A day in the life of Lajja Shah. Andheri East to Channel V

Cinematographer: Shaina Anand

Duration: 00:21:49; Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1; Hue: 38.435; Saturation: 0.113; Lightness: 0.333; Volume: 0.100; Cuts per Minute: 35.268; Words per Minute: 61.055

Lajja Shah is a freelance stylist residing in Malad E. Most days are unpredictable and are spent networking through the city. Speed, mobility and connectivity are crucial; all modes of transport are exploited.Here filmmaker Shaina Anand (SA) follows Lajja as she travels from Andheri East to Andheri West, by auto rickshaw.

SA makes her way into the styling room to find Lajja dressing up Neil (N) - a VJ at Channel [V] for a shoot.
SA: Finally some action. Otherwise she's just standing there like a little...
L: HEY! Make up.
N: There's hardly any make up.
L: It comes no, you saw it came on the other t-shirt.
office
vj
andheri east
channel [v]
Andheri East
Mumbai
andheri east
andheri west
auto
commuter
rickshaw
road
traffic
travel

L: That's my fellow-stylist Sonali.
Sonali: Bye!
L: Bye she's saying. (laughing)
Lajja and Neil stand in front of mirror
stylist

N: Not for CHILDREN!
L: No, no, for our eyes only.
Neil goes into the changing room to change his pants. Mahesh, Lajja's assistant neatly folds some t-shirts and stacks them on his thigh.
vj

N: ...sirf yehi kehna hein. (...says only this) Thank you. Do you know how long I waited for this guy to bring me chai (tea)
L: For chai (tea) that you want?
N: Do you guys want some chai (tea).
L: No thanks. Come
N: Because it will take you 2 hours.
L: Come
chai
service
tea

Juhi: Oooh! It's the actress!
L: mock strangles Juhi.
Man: Lajja? Hey hi! I know Lajja
Juhi: I know Lajja. I think she's O.K.
N: blows kisses to L
Juhi: She could get better with time. It's only 6 years in Channel [V].
SA: Only 6 years?
Lajja: Only 6 years in Channel [V]
They move into the room that is used for shoots. There are some people already there. Among them is VJ - Juhi.
channel [v]
vj

(garbled banter on set for the Channel [V] programme - LaunchPad.
launchpad

Lajja speaks to one of the assistants backstage, then says goodbye.
L: Bye everyone.
Juhi: Why? You are leaving. (at SA) Hey see ya.
SA: Genuine (giggles)

Lajja makes her way out of the set.
set

Leaving Channel [V] office, Lajja walks to an auto rickshaw and gets in it.
auto
rickshaw
ride
road

Auto rickshaw ride to Marol Naka, Andheri East.
Marol Nakai
channel [v]
marol
naka

L: Right.
Auto rickshaw ride
clothes
letter
shoot
sponsorship
store

L: I said that there this (garbled).. I know she told me about it.
SA: So, we can have one soup and one roll
allow
office
permission
video camera

L: Yeh gate se right lena (From this gate, take a right.) Bus yaha left le ke rukhana (Enough, please stop on the left here.) Hi Monica! I've come especially for the letter. (To the auto rickshaw driver), Yeh lijhiye (Take this.)
SA: What's the letter?
L: It's a sponsorship letter from Channel [V], which allows me to take clothes from stores.

Walking into Channel [V] office.
SA: Can I come in? Ask.
L: Monica can she come in?
SA: Come back and go in. Don't enter. Don't enter. Just let her walk in from here and enter and then I'll shut it off.
L: Not allowed. Not allowed.
SA: OK. Cool. Bye.

Lajja leaving the Channel [V] office
channel [v]
office
Andheri East
Marol Nakai

SA: Cross the road. Come on Lajja, fast, fast.
L: Are you serious? I'm not crossing that path. We can get out from here.
SA: OK then walk back 20 steps.
L: We should actually be getting out from here.
SA: Say why?
L: A black cat just crossed our path and there's a huge superstition in India where you DO NOT let a black cat cross your path because it brings a lot of bad luck. So we are going to take another route out.
SA: Are you serious?
L: Yes
SA: Jesus
L: I don't want a bad day happening today.
SA: Riddhima, tell her to take her bag off.
L: Fuck! I can't believe a black cat just crossed our path.
black cat
cross
luck
myth
path

Lajja greets and hugs Satish, a Promo Graphic Designer with Channel [V]
channel [v]
designer
graphic
promos
promotion

Lajja introduces Satish.
Name of building: Advani House
L: That's my friend Satish. He's a really really really talented graphic designer. He works for the promos department in Channel [V]. and we've been friends for 6 years. (laughs)
SA: Hello.
Garbled exchange.
L: I'm a star you know.

Far shot of Lajja and Satish discussing work. Then Lajja and Ayesha talk about a shoot.
L: Ayesha what did you want to tell me.
L: One. I've been told one change.
discuss
work
Andheri East
Marol Nakai

Lajja and Ayesha talk about an upcoming shoot.
belt
changes
clothes
corset
fabric
hairstyle
indian
launchpad
mirror belt
rock star
sari
shilpa shetty
skirt
stylist
vj
ware
wear
I'm getting just one change for everybody. So, the boys are going to be casally dressed and Juhi also, maybe at best the Indian element can be the skirt with Indian fabric, or a belt. One of those mirror belts, yeah. With a corset, or something like that. Because I'm not doing anything more Indian than that. She's doing Launchpad right now. And she's got that rock-starrish hair. She's going to look clown if we give her...No. But they are shooting our VJs because they are our VJs no. ...(garbled). Tell them to get Shilpa Shetty to wear a sarilaughs. OK, I'll see you around. Bye.

Lajja walks briskly out of the Channel [V] office.
office

Lajja walks to the gate.
drive-in
gate
?--?

She walks out of the security check and out onto the Marol Naka to catch an auto rickshaw.
auto
rickshaw
security check
marol naka

View from the divider on the road.

Signboard:"Marol, MIDC, Andheri - MMRDA
andheri
marol
midc
mmrda
signboard

Signboard: Marol, MIDC, Andheri - MMRDA

Signboard: Marol, MIDC, Andheri - MMRDA
SA: Go, go
Pan from the MMRDA board to Lajja getting into an auto rickshaw and leaving.
auto
rickshaw

L: ...(on mobile phone) That shoot will be done by Thursday and then you can return your clothes. And I told him that if you don't get the clothes back by afternoon, you guys will have to pay for everything because the clothes have been with me anyway for so long. OK. After that the shoot got post-poned and he said don't worry within 2 hours it will get over. Your shoot started at 4 o'clock and it got over at 9 o' clock in the NIGHT. Next day was a Sunday. The clothes went back on a Sunday. Now all these stores called me and HARROWED me to bits. Because they wanted their clothes for the weekend.
Andheri West
clothes
clothing
free
payment
phone
photo shoot
store
stylist

L: (on mobile phone) The only reason they gave me the clothes was because I was going to return it to them by Friday night. But because of the photo shoot, I had to keep it on Saturday and Sunday. Because on Saturday you guys didn't finish before closing time. The stores were SHUT before we were finished. And I told Jason that if the stores tell me, 'I'm sorry you have to buy all the clothes', we have to buy ALL the clothes because of the photo shoot. And you said, 'No, no, no, don't worry, the shoot will get over and whatever. OK. Instead of paying for all the clothes, first of all, because there are no credits that have been given and you'll have used the clothes for free, the least you'll can do, is pay for 2 damages that have happened on the shoot. There's no way to prove... (to SA) it got cut.
damage

SA: Laj just sit little in front, you know what happens. You are very dark....and your head is dark, but be safe.
L: Yeah yeah don't worry.
colour
glare
light
silhouette
sun
video camera

L: Haan (Yeah) Jayashree. So, you'll have used the clothes without giving any credits to any of these stores right? So you'll are basically in a ... Exactly. No. That's what I'm saying. Because of me, you'll have. One second, one second. Because of me you'll have used the clothes for free. If it's a photo shoot, ideally you have to buy the clothes, because the stores are not stupid to give clothes for free, right. They are not getting anything out of it. So, why will they give you clothes to use for somebody. But they gave it to you and if there are damages. Tell, me how is it then? ... OK.
buy
credit
customer
free
store
weekend
clothes
damage
photo shoot

L: (on mobile phone) Yeah.... No, so whatever it may be...that's not my problem no Jayashree. There were trials run. Everything was frozen and I thought everyone liked the... (garbled). Now by the end of the shoot, she decides that she doesn't like the clothes. It's not my fault. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah; So... No so now what is the deal? Are YOU going to pay for the clothes, or is Mansi going to pay for the clothes. I don't care who pays for it.
fault
fixed
frozen
trial
delay
pay

L: (on mobile phone) Haan Haan. (Yeah, yeah.) So you're not going to pay for the damages. So who...? So is Mansi going to pay for the damages. So then who will pay. Tell me who will pay for the damages. Because obviously I'm not going to pay for it. No, I don't have the time to come and decide damages which cost some... the dress is Rs 1500 and the ear rings are for 1000 bucks! I honestly don't have the time to come and discuss such stu.. such THINGS. I have a lot of work and the only reason I did that photo shoot. Jason asked me some 3 times to do the shoot, and I didn't have the time. I told him no. He said you don't have to come for the shoot. Just send somebody. Just use the same clothes. Of course it is right.
amount
busy
dress
ear ring

L: (on mobile phone)...If you can't speak to Magic Wands, then I'll speak to them to sort this out. But either Magic Wands or Zee Music has to pay for it. OK. No problem. Thanks Jayashree. Bye.
(to SA) Ahh. So much stress. Can't handle it.
magic wands
zee music
stress

SA: I don't know how you (garbled)
L: Listen I want to quit. I can't tell you how badly I want to just... At least take a break for a year and then maybe get back to this. Because this is not my idea of a fun... JOB. It's fun if you are not doing so much. Shreyas is a lot more stressful than mine.
break
fun
job
quit
sabbatical
work
year

SA:...garbled
Towards Andheri station
andheri west
auto
rickshaw
road

Approaching Andheri station
andheri
railway
station
train

Lajja, while talking on her mobile phone crosses the road.

Pad.ma requires JavaScript.