Patol Babu was given a very small role of a short tempered pedestrian. He didn’t mind that. He was interested in knowing the ‘lines’ he was to speak in that role. When he came to know that he was just to utter a mono-syllabic word “Oh!”, he was totally disgusted. “Oh!” was not even a complete word, it was just a sound. Patol felt cheated. He thought that all those film people were trying to pull his leg.
They were trying to make him a stock of laughter publically. He found them quite cruel and felt that things were far better on the stage.
When he thought of the stage, a faint memory was stirred up in Patol Babu’s mind. He remembered the priceless words of his guru and mentor Pakrashi. “However small a part you’re offered, never consider it beneath your dignity to accept it.” As an artist his aim should be to make the most of his opportunity. He must squeeze the last drop of meaning out of his lines. “Each word spoken in a play is like a fruit in a tree.”
The memory of his guru made him humble and see things in a different light. Was “Oh” so devoid of meaning as to be dismissed summarily? Then Patol Babu made an astonishing discovery. The same exclamation “Oh!” when spoken in different ways, carried different shades of meaning. It was a gold-mine of meaning. Mixing 50 parts of anguish, 25 parts of surprise and 25 parts of irritation, he cried “Oh!” And what a wonderful performance it was. He put all his skill and imagination in that one shot. Finally, he was satisfied that he performed his small role with perfection and dedication. He didn’t wait to be paid as he was more than rewarded.