No Oscar, but Pookutty still had a blast at awards

Mumbai, March 13 (IANS) He wasn't nominated for the Oscars this time, but Academy Award winner Resul Pookutty struck a deal for his second major international film after "Slumdog Millionnaire" and met one of his idols, Quentin Tarantino, while he was in the US to attended the awards ceremony.

"I am an absolute fan (of Tarantino). And I had to tell him how I liked his 'Inglourious Basterds'. When I spoke to him, Quentin turned out to be a great guy with a warm sense of humour. He asked me a lot of questions about my work and Indian cinema," said Pookutty, the sound recordist who the Oscar for his work in "Slumdog Millionnaire" last year.

He, however, said his Oscar experience was nothing compared to the last year's.

"I realized unless you're nominated there's no fun in attending the Oscars. This time I was just a spectator and to that extent I got to meet a lot of interesting people, including the best actress and best director winners, Sandra Bullock and Kathryn Bigelow, who were absolutely charming," Pookutty said from New York.

Behind the visit to the Oscars, the sound recordist had a far bigger mission to accomplish. On Wednesday, he closed the deal for his second major international film, this one starring Joaquin Phoenix of "Walk The Line" and "Gladiator" fame.

"My second international film after 'Slumdog...' had to be an honourable follow-up. I couldn't he happier because I am doing a period film. It is a very special challenge because I've to recreate the sound textures of New York in 1854."

Throwing more light on the project, Pookutty said: "It's an adaptation of a haunting thriller entitled 'The Beautiful Cigar Girl' by Daniel Stashower. It's based on an eerie real-life experience of author Edgar Allan Poe which happened just months before his death. Joaquin Phoenix plays Edgar Allan Poe."

The film, to be directed by Henry Miller, will be shot in the US this summer and Pookutty needs to wrap up his work in India before he devotes three months to the project.

Coming back to the Oscar night, Pookutty says he was surprised that he was still recognized as the guy who did the sound for "Slumdog Millionaire".

"A year has passed. But the impact of 'Slumdog' at the Oscars lingered this year. Maybe because no film this year did a clean sweep at the Oscars like 'Slumdog' last year." Click the Movie button below for more info:
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