“Lights, action, reaction”

The film shooting at Khareghat Colony is over but the guns are still firing away ("Lights, action, reaction,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, October 21, 2011). So many different versions are circulating since I left for London on October 4, 2011, and since the buck stops with me I feel it incumbent to explain the entire episode to the members of the community. At the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) board meeting of October 18 the need for and draft of this letter were approved by all trustees present to avoid conflicting claims thereon at a later date.

The administration had given permission to allow a film shoot at Khareghat Colony for five days and nights, from October 6 to 10, 2011 as per norms followed by the BPP for film shoots that have taken place in our baugs in the past. Probably due to a survey undertaken by the movie making unit, the residents of Khareghat Colony became agitated and informed me that one or two days’ shooting was enough as five days and nights would be too much. I instructed my staff to call the movie maker and requested him to restrict the shooting sequence to a maximum of two days.

The movie makers met me, and informed me that the story line was of a young Parsi family who wanted to make their teenage son into a world class cricketer, and the shooting sequence required was for five days. Since I felt the concept was in the interest of the community, and for a change it was being shown in good light, I agreed to their request and arranged a meeting with the residents of Khareghat Colony at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, September 25, 2011, prior to the Doongerwadi Committee meeting scheduled at 11 a.m. on the same day.

Many residents attended the meeting and said that a five-day shoot should not be permitted. But when I explained the concept of the movie, most of them found it acceptable. However, they requested that the unit’s huge multi-utility vans should not be parked near their buildings as this invariably created parking problems and were a hindrance to vehicle movement. I explained to the residents that the trust would earn a donation of about Rs 5,00,000 and the Khareghat Colony Association would earn one lakh from the shoots and requested their cooperation. Some of the residents wanted the BPP to spend a part of these funds for cutting grass and making parking facilities on roads between the buildings, to which I agreed.

Some of the residents were still vociferous about not allowing parking of heavy duty vans in the Colony premises, so I informed them that I would depute my senior staff to the site for five days in order to control any inconvenience caused and would instruct the movie makers not to park their vans in the Colony premises but instead use the ‘Bogda’ behind Khareghat Colony, which is on Doongerwadi land.

Since many people, including non-Parsis, park their cars at Doongerwadi I did not think that I was in any way disturbing the sanctity of the place by granting parking permission. However, the production house was only granted permission to park their vehicles in this area, and not for any other purpose, making the allegation that the BPP was out to "commercialize” Doongerwadi baseless.

Thereafter, at the BPP board meeting of September 25, 2011, I informed the trustees present that in view of the request of the Khareghat Colony residents, the film crew would park their vans at the Bogda entrance of Doongerwadi leading to Khareghat Colony, and also that part of the funds should be utilized for developing parking facilities inside the Colony. At that time all the trustees present agreed to the proposition and in fact trustee Khojeste Mistree agreed with the suggestion of Muncherji Cama that in view of so many facilities being given, the administration should charge the film unit three lakh rupees a day instead of the present one lakh.

Since the trustees present at the meeting were well aware of the parking permission being given to the film crew for their vans, it is inconceivable how Karl Sahukar, one of the main campaigners for WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis), could circulate e-mails stating he had talked to some of the trustees who confirmed that none of them had been informed by me of what was discussed during this meeting with the residents of Khareghat Colony; that the matter had not been tabled at the BPP board meeting; that Dinshaw Mehta had on his own given permission to the film crew to park their vans in the Doonger­wadi Bogda area adjoining Khareghat Colony; and he further reiterated that the BPP trustees to whom he had spoken confirmed that they were not aware of this decision.

From the above, it is evident that Sahukar is either deliberately lying or talked only to those trustees who were not present when the matter was discussed, approved and finalized at the board meeting, without any objection from any of the trustees present.

The filming which started on October 6 was peaceful and uneventful. On October 7, when the shooting was going on at Khareghat Colony, Dastur Khurshed Dastoor of Iranshah at Udvada, attracted by the halogen lights, went there to investigate and witnessed the film crew camped at the site with vanity vans and other vehicles parked on the Doonger­wadi land. There was a huge shamiana erected there under which a buffet dinner was laid out, and a makeshift kitchen was actively making parathas and tea. Zoroastrians, many from Khareghat Colony, were dining there along with non-Zoroastrians. Dastoor was rightly distraught at the dinner fiesta going on and sought assistance from Gustad Irani and Arzan Ghadialy at about 11 p.m. to call trustee Mistree who resides in the Colony, but unfortunately he was unavailable. Dastoor thereafter called me in London around 11.30 p.m. India time.

I informed him that the administration had given written permission for a five-day film shoot at Khareghat Colony and that I had given verbal permission only for parking of the unit’s vehicles and not for holding buffet dinners or setting up temporary shamianas on the Doongerwadi land and that these items must be removed as we were not aware that the place would be used for dining. When the film crew was told about the sanctity of Doon­ger­wadi, they very readily cooperated and removed the shamiana, makeshift kitchen and dinner table facilities without any hassles. I sent my son Viraf to ensure that everything was done peacefully. Subsequently, at about 12.30 a.m. India time, I phoned up the BPP CEO (chief executive officer) Mehli Colah, that the episode had been resolved and there was no further need for anybody to intervene and to inform Mistree about the same. I was further informed at about 1 a.m. India time that trustee Cama had also visited Doongerwadi and the filming site at Khareghat Colony. Cama phoned me the next day to say that my brother Noshir Mehta and he had gone around the site and found everything in order.

The filming continued for two more days, in a much more peaceful and decorous way. It was therefore surprising to read in the WAPIZ Page about commercialization of Doongerwadi lands. The shooting took place at Khareghat Colony, which was the site which the film crew wanted for their episode, and not at Doongerwadi.

The WAPIZ Page has also carried an article stating that the Eco-Park is a part of Godrej Baug and not Doongerwadi lands. I would like to reiterate that every resident of Godrej Baug is well aware that the Eco-Park is on Doongerwadi lands and the left side of the dividing road is Godrej Baug. This may be confirmed from Maneck Engineer, architect of Godrej Baug.

This is the genesis of the film shooting drama at Khareghat Colony, reverberating on Doongerwadi lands. The matter is now hopefully a closed chapter.

DINSHAW MEHTA

Chairman, Bombay Parsi Punchayet

The news of the film shooting at Khareghat Colony and the misuse of the Doongerwadi grounds by the film crew is not only shocking but a blatant breach of trust and misuse of power. Only two trustees of the Bom­bay Parsi Pun­chayet (BPP) have been mentioned as being responsible. What were the rest doing? If they merely remained placid, what are they doing as trustees of the BPP, or were they in on this as well? Is this what comes of adult franchise? We should have learnt a lesson from how our government works before implementing such a change.

I know that, like me, most people are shocked and hurt but ignorant of what steps to take. Hopefully those knowledgeable about these matters will raise their heads and ensure the resignation of the trustees involved. I can only hope for support from the rest of the community.

MEHROO S. KHAREGAT

meherbai36@hotmail.com