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ShareDon't throw away that old Remington yet.Kareena N Gianani meets an artist who has found an unusual use for old typewriters
Walk past the long corridor on the third floor of Chandrakant Bhide's Dadar home in the daytime, and you will find him working away at an old typewriter.
The nimble fingers feverishly clicking away on the Halda have more than one story to tell. Scattered on the couch inside are portraits of Sachin Tendulkar, RK Laxman's common man, Dilip Kumar and more than a hundred actors, sportsmen and political leaders.
But don't let your eyes deceive you -- Sachin Tendulkar's curly mop of hair , the furrow on Pandit Nehru's forehead, the subtle shading of bifocal glasses for Vinoba Bhave-- none of these are made with expert brush strokes. Look closer and you'll find the stroke (/) key of Bhide's typewriter used to perfection.
Bhide, 62, always wanted to be an artist. However, life had other plans. "I couldn't join the JJ School of Arts due to financial constraints and Ialso had to drop out of studies after the 10th standard."
Bhide enrolled for some typing classes and, in 1965, became a typist at Esplanade Court. 1966 saw him tapping away at the Mumbai University and a year later, he took up a job at the Union Bank of India at Apollo Street.
One lazy afternoon, while typing a list of intercom numbers for the umpteenth time, Bhide decided to do things differently.
When the numbers reached his superior, he did a double take -- they were typed out in the shape of a telephone. "That was my cue," says a beaming Bhide.
"I just knew I had to take it further." Bhide started out with simple sketches of Ganpati using only the 'X' key and graduated to using the '@', '%' and '$' keys as he typed his way through sketches of Amitabh Bachchan, Bal Thackeray andSunil Gavaskar.
How does he conjure up such detailed images from his 40-year-old typewriter? Bhide gives a live demo. With his left hand at the platen knob to roll and turn the page, his right hand begins typing keys at an astonishing speed. Soon, his hands are a blur.
However, not every sketch is churned out at the speed with which his hands work. Bhide takes out the autographed sketch of Dilip Kumar and explains, "A portrait takes four hours on average. This one, with thick eyebrows and hair, took almost six hours to finish."
Bhide has also met quite a few of his creations in person. "Music directors Shankar-Jaikishan were dear friends. Thanks to them, I met Raj Kapoor on the set of Mera Naam Joker. He was taken aback at the detailing in his sketch."
Bhide recollects the time he met Behram Contractor and Mario Miranda. "I was elated when Busybee published my sketches in Afternoon and insisted I meet Miranda."
Miranda was kicked to see sketches of himself and his characters Boss, Godbole and Ms Fonseca. He told Bhide to hold an exhibition of his works. He also gifted Bhide a sketch of himself sweating away at the typewriter, trying to grasp the art in vain.
Bhide says his inspiration comes from creator of the inimitable Common Man. "RK Laxman's art is so simple yet going strong for decades. He inspired me to create something unusual with my humble equipment."
In 1982, proudly waving a sketch of the Common Man, an enthusiastic Bhide strolled into RK Laxman's office to meet him. Bhide's face lights up as he holds that sketch, almost reverently.
"Laxman looked at it for a long time, then gave it back after writing something on it." Below the sketch is the message, 'Fantastic! Even with a pen and a brush, the result couldn't have been better.' Bhide has eight sketches gifted by Laxman.
The unassuming artist would love to hold more exhibitions but only if can get some sponsors. And who does he plan to sketch next? "International celebrities -- someone like Nicole Kidman. I would love to get them autographed, too," he smiles.
g_kareena@dnaindia.net
