derived energy, vigour,
motivation, and pride from these words.
(f) ‘Patol Babu was a meticulous man’. Elucidate.
Ans- Patol Babu was a meticulous man. This can be seen in the instances from the
story. He reached the shooting site on time and in the attire he was asked to wear.
He asked for his lines because he wished to rehearse them before his scene was
shot.
(g) Money and satisfaction are like parallel banks of a stream. How does
this statement corresponds to Patol Babu’s emotion, after the shot was over?
1
Ans- Personal satisfaction is more important than financial rewards, as depicted in
Satyajit Ray’s short story, Patol Babu, Film Star. The main character Patol Babu
realized that personal satisfaction could not be measured and weighed by money,
and so he acted in the film out of passion.
(h) Why did Mr. Mullick turned down Patol Babu’s request for a rehearsal?
Ans- Mullick turned down his request for the rehearsal, showing impatience at his
suggestion. This was because Mr. Mullick wanted to quickly shoot the scene in the
sunlight and he could see a large patch of cloud approaching the Sun, which was
making him impatient.
(i) What were the special touches that Patol Babu gave to his role to make it
more authentic?
Ans- Patol Babu rehearsed the exact number of steps for colliding with the hero,
added a small grey moustache to his look and held a newspaper open in his hand.
These were the special touches which he gave to his look for making his role seem
more authentic.
3. Discuss the following questions in detail and write the answers in your
notebooks:
(a) ‘I hope the part calls for some dialogue?’ Who says this? Why does he /she
ask this question?
Ans- These lines are said by Patol Babu. He had been a stage actor for many years
before work forced him to come to Calcutta. He was a very passionate actor; in fact
he was obsessed with acting. There was a time when people would buy tickets just
to see him perform.
After many years, Patol Babu was offered a role in a film. He was both surprised and
happy to receive this offer. He enquired about his role so that he could rehearse for
it. He was told that his role was that of a pedestrian. He wanted to know if the role
had any dialogues because he was very keen to show off his acting prowess.
(b) ‘Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A
meek, harmless man like him, and they had to drag him into the middle of the
city to make a laughing stock out of him. How could anyone be so cruel?’ Why
does Patol Babu have these thoughts?
Ans- The reason for Patol Babu having such kind of thoughts was that the dialogue
that he was given shocked him. It was for the first time that Patol Babu got an
opportunity to act in a film. Till now he had acted on the stage only. He was very
excited. He reached the shooting site at the designated time. After watching the film
shoot for sometime, he asked for his dialogue so that he could memorise and
rehearse it.
All he had to do was to collide with the hero and utter “oh”. He was very
disappointed. He expected a small role with some dialogues but here he just had to
utter a monosyllable.
