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Patol Babu lost his job in Calcutta because he got a sudden retrenchment in his company due to war.

Initially Patol Babu had a job in a railway factory. In 1934, he was offered higher salary as a clerk in a famous company. Later he shifted to Calcutta and soon lost his job due to the war. He tried his hand at a variety store which only lasted for 5 years. He worked in a Bengali firm, then as an insurance agent but nothing lasted.

Patol Babu worked as a clerk with Hudson and Kimberley. Patol Babu had a smooth sailing when he was working in Calcutta. He was in the boss’ good books. But he lost his job due to a sudden retrenchment in his office due to war.

Value Points :

Because he was offered a clerical post at Hudson and Kimberley at a higher salary.

Detailed Answer :

Patol Babu left his job in the railway factory at Kanchrapara because he was offered a clerical post at Hudson and Kimberley at a higher salary.

The words of his Guru Gogon Pakrashi made him feel that no role was too small to be turned down. These words helped him get over his apathy.

The dialogue was only a monosyllabic word, Oh!. He was hoping for a better role with a dialogue in order to show his talent.

Naresh Dutt went looking for Patol Babu after the shoot. He could not find him. He was surprised and called him ‘a strange fellow’ because Patol Babu had left the place without taking his payment.

Value Points :

To make his role more authentic he had a newspaper opened in his hand. He counted the steps he had to take to reach the spot of collision. He decided the pace at which he had to take the steps to reach the spot of collision.

Detailed Answer :

The role of an absent-minded pedestrian was given to Patol Babu. He was to collide with Chanchal Kumar who was on his way to the office. Patol Babu rehearsed in front of a large glass window. Before shooting for the scene he suggested to Baren Mullick that an open newspaper in his hand would look more natural and realistic. He was provided with the newspaper. Then he calculated the steps and timed them according to the place of collision. All these touches added an authenticity to his role.

Value Points :

carrying a newspaper while making the collision/to make the scene look more authentic/natural The director agreed/appreciated and handed him a newspaper.

Detailed Answer :

While rehearsing, Patol Babu suddenly had an idea that he should carry a newspaper while making the collision as it would make the scene look more authentic or natural. The director agreed to his proposal and handed him a newspaper to carry while walking during the rehearsal.

Patol Babu was a man who tried to give his best in everything he did. When he was given his mono-syllabic dialogue ‘Oh !’ he gave different meaning to it like grief, sorrow, hurt, pain etc. When he was told about the scene, he decided that he would put sixty percent irritation and forty percent surprise into his utterance. He even rehearsed in front of a large glass window. When he was called for the shooting he wanted to rehearse but his request was turned down by Mr. Mullick. He even calculated his steps and timed them. All these things suggest that he was a meticulous man.

Patol Babu was a multifaceted character. He had his moments of joy and peace when he was in Kanchrapara. He was in great demand as a stage actor and played a leading role in ‘Jatras’, theatricals and local plays. People used to buy tickets only to see him. He was lucky to get a clerical job with Hudson and Kimberley with enhanced pay. He also got a flat for the family. After nine years of service he was retrenched due to the war. He had to struggle to earn a living. He opened a variety store but did not achieve any success. He got a job in a Bengali firm but had to resign it due to the behaviour of his boss. He remained an Insurance Agent for 10 years. Patol Babu tried every means of livelihood without succeeding in improving his lot. But he was a fighter. He never gave up. At the age of 52, his neighbour offered him a small role of a short-tempered pedestrian. He was disgusted to know that he was to utter only one monosyllabic word ‘Oh’ in the scene. He felt that they were trying to pull his leg, but he remembered the priceless words of his Guru. Even a small job if done with perfection and dedication can bring intense satisfaction to the man who performs it. So, he put all his skill and imagination in that one single shot. He gives an important message that money is insignificant against the intense satisfaction an artist gets after doing his job with dedication and perfection and a true actor can leave his mark even in a small role if performed properly.

Through the lesson Patol Babu, the writer depicts the dreams and aspirations of the small timers and the apathy of film makers for whom making films is a business. Patol Babu, a talented and emotional artist, who is an artist at heart and full of dramatic skills, was asked to perform a role after 52 years. Quite excited, he rehearsed the single word (oh) he was asked to speak. Everybody praised his performance but he did not wait there to collect his remuneration. Naresh Dutt asked around for him but next minute all that was forgotten and the camera started rolling for the another shot.

Value Points :

Satisfaction of doing his role was more important to him than money.

Detailed Answer :

Patol Babu was intensely satisfied by the way he had acted in the shot. He had mixed fifty parts pain, twentyfive parts surprise and twenty-five parts irritations. He felt that his Guru Gagan Pakrashi would be happy with his small but wonderful performance. To him stage contentment and not payment mattered. So he left the place without taking his payment. This incident tells us that he did his work with sincerity, honesty, devotion and dedication.

Value Points :

Nishikanto Ghosh, his neighbor and friend visited him; got him an offer of a small role in a film.

Detailed Answer :

Nishikanto Ghosh was Patol Babu’s neighbour and friend as well. He visited him and informed him that Nishikanto’s relative Naresh Dutt was looking for someone like Patol Babu for a role in his film. So he had brought that offer of a small role for Patol Babu. Patol Babu was too happy to receive this good news at the start of the day.

Certainly, making a movie is not an easy job. If we study Ray’s story, we can realise how long and tedious is the job of film making. Making of a film involves different units. The production unit is incharge of the production. Here we find Naresh Dutt taking the trouble of visiting Patol Babu’s house even for signing such a small role. Then we have financiers who finance the film. The director is the soul of a film. He directs all the shooting activities under his supervision. Here we see the director Baren Mullick taking all toils and troubles to make scenes more authentic and impressive. He accepts Patol Babu’s suggestion of holding a newspaper in his hand. He also puts a butterfly moustache on Patol Babu’s face to make his character more convincing. Even the make-up men like Kesto have their own importance in film-making. Then there is a shooting unit in which young people like Sosanko and Jyoti work. All these people work in unison to make every shot perfect. Every one, including the hero Chanchal Kumar, is on his toes waiting for the shout “Action!” of the director.

Patol Babu walks away before he can be paid for his role. The role is very small but in it he puts all his skills and imagination. He gives a wonderful performance. Everyone is satisfied. Sosanko calls it a “jolly good” performance of a great actor. However, Patol Babu doesn’t stay for being paid for the role. Only a great idealist who works not for money but for the satisfaction of his artistic soul, can do such a thing.

Patol Babu values artistic satisfaction far above than monetary considerations. He has done his job well. He is satisfied that “all these years of struggle hadn’t blunted his sensibility.” As for payment, he thinks how much will they pay? ‘Ten, fifteen, twenty rupees?’ It is true that he needs money very badly but what is money before satisfaction? What is the sum of twenty rupees when measured against the intense satisfaction which an artist gets after doing even a small job with perfection and dedication? Thinking this, Patol Babu walks away without being paid.

(a) All these years of struggle did not blunt or reduce his sensibility. 

(b) His guru Pakrashi would have been pleased at his performance. 

(c) displeased

In a way, the statement is partly true. No doubt, he has to struggle very hard to earn a living. It is also true that all his toil and trouble couldn’t change his fate. He is practical only up to an extent. He can come to terms with whatever life has to offer. But he has a streak of idealism too. He is not practical in the sense of a worldly wise man. He puts in all his skills and imagination in one single shot. He also gives a sterling performance. But he goes away satisfied without accepting his payment.

Life has not been very kind to Patol Babu. While he was in Kanchrapara, he had a job in a railway factory. He came to Calcutta as a clerk with Hudson and Kimberley. For nine years, he enjoyed a peaceful and comfortable life. However, he was retrenched due to the war.

Patol Babu is a fighter. He tries every means of earning a living. But he fails to earn money. His lot remains the same. He opens a variety shop for five years. He does a job in a Bengali firm for some time. He works as an insurance agent for ten years. And now one of his cousins has promised him a job in a small establishment.

No doubt, Patol accepts whatever life has to offer him but he is more of a dreamer than a realist. He accepts a very small role of a pedestrian in a film. But as his wife rightly says, he starts counting his chickens before they are hatched. It is too early but he dreams of rising to fame and fortune. Only an idealist can put his heart and soul in such a role and walk away without being paid.

(a) That an offer to act in a film could come to a 52-year-old nonentity like him was beyond his wildest dreams......... . unassuming; modest. 

(b) Indeed, there was a time when people bought tickets especially to see him ......... . popular actor. 

(c) ‘I was with Hudson and Kimberley for nine years and wasn’t late for a single day.’ punctual. 

(d) It didn’t matter if the part was small, but, if he had to make the most of it, he had to learn his lines beforehand. How small he would feel if he muffed in the presence of so many people. diligent. 

(e) Patol Babu cleared his throat and started enunciating the syllable in various ways. Along with that he worked out how he would react physically when the collision took place—how his features would be twisted in pain, how he would fling out his arms, how his body would crouch to express pain and surprise—all these he performed in various ways in front of a large glass window. meticulous. 

(f ) It is true that he needed money very badly, but what was twenty rupees when measured against the intense satisfaction of a small job done with perfection and dedication? passionate actor.

The offer was a great opportunity for Patol Babu. The amount was not that important but the opportunity certainly was. It was beyond the wildest dreams of a 52-year-old nonentity like him. He saw no reason why he should say no. But he desired to meet his brother-in-law first and find out some more details.

Nishikanto Ghosh had brought a good news for Patol Babu. His youngest brotherin-law Naresh Dutt was in film business. He was looking for an actor for a scene in a film. The character he described was a fiftyish, short, bald-headed man. It reminded Nishikanto of Patol Babu. He asked his brother-in-law to get in touch with him. Of course, they would pay him for the role.

(a) Naresh Dutt was looking for Patol Babu so that he might receive his payment. 

(b) No, he didn’t find him at the paan shop. 

(c) odd

(a) Patol Babu had to pull himself as he was hurt when he collided with the hero. 

(b) He uttered the word “Oh!” by mixing 50 parts of anguish, 25 of surprise and 25 of irritation. 

(c) anguish

Patol Babu had not expected such a good news at the start of the day. It was even beyond his wildest dream. After all, what more a 52-year-old nonentity like Patol could expect? Nishikanto Babu knew that Patol had done some acting on the stage at one time. He wanted a definite answer. Patol Babu saw no reason why he should say no. Only he wanted to know more details about the role from Nishikanto’s brother-in-law

Nishikanto Ghosh was Patol Babu’s neighbour. He lived three houses away from Patol Babu in Nepal Bhattacharji Lane in Calcutta. Nishikanto’s youngest brotherin-law was in film production department. He needed a person who could do the role of a fiftyish, short and bald-headed character for a scene in a film. Nishikanto Ghosh recommended Patol Babu’s name for that role. He came to Patol Babu’s house with that offer.

(a) The above lines in the extract are spoken by Patol Babu to Naresh Dutt.

(b) Patol Babu was offered a very brief role in a movie. The role was of an absent-minded man and had just a mono-syllabic dialogue to utter. 

(c) It shows that the speaker, i.e. Patol Babu is a very hard working and a dedicated person. He loves his work and acting. Even at the age of 52, he doesn’t hesitate to take up new work. 

(d) Because he had not expected a role to be offered at the age of 52. 

(a) Patol Babu had been struggling to make a living all those years and he needed money for smooth sailing. 

(b) Money was quite insignificant when measured against the intense satisfaction that he got after doing his performance so well. 

(c) for

12, Park Street

Kolkata

19 March, 20××

Dear Ghosh Babu

Thank you very much for providing such a great opportunity in getting a role in a film. A 52-year-old nonentity couldn’t have asked for more. It was beyond even my wildest dreams.

Your youngest brother-in-law Naresh Dutt is really very resourceful. God bless him! He asked me to reach Faraday House the next day at 8.30 am. And you know my nature. I was there just on time.

Ghosh Babu, I had never seen the shooting of a film before. There was a big crowd at Faraday House. O God! Film making is hell of a tedious thing. In reality shooting of a film is quite a boring business. Do you know Baron Mullick, the famous director? He was shouting in succession “Running!” “Camera!” “Light!” and finally, “Action!” All others danced to his tune. I was playing the small role of shorttempered pedestrian. He was to have a collision with the hero of the film, Chanchal Kumar. I was to utter only one word “Oh!” crying in pain. First I thought they were pulling my leg. Just one word “Oh!” and nothing else. I would have returned home had the priceless words of my guru Pakrashi not stirred my soul. I realised that an actor can leave his mark even in a small role. Only thing is that this should be performed with complete dedication and perfection. So I put all my heart and soul, my skills and imagination in that one shot. The result was just wonderful. I was completely satisfied and so were others. I came home without being paid. I needed money badly but what are the sum of 20 rupees measured against the satisfaction I had? I had done my small job with perfection and dedication.

Yours sincerely

Patol

Value points : 

Strange fellow - disappeared without payment 

Gave perfect shot on first take

Perfect timing, perfect emotion - hurt, surprise 

Praised by all, even director

Knew he was disappointed when he came to know he had a one word dialogue only – ‘Oh’ 

Should have waited for payment - had waited all day for the shot

Will hand it to Nishikanto Ghosh to give it to him

Detailed Answer :

Patol Babu was a strange fellow because he disappeared without taking his payment for playing his role in the movie. He had an ardent desire for acting that’s why he gave the perfect shot in the first take. He gave his hundred percent - with perfect timing and perfect emotion of surprise and hurt by the collision. He was praised by all including the director Baren Mullick. But then he left without taking his money when Naresh Dutt came to know about it, he realized that the man was disappointed to know that he had a monosyllabic dialogue - ‘Oh!’ Naresh Dutt felt that Patol Babu should have waited for payment also though he had waited the whole day patiently for the shot. He decided that he would hand over the payment to Nishkanto Ghosh who would give it to him.

Kolkata,

19 October 20××

Sir,

Last week I was offered a role in a film. I was very happy as I had always wanted to be known as a good actor. I was very particular that there should be dialogues in my role. But to my utter distress, there was only a monosyllable ‘Oh !’ which I considered to be a trivial utterance to be made. Suddenly, I was reminded of you and your advice that one should never consider any role below one’s dignity. Each small word uttered has its own importance. I was filled with enthusiasm and started rehearsing the word. I realised that the single word also contained a gold mine of meaning. Your advice ‘‘that each word of the dialogue is like a fruit in a tree and an actor must know how to pluck the fruit, get the essence and serve it to the satisfaction of his audience’’ made me put more feelings into that word. I took it as an ultimate challenge and my attempt emerged out as a successful performance. The pleasures and satisfaction derived from it was priceless. I left the place without taking the payment as I had achieved a deep contentment.

This all was because of your guidance and advice. It was at that moment that I realised why people say that your guru is your mentor. He should always be given the place next to God. It is only the teacher who can guide you to the path of success and happiness. Your words, your advice has changed me and my life. I owe my success to you. I thank you from the core of my heart for making my dream come true. 

Yours sincerely,

Patol Babu

Never consider it to be beneath his dignity to accept a small role / to grab every opportunity / Each word of the dialogue should be given due importance.

Value Points :

No role beneath dignity; every role equally important; only an actor can convey the real essence of the character to the audience; give your hundred percent 

Detailed Answer :

Gogan Pakrashi was Patol Babu’s Guru or a mentor. He always told him that a role should never be considered as small or petty. No role is beneath one’s dignity, every role is equally important. Only an actor can convey the real essence of the character for the audience so he should give it his hundred percent. One should always aim to avail every opportunity and draw out the true meaning of the dialogue. He said that each word of a dialogue is like a fruit in a tree. An actor must know how to pluck the fruit, get the essence and serve it to the satisfaction of his audience.

Value Points :

reminds him of his past; not being successful; feels overconfident; over excited; day-dreaming

Detailed Answer :

When Patol Babu was offered a role in a film, he was very excited. He shared his happiness with his wife who in turn reminded him of his past when he was not successful though he had tried to do many different jobs. She told him that he was counting his chickens before they were hatched. He was only day-dreaming about his success which is not easy to gain.

(a) Patol Babu started giving the exclamation “Oh!” a different inflection each time she spoke it. 

(b) The astonishing mystery was that every time “Oh” was sounded differently it conveyed different meanings. 

(c) different

(a) Patol Babu was nervous because he had not yet received the dialogue he was to speak during the shooting. 

(b) Patol wanted to remind Naresh Dutt that he had not yet received his lines to be spoken during the shooting. 

(c) nervous

(a) He had gone back to his home.

(b) He wanted to give him his payment.

(c) Satisfaction mattered more to him than money.

(d) Because he hand left without taking her payment.

Value points :

Patol Babu overcame his disappointment. 

rehearsed the dialogue “Oh!” repeatedly.

added special touches to the dialogue by 

rehearsing it with different expressions. 

emoted with sincerity and dedication.

won the admiration of all who had gathered there

Detailed Answer :

At the age of 52, Patol Babu was offered a small role of a short tempered pedestrian which had no dialogues but only a monosyllabic word to utter in the scene. On knowing this he was first disappointed and felt that people were trying to pull his leg, but he remembered the priceless words of his guru-‘even a small job done with perfection and dedication can bring intense satisfaction to the man who performs it’. He felt that no role was big or small and took up the challenge in his stride to perform the mono-syllabic dialogue with utmost perfection. So he put up all his skill and imagination in that one single shot. He rehearsed a lot and thought of all the emotions that he could put into it. Hence he enacted his shot with perfection.

Patol Babu remembered the advice of his guru Pakrashi. He started giving the exclamation “Oh!” a different inflection each time he uttered it. He made an astonishing discovery. The same exclamation, when spoken in different ways, carried different shades of meaning. When a man is hurt he says “Oh!” in a different way and when he is in despair he utters “Oh!” differently. He felt that single word “Oh!” contained a gold-mine of meaning. He could write a whole thesis on that exclamation. A true actor can make a mark even with that one single syllable “Oh!”

Sosanko realised that Patol Babu was displeased as he had to utter just one word ‘Oh!’ in the scene. He reminded Patol that a regular ‘speaking part’ in a Baren Mullick film meant a great achievement. Patol Babu was very lucky to have a ‘speaking’ part. There were hundreds who just walked past the camera without speaking even a word. Even the hero Chanchal Kumar had no lines to speak that day.

A faint memory of his guru and mentor Gogan Pakrashi stirred up in Patol Babu’s mind. He remembered Pakrashi’s priceless words. “However small a part you’re offered, never consider beneath your dignity to accept it.” An artist should make the most of his opportunity. He should squeeze the last drop of meaning out of his lines. Each word spoken in a play is like a fruit in a tree. Patol bowed his head in obeisance to follow his mentor’s advice.

(a) The speaker is Patol Babu and he is talking to Naresh Dutt.

(b) Patol Babu worked with Hudson and Kimberley in Calcutta for nine years. 

(c) The speaker wants to impress Naresh Dutt with his punctuality.

(a) Patol Babu was given the role of a short tempered pedestrian. He was to utter only one word “Oh!” in the film. 

(b) Now Patol didn’t think that his part was insignificant. 

(c) summarily

The atmosphere at the Faraday House shooting left Patol Babu totally disgusted. By giving just to utter one word “Oh!” in the film, they were making him a stock of laughter. He didn’t think wasting a Sunday morning worth while in the company of those useless people. He called the whole business “Stuff and nonsense!”

They had to put up that ‘pompous show for something so trivial.’ He realised that things were much better on the stage where he played leading roles in many plays.

Much was done about nothing. Patol Babu was just to utter one word “Oh!” in the whole scene. It was not even a complete word. It was just a sound. He felt a sudden throbbing in his head. He felt that those people were trying to pull his leg. The whole business of shooting seemed to be a big hoax. They were dragging a meek and harmless person into the middle of the city only to make a laughing stock of him. Their act was cruel and inhuman.

(a) At Faraday House during a shooting.

(b) People associated with the making and shooting of films.

(c) Making fool of him by giving him just one word ‘oh’ ! to be spoken in the whole film.

(d) Wise.

(a) The small role Patol Babu has got in a film can be the first step on the ladder for him. 

(b) The speaker is talking to his wife. 

(c) fame

(a) Naresh Dutt, who is in the production department of films, is the speaker here. 

(b) The speaker feels sorry for not telling Patol Babu his role in the film. 

(c) Patol Babu is to play a short-tempered pedestrian in the film.

(a) Sosanko asked Patol Babu to move over where he was standing—near the paan shop. 

(b) He cast a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching him. 

(c) quick

(a) A faint memory of his guru Pakrashi and his words stirred up in Patol Babu’s mind. 

(b) The priceless words of his guru were that no role is small and blow the dignity of the actor. Every role that is offered must be accepted. 

(c) opportunity

Patol Babu was a multi-faceted character. He accepted whatever life offered to him. He had his moments of joy and peace when he was in Kanchrapara. He was in great demand as a stage actor. He played a leading role in ‘jatras’, theatricals and local plays. People used to buy tickets only to see him. Patol was lucky to get a clerical job with Hudson and Berkley with enhanced pay. However, after nine years of service he was retrenched due to the war. Then he started his struggles to earn a living. He opened a variety store but failed. He got a job in a Bengali firm but left it due to the high handedness of the boss. For ten years he remained an insurance agent. He did everything to earn a living but didn’t succeed in improving his lot.

Patol Babu was a fighter. He didn’t succeed but never gave in. He accepted life as it unfolded before him. At the age of 52, his neighbour Nishikanto Ghosh brought an offer of acting in a film. Patol Babu accepted to do a small role of a short-tempered pedestrian. He was disgusted to know that he was to utter only one word “Oh!” in the scene. But he remembered the priceless words of his guru Pakrashi. He realised that a true actor can leave his mark even in a small role if he performs it with perfection and dedication.

Patol Babu was an idealist and perfectionist. Just to utter a mono-syllabic word he made endless attempts to give the best effect. His performance was flawless and perfect. He was satisfied and left the place without being paid. He needed money badly. But what was money when measured against his intense satisfaction he had in doing his small job with perfection and dedication?