Behind The Screen: Meet The Man Who Introduced Jimmy Jib in India

Behind The Screen: Meet The Man Who Introduced Jimmy Jib in India

Falling in love with actors comes easy. Seeing them on screen, in the best of costumes, amidst dazzling sets or exuberant visuals, with the perfect music in the backdrop, singing the most romantic number on earth or dancing like a dream, who would not end up adoring these larger-than-life characters?

However, more than often, we forget that it takes hundreds of people to work together in sync to create these characters and breathe life into the screen. Technicians, as they are known, are the backbone of a film industry yet the spotlight is never on them.

We, at My City Links, salute the spirit of this hard-working community across all film industries while bringing our exclusive BEHIND THE SCREEN series, highlighting the inspiring real-life stories of a few Odia technicians who have made it large in Bollywood. It’s time these unsung heroes get the limelight.

AUMPRAKASH MOHAPATRA (Jimmy Jib/Second Assistant Camera/Helicam Operator) 

The first ever film to be shot with a Jimmy Jib camera in India was Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. But the man who introduced it in 1999 has his heart very much in Odisha. Belonging to the renowned Mohapatra family of Sonepur, Aumprakash Mohapatra, probably, has not been featured in news as much as his elder brothers Sabyasachi Mohapatra or B Chintu Mohapatra but with 2000 films to his credit and as many commercials and TV shows, Aumprakash is today one of the finest Jimmy Jib operators in the industry, having trained almost every second person working with this gadget!

Jimmy Jib camera crane, which allows amazing sweeping visuals, uses an arm supporting a camera at one end and a counterweight at the other. The crane itself can swing 360 degrees and the camera attached to the crane can pan, tilt and zoom offering unlimited angles.

So, how did Aumprakash manage to introduce it? “Well, there is a story behind it,” he says with a smile. “It was Shah Rukh who convinced me to get trained in it. It so happened that Shah Rukh was always inclined towards shooting with new and modern equipment. During those days, Jimmy Jib cameras used to come all the way from Korea because they used to shoot their ads for Hyundai with it. But Indians were not allowed to shoot the commercials. A Korean team used to come for the same and since Shah Rukh was their brand ambassador, he had brought the camera to the sets of Dil Se, wherein I was working as an assistant to the DoP. And, that’s when he gave me the idea to learn shooting with it and also eventually sent me to South Korea for the same,” recalls Aumprakash.

Of course, Aumprakash has an equally interesting story before he went to work with King Khan and his company, ‘Dreams Unlimited’, which he had floated along with Juhi Chawla. His first job, in fact, was that of a hairdresser in one of the leading unisex salons in Balangir. “That was when I was pursuing my MA in Political Science in Balangir. I was inclined to learn about it and so I started working in the salon. I was also into social work then. However, after completing MA, Chintu da, who was then working as an associate director called me to Mumbai and like most members from my family, I too got into the world of films in 1992,” he tells us, the pride evident in his voice.

Aumprakash started his career working as an assistant to Najeeb Khan for two years, without any salary and only learning the work. “During those days, renowned cinematographer, director cum actor Santosh Sivan had come to Mumbai for shooting his film ‘Hello’. He was also a friend to Chintu Da. He noticed my work and took me under his wings and that was a turning point for my career as I worked with him for seven and a half years,” says Aumprakash.

Coming in close contact with Shah Rukh happened while working with Sivan, and mostly during the shoot of Dil Se and after that Aumprakash worked for Dreams Unlimited for three and a half years till the company fell apart and SRK started afresh with Red Chillies.

“After Phir Bhi, we did many films together including Asoka, which was very challenging. But when SRK and Juhi parted ways, I decided to start my own company and in 2003, Movie Grips was formed. I bought 35 Jimmy Jibs from the US, each costing about Rs. 30 lakhs then and decided to start training people in it,” recalls Aumprakash.

Then, there was no stopping Aumprakash. From films in Bollywood to down South, award shows, TV commercials, he left his mark in every domain, soon being hailed as the best in the industry with a Jimmy Jib. Aumprakash has worked with all leading production houses, be it Yash Raj films or Dharma Productions. He, in fact, considers late Yash Chopra as his mentor. “I have learnt a lot from Yash ji,” says Aumprakash as he remembers an interesting lesson he learnt from him, applicable when you travel abroad! “It so happened that we were shooting for Veer Zaara, again a very memorable film for me. We were in Switzerland and I was hunting for a newspaper to read, since I am addicted to it. Yash ji and Pamela Aunty were also enjoying a walk when he came up to me and in his characteristic style asked, “Behen de takke, kya dhoondh raha hai?” I told him and said that though I had found a newspaper, it costed four franks, nearly 300 bucks in Indian currency and so I wasn’t buying it. That’s when he explained to me why I should never convert things to Indian currency while travelling abroad. Since then, I have travelled to 25 countries for work and have spent without the calculations!”

Over the years, Aumprakash has not only expanded his company, now known as Mohapatra Movie Magic Pvt Ltd, with all family members involved, he has worked in partnership with one of the leading production services house, MAD Studio and has also added another feather to his cap, by getting trained in Helicam in Sweden. Currently, he has wrapped up work for Padmavat and shooting for Thugs of Hindustan with Aamir and Amitabh Bachhaan.

Aumprakash has also worked as an independent cameraperson in all the Odia films under their home banner, from Bou to Salaa Budha. In his parting words, he says, “My dream now is to don the Director cap and I will undoubtedly start with Odia films because I can never forget my roots. Even when in America, an Odia would still try and relish pakhala. I feel proud to be an Odia and would like to contribute my bit to the Odia film industry in any which way possible.”