In 2002, Matthew Samuels sauntered into a bookshop inPondicherry, looking for something new to read. It was then that he came acrossa book set in Pondicherry in the mid 70s, which was around the time he wasstudying there. The places mentioned in the book, the mood of the unionterritory at the time, everything was familiar. Samuels, the then TourismDirector read it, loved it, introduced his ‘crew’ to it and then they alltracked its progress. When ‘Life of Pi’ won the Man Booker prize the same year,the tourism team distributed copies, made press releases and conducted tours basedon the book. Ten years later, ‘Life of Pi’ the movie, by acclaimed Hollywooddirector Ang Lee was the opening film at IFFI2012, in Goa, a state whereSamuels is Director, Art and Culture after a short stint as Director Tourism.
But Samuels’ connection to the film isn’t that minute. He ismentioned in the end credits as Pondicherry Historical Consultant. That storybegan in 2008, the day Ang Lee and David Womack, the film’s producer, walkedinto Samuels’ office, when he was on his second term as Tourism Director inPondicherry. Later in the day, “Ang Lee and Womack went around the city on atour shoot, scouting locations, ideating on scenes and they made me go along,”says Samuels. A few months of questionnaires followed, before Samuels waspulled into the crew and given charge of interpreting the historical parts ofthe story, helping the team bring ‘Life of Pi’ to life.
The movie (echoing the book) was set in Pondicherry, whichmeant that the city was completely showcased on film and his ‘crew’ (what histeam calls themselves) were responsible for expediting the entire process. Ifthe book inspired many to go to the former French colony for a visit, then themovie version will promote Pondicherry across the globe, in differentlanguages, on the big and small screen. “All it cost was co-operation andcommitment,” says the proud man.
This wasn’t the first movie to be set (or shot) inPondicherry, but it was definitely the biggest. Samuels elaborates, “We’ve hadIndian films like Jism and some big Malayalam films shot here too. But ‘Life ofPi’ was a different feeling altogether.”As of 2010 over 400 feature and ad films were shot in Pondicherry, the largestnumber of films in India shot in smaller locations. With a single windowclearance, maximum cooperation from the locals and a small charge of Rs3000-5000 per day, compared to lakhs charged by other places, Pondicherry hasattracted a large number of film-makers. “We have a long beach stretch ofalmost one and a half kilometer. There was a time when we had three film crewsshooting at a time there.”
Parts of the town were shut down at times, over the twoweeks that the ‘Life of Pi’ crew shot there, but there were minimal protests.“Tamil Nadu has a huge film following,” says Samuels, “we would be shooting ina heritage school or in the Muslim quarters, and around us, there wasexcitement in the air.”
As a tourist destination and host to the International FilmFestival of India, Goa certainly should be on film-makers’ maps. Samuels isconfident that Goa can market itself through films. “It’s possible here. Thebrand identity is important. Once you are clear about what you want, you takewhat helps you and ignore the rest.”
