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Question
In Patol Babu, Film Star, how is Patol Babu's character a commentary on the struggling actors in the film industry?
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Solution
Through Patol Babu’s character, Satyajit Ray highlights the plight of the struggling actors who often go unnoticed and their difficulties in getting even minor roles. Patol Babu's dedication to his craft and ability to turn even a minor role into a memorable one is a testament to the hard work and determination of many such individuals in the industry.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Why did the dialogue given to him disappoint Patol Babu?
Patience and hard work go a long way in achieving your goals. How does Patol Babu win the admiration of the director through a very small role? Write in 80–100 words.
How do we know that Patol Babu was a dedicated actor?
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
'Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax ? A meek harmless man like him and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing stock out of him.'
(a) Who is the speaker?
(b) Why does he think that he is being made a 'laughing stock'?
(c) What does the word 'hoax' mean?
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Patol Babu suddenly felt that he could write a whole thesis on that monosyllabic exclamation. Why had he felt so disheartened when this single word contained a gold-mine of meaning?
(a) Why was Patol Babu disheartened?
(b) Which was the word that contained a 'gold-mine'?
(c) What does the word 'monosyllabic' mean?
Discuss with your partner and answer the following question:
What are your strengths?
| Strengths | Why do you feel so? |
What is your dream career?
I want to become a………
• Is there any correlation between your strengths and aspirations?
• Do you think you can achieve your dreams? Give reasons.
Answer the following question briefly :
How did Patol Babu react? Why?
Answer the following question briefly :
How does Patol Babu reconcile to the dialogue given to him?
Discuss the following question in detail and write the answer in your notebook :
'Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A meek, harmless man like him, and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing stock out of him. How could anyone be so cruel?' Why does Patol Babu have these thoughts?
Discuss the following question in detail and write the answer in your notebook :
Patol Babu is an amateur actor for whom walk-on part in a movie turns into an ultimate challenge. Discuss.
Discuss the following question in detail and write the answer in your notebook :
Do you agree with the statement that Patol Babu is a practical man who comes to terms with whatever life has to offer? Give reasons for your answer.
Discuss the following question in detail and write the answer in your notebook :
Do you think making a movie is an easy job? Discuss with reference to the story.
Here are some lines from the lesson. Match the meanings of the underlined words with their meanings listed below
| (a) Then he had a job in a Bengali firm which he gave up in disgust when his boss began to treat him in too high-handed a fashion | stimulate the imagination |
| (b) A faint memory was stirred up in Patol Babu's mind. | to surrender or relinquish |
| (c) At first he opened a variety store which he had to wind up after five years. |
staged |
| (d) In Jatras, in amateur theatricals, in plays put up by the club in his neighbourhood, Patol Babu was always in demand | to gain control over one's actions |
| (e) Patol Babu was about to step forward when he was pulled up short by a voice shouting 'Silence!' |
shut down |
| (f) Patol Babu pulled himself together | stopped |
After Patol Babu returns home he recounts his experience in front of the camera to his wife. In pairs write out the exchange in the form of a dialogue and enact it before the class. You may start like this….
Patol Babu's wife: So what happened at the shooting today? Did you get to do your
role?
Patol Babu: Oh, yes, I had the time of my life……………..
Patol Babu impresses everyone at the shoot with his acting talent in spite of having a one word dialogue. In groups of four enact the word 'Oh' in different ways to show the following emotions:
• happiness • sorrow
• excitement • fear
• sarcasm • pain
• disappointment • surprise
Each group will then enact one of these emotions to the rest of the class using the word
'Oh'. The other groups will try to guess which emotion is being expressed.
Patol Babu writes a letter to Nishikanto Ghosh to thank him for being instrumental in his getting a role in a film. He also shares his experience at the film shoot including the excitement and deep satisfaction that he derived from the same. Write the letter in about 200 words.
Listen to your teacher read out from page no. 193, the passage on character actors and complete the exercise as directed.
After the age of forty, the actors most likely to get less work are (Tick the right choice)
Ten minutes or so later Naresh Dutt went looking for Patol Babu near the paan shop and found that he was not there. “That’s odd the man hadn’t been paid yet. What a strange fellow !”
(a) Where had Patol Babu gone ?
(b) Why did Patol Babu leave without informing anyone ?
(c) Why was Naresh Dutt looking for Patol Babu ?
(d) What does the incident tell us about Patol Babu ?
