The award makers

They abound through the year, but whispers are loudest during award season. Non-contenders turn contenders after agreeing to live performances, confabs with juries, media houses and trade pundits pay off (literally and metaphorically) and a handful make their presence felt with their absence.

In a film business where ‘award-winning’ is the most common descriptor for notable roles, no stone is left unturned in obtaining a burnished statuette. And Vijay Sonawane along with his sons are an indispensable, but unintended part of this rat race.

His office on a nondescript service road near The Hub Mall, Goregaon, would be easy to miss if not for son Vineet’s insistence on a prominent hoarding. This 2,500 sq.ft. space – The Award Gallery – is where Filmfare, IIFA, Zee Cine, Screen, TOIFA and other entertainment industry trophies are born.

In a cabin adjoining the reception-cum-workspace where trophies line three walls from floor to ceiling, Sonawane recounts his ‘break’ – a jubilee celebration for the Ramesh Sippy-distributed Pataal Bhairavi (1985). He had started out on his own then, approaching Sippy on hearing he was on the lookout for someone to craft jubilee trophies.

“But Sippy had finalised my ex-boss. I didn’t give up though and made a prototype, my priority being to prove myself first and make money later. When he saw my work, he roped me in,” he says.

In an era when films ran for years and silver, golden and platinum jubilee celebrations were the norm, there was a party every other week. Awards were handed out by grateful (and generous) producers to cast and crew, distributors and sometimes, even exhibitors, making Sonawane a busy man. “I had a long association with Ramesh Sippy because I particularly get along with khadoos, eccentric people,” he chortles. “Sippy was a perfectionist, personally involved even in award design.”

Sonawane’s journey from a boy who grew up in Kurla and made his way to Goregaon was dotted with small-time jobs in Mantralaya and a greeting card company. Although he wanted to, he didn’t apply to Sir JJ School of Art for a commercial arts course because only Charni Road’s Indian Art Institute allowed students to work between classes. Then when filmi jubilee parties became history, Sonawane was in the midst of another hard knock phase – until corporate awards became a trend and gave him a lease of life.

“But the workload is more tedious. For film jubilee awards, you were answerable to one person. Here, you coordinate with multiple people and departments, so no relationships are formed,” he points out. “Three-four corporates come here every day, asking for awards to be made in two days. It’s ridiculous.”

The 63-year-old’s association with film awards began in 2000 when Pradeep Guha, then president of Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd and producer of Khalid Mohamed’s Fiza, called on Sonawane to craft trophies for the film.

What these were for he won’t specify, since Fiza was a box office dud and jubilees are out of the question. But on seeing his portfolio, Guha insisted that Sonawane make the Filmfare Awards for the following year. His improved finish on the 18-inch ‘Lady in Black’ ensured that he never looked back - for 16 years now; The Award Gallery has served as trophy partner and been a go-to for all prestigious awards, except Stardust.

“Unless clients come to us with their own designs, we create our own before making wood, plaster of Paris, or fibreglass prototypes. Once a design is final, we do the metal casting, finishing and plating,” explains Vibhash Sonawane, who’s worked with his father 15 years running.

While the 5 kg Filmfare Award is made entirely of brass, the IIFA award is gold-plated, with a sandblast finish for a slightly grainy touch. Nearly half the 40-strong workforce are karigars (artisans) who pour scorching liquid metal (up to 300 degrees Celsius) into customised moulds, then sand, coat and polish an award multiple times to create a finished product.

And as for the obvious query: “Yes, we know winners beforehand and have to sign non-disclosure agreements, but this is rare and only for TV and technical categories in film awards,” Vibhash reveals. “For big awards, names and other details are engraved within two weeks after a win.”

Award season deadlines can be unrealistic. The Award Gallery is expected to deliver anywhere from 50-150 (depending on the ceremony) awards within 15 and even four days of order placement, Sonawane admits. “But thank god for new machinery,” he laughs. “Back in the day, I sketched designs myself and took two-three months to finish a batch.”

Despite the good business, the Sonawane trio of Vijay and his two sons rues the lack of respect their line of work is accorded. An irony, considering the collective human zeal for awards as symbols of recognition. Trophy making is a cottage industry at best, with Chinese products within reach of those disinclined to have their own designs or be particular about things like make and finish.

“Well, it’s the nature of the beast,” Sonawane shrugs, before concluding knowingly: “Even though an award ceremony is no good without the awards, is it?”