World’s oldest Vespa, featured in Roman Holiday, expected to sell for 300,000 Euros.
The 1953 film classic, Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, had movie goers around the world in thrall, as the star couple whizzed around the ancient city of Rome in their Vespa scooter. According to media reports that very scooter, the oldest of that model in existence, will soon be going under the hammer.
The asking price, according to those in the know, could be in the vicinity of 300,000 Euros, or roughly Rs 2 crores in our currency. Officials from London’s famed auction houses, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, were rubbing their hands in glee at the potential windfall, while making a beeline for Rome.
This piece of information from the world of Hollywood has set the cat among the pigeons here in India in the film industry. Producers, directors, actors and even the common man are falling over each other, laying amazing claims for all kinds of artefacts that were supposedly used in Indian and foreign films over the decades, their tongues hanging out at the thought of raking in the shekels. Whether these claims are true, or merely apocryphal, with an avaricious eye on the main chance, is a matter for the auction houses to grapple with..
The following discussions with your correspondent took place with a cross section of people (and one motor car) from different walks of life, including those from the film industry, all of whom were breathless with excitement at the array of precious items in their possession, on which they hoped to cash in.
2nd assistant cameraman from a Rajni starrer
‘In the film Padaiyappa, Rajni Sir performed his famous cigarette- twirling- in- the-air stunt. He only needed two takes to nail the scene. What a superstar! I have preserved the half cigarette from the first take. The scene was reshot with another cigarette. I have saved the unsmoked stub all these years in my wife’s jewel box. I am informed this half smoked cigarette may fetch several lakhs at an auction. I am waiting for the price to go up’.
R.D. Burman’s doctor’s son
‘When Pancham da, (R.D. Burman’s affectionate nickname) was laying the final tracks for the song Mehbooba, Mehbooba for the mega hit film Sholay, he developed a terrible streptococcal infection, but director Ramesh Sippy told him to continue singing, and that is why this massive hit song had that unique sore-throat roughness from Pancham da’s voice.
That made all the difference. My Dad, who was the doctor on the set, wrote out an anti-allergy prescription for Pancham da, in which the great composer had scribbled, “Thanks Doc, but I’ll do the song without the syrup. Love Pancham”. I found this very prescription in my Dad’s medicine cabinet after he died. I think I am going to be a very rich man’.
US-based NRI dude’s post on Facebook
‘Guys, you’re gonna rock and roll with envy when you hear this. I was working on my spreadsheet, over a café latte at Starbuck’s when who should walk in but Brad Pitt. You heard right, Bro. Brad, as in Angelina Jolie, Pitt.
He thought he won’t be recognised in his Ray Bans. Of course, the ensuing pandemonium forced his security guards to whisk him off to safety. In the melee, his Ray Ban glasses broke and fell under the table. Guess who’s now got it, Bro? You had better believe it! I’ve posted the picture on FB and Instagram. And no, I will not sell it. I earn half a million USD a year, plus bonuses. This one’s for keeps’.
N.T. Rama Rao’s driver
‘When Rama Rao Garu passed away in 1996, I was inconsolable. I cried for weeks on end. But I still kept his private car spanking clean. One day, when I was clearing out the boot, I found hidden at the back, this pair of wooden sandals. My inner voice told me this was something special. Could it be….? Anyway I took it to my film production friend who was involved in the Sampoorna Ramayanam shoot, back in the day. And guess what? Those were the very sandals that Bharata (played by the great Sivaji Ganesan) placed on his head and walked all the way back from the forest, where Rama, (played by NTR Garu), was banished for 14 years.
The sandals were to be placed on the throne in Ayodhya, till Rama’s return from vanvaas. My friend confirmed the authenticity of the sandals from the production unit’s markings on the heels. It is now in our puja room. My wife has refused to part with it’.
The Ford Model A speaks.
‘The Ford Motor Company brought me into this world in 1927, and I became an overnight legend. Featured regularly in films and novels, even a couple of hit songs were written about me. But it was in India that I actually hit a home run, if you’ll excuse the Americanism.
The 1958 Hindi film musical comedy, Chalti ka naam gaadi, starring the Kumar brothers – Ashok, Kishore and Anoop, along with the ravishing Madhubala, was a sensational hit. But everyone agreed that the real hero of the film was me, the Ford Model A. They gave me more screen time than any other car in movie history. Problem is I don’t know my present whereabouts. Was I auctioned off to some vintage car enthusiast, a Maharaja perhaps? Or was I junked?’
In the immortal words of Kishore Kumar from that selfsame film, ‘Babu samjho ishaare horn pukaare pam pam pam’.I
(The writer is a brand consultant who loves music, cricket and good humour)
