Recently I had the privilege to travel to Los Angeles and visit some of the most iconic places in the history of movie-making. Being an avid fan of Hollywood, as I practically grew up on those movies, I was mesmerised by the history in front of me. My introduction to these places were initiated quite early in my pre-teen years through books and classic Hollywood films. And I had always daydreamed about walking those streets, to experience the fragment of that magic.
My film Avijatrik has been shown in 35 countries so far, but unfortunately I could not travel to most of them, owing to the Covid restrictions. In the US itself it was a part of four different festivals — in Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle and Boston — but I had to be contented with online interviews and audience interactions, post physical screening of the film, as the organisers were not inviting foreign guests due to Covid protocols. So when the opportunity beckoned for me to travel to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, to take part in an award show, I did not think twice to say yes. I was about to fulfill my childhood dream, to visit the cradle of the film civilisation. I was en route to Hollywood. I was like a kid in a candy store.
Universal Studios
My first stop in this pilgrimage was THE Universal Studios, home to a large chunk of my childhood dreams; a century-old studio that has dished out many many unforgettable movies; Universal Pictures distributed E.T., a film which inspired me to be a director when I first saw the movie as a kid in the mid-1980s; the studio which has a long association with Steven Spielberg, whom I had written a letter to, asking him to produce my film, when I was 18 years old.
Universal Studios basically consists of two parts — one is the amusement park and the other one is the fully functioning studio with many high-tech shooting floors and pre-constructed sets of different localities. It is on a large hilltop covering almost the entire hill. One can see the Warner Brothers studios and Getty Images museum on the way to Universal Studios. It’s a lovely ride on the high road on a hilly terrain.
Upon entering the studio, I was in for a surprise! Actors dressed as Dracula and Frankenstein were there, along with many theme rides and shows, the likes of Jurassic World, Water World, Harry Potter, Minions, Shrek and much more.
I was interested in the guided tour where I got to see the iconic sets of Jurassic Park, Bruce Almighty, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Jaws and many more. The cars used in movies like Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and Jurassic World were there. The day ended with a spectacular display of fireworks on the eve of America’s Independence Day. From the souvenir shop I bought a metal, movable globe logo of Universal Studio which appears in the beginning of their films.
Hogwarts
Hogwarts
I am a Pottermaniac. And visiting Hogwarts and Hogsmeade is nothing less than a pilgrimage for me. I am a collector myself and I have most of the Potter collectibles imaginable, but I had never visited the place where it all started. The massive castle and a perfect replica of Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express... there were many souvenir shops in Hogsmeade, replicating the shops of Diagon Alley... the wand store, the stuffed toy owl store, the candy stores, the souvenir shops, the robe and hat stores. The entire section is part of the Universal Studios with a dedicated entrance.
The main attraction was the broom ride inside the Hogwarts Castle, which was scary to say the least. The Dementors will chase you and you’ll find yourself trapped in the middle of a Quidditch game.
It was such a believable Artificial Intelligence surround digital projection that it shook me to the core. In fact, I thanked my stars after the ride that I survived. The entire Gryffindor team with Professor Dumbledore were there to greet us at the end and congratulate on having survived the ride. I could not take photographs of the ride. I was holding the broom with my hands clasped tight, as it appeared to be flying in extremely high speed to different corners.
To my utter amusement I found out in the souvenir shop that I have nothing new to collect, as I have collected them all over the years, through their online store, sitting in Kolkata itself.
Hollywood Boulevard
I went there in the early morning on their Independence Day, a public holiday, just to get a feel of the place by myself. This is a wide street in Los Angeles consisting of major movie attractions, featured prominently in many films over the years.
The place is famous for the Walk of Fame that has the names and stars of the biggest Hollywood celebrities inscribed on the pavement blocks. A Mexican lady approached me, holding a fake cardboard star and asked me to pose with it on the pavement. She said that she will inscribe my name on it. I politely refused. I will have my own, the original one, some day... I am ready to wait till then.
Dolby Theatre
And then I walked towards the Dolby Theatre, the home of the Oscars. I walked the long staircase which gets adorned by the red carpet each year during the award show. The glow signs comprising the names of the best films and the best directors are showcased on both sides of the long staircase.
This place has numerous official souvenir shops and I bought a replica of the Oscar trophy from the official merchandise store.
Next I drove down and took a leisurely stroll on the Steven Spielberg Drive in Beverly
Hills, the road that leads to the famous Hollywood sign on the hilltop. On my way back I
drove past the villa that once belonged to Charlie Chaplin... now it is a boutique hotel which looks like a mini castle. Interestingly, I saw many small, haggard tents under the overbridge beside the driveway, where the homeless live. Like all great cities, in Los Angeles too, the brightest lamp casts the darkest shadow, just beneath it.
Bellagio in Las Vegas
Bellagio
I was in Las Vegas for an award ceremony where I was presented with the Best Director [ Critics ] Award for Avijatrik. In Vegas I was put up at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino, which was just opposite to the famous Bellagio hotel. This is the place where movies like Ocean’s Eleven and Hangover were filmed. I was trying to visualise the scenes and how they may have been shot at those places. It was a fun exercise.
I was introduced to the iconic locations of Vegas when I was quite young, through James Bond books, through many gang war films and found it just as spectacular as I had visualised it.
Vegas is so overcrowded, full of fun-loving people from across the world. At times I just stood there motionless in a corner of the strip, the main highway that consists of all the major hotels and casinos, and watched people, rushing, merry- making, gambling, making love, having a party of their lives. It was like the Gariahat intersection on an Ashtami evening but for the 18-plus. This is a regular affair in Vegas.
In the early morning I walked the desolate streets when the entire city slept. I enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the hotels, their plush interiors and huge casinos with people there still playing and trying their luck. I met a few Ukranian stripteasers and they asked me to click their pictures on their phones. They were wearing glittering headgears with large bird feathers and jewels. They looked beautiful. Rest as the saying goes, “What happens in Vegas… stays in Vegas!”