Gajraj Rao remembers Pradeep Sarkar: Dada was a student by heart willing to learn new things even at the age of 40

While working in an ad agency, filmmaker Pardeep Sarkar dreamt of becoming a filmmaker. He wanted to direct ad films but his seniors and collegaues never gave him the chance. So he left and opened his own production house, shares his student and colleague Gajraj Rao, adding, “That’s when I joined and began assisting him.”

Forever a student

Rao recalls several life lessons that Sarkar taught him unknowingly. “What I noticed in him and always appreciated was the fact that is was always a student by heart. Even at the age of 40, he was open to learning new things. Unhe sankoch nahi hota tha koi bhi cheez seekhne me. He was not ashamed of asking questions even to the people who were younger to him jaise ye kaise shoot kara. Despite being successful in his career and doing good work, he had the hunger to try new things and learn every single day. He would always be excited to know about a new camera technique, colour grading techniques, editing and everything that was introduced. He was a self-taught filmmaker and learned from his surrounding,” Rao tells us.

A humble human and determined filmmaker

After Sarkar shot a couple of commercial ads and music videos, he came to Mumbai and was hired by Vidhu Vinod Chopa as the song director for Mission Kashmir. Rao recalls how, on the set, most of the crew members (except the director or actors) were not aware of who Pradeep Sarkar was or the great work that he had done so far. The Badhaai Ho actor adds, “Toh unhe waha koi kursi bhi nahi derha tha. I ran and grab one for him but despite everything, he never felt cornered. Wo bolte the ye ek naya maidaan hai aur ek naye sire se shuruwaat karni hai. Ek nayi jagah aakar, bina kisi ego ke, kaam krna aur har cheez ko itne acche se sambhaalna, was a big lesson that I learned from him.”

A pillar for many

He always believed in giving chances to people who were new to the industry. “Mene apni zindagi me kisi ko itne naye logo ko chances dete hue nahi dekha,” Rao says and goes on, “It was early 90s and I was fairly new to the industry of ad making. He was the one who taught me how to tell a story within 30 seconds. Bade confidence ke saath, doosro se milwaate the mujhse aur guarantee lete the ki ye bahut accha kaam krega. He would stand like a pillar behind me.”

But Sarkar did not only give chances to the actor but also technicians, music artistes, choreographers etc.

“When Mission Kashmir was happening, dada said ‘Bosco Caesar’ hi film ka ye gaana karenge. They were not very experienced at that point but dada made sure they got that chance.”

“Even for Parineeta, many names were suggested by Vidhu Vinod Chopra but Pradeep Da ne kaha, ye character Vidya ke alawa koi nahi kar sakta. To convince the makers and prove his point, dada shot an entire song with Vidya and showed it to the decision makers,” Rao wraps up.