Ek Tha Rusty

The adventures of Rusty a 26 episode Television serial based on the stories of RUSKIN BOND.
Ruskin Bond:
A third generation Briton settled in India, he was born in Kasauli, on May 19, 1934 and studied in Shimla. He has worked in London but prefers to stay in India. Settled in Mussoorie since 1963. He did a stint as editor of imprint.
1995 nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen award, Holland.
Sahitya Academy Awardee. He won his first award, the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, a British award at the age of eighteen for his novel, A ROOM ON THE ROOF.
The Boston university has opened a Ruskin Bond file in their Special Collections Section in the library.
In 1995 , Penguin Books honoured him by publishing his complete works, making him one of the ten authors to get this honour.
His stories are included in the school syllabi and have been translated into several languages for foreign publishers.
A prolific writer, he has written more than fifty books, mostly for children.
He is a columnist and writes regularly for many periodicals.
DURATION OF EACH EPISODE : 25 MINUTES
FORMAT : SP BETA CAM
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE : HINDI
DUBBED VERSIONS ON REQUEST IN OTHER LANGUAGES
The serial is presented by Ruskin Bond himself in the beginning of every episode.
It is a period drama, evocative of the authors child hood in the 1940s. A light hearted look at the family, human relationships and the bittersweet experiences of a ten year old boy called Rusty.
Shot completely in Mussoorie, in the 18th century Savoy Hotel and old Anglo Indian homes in Mussoorie, like the homes of Col. Skinner, SIKANDAR HALL and St. George's College for boys.
There is a plethora of characters, whom the young boy, Rusty meets and befriends. these are played by great actors like Nadira, Zohra Sehgal, Vinod Nagpal, Raj Zutshi, Pankaj Berry and Pearl Padamsee.
Begum Para, the oomph girl of the 40,s and the 50,s makes a comeback after more than 40 years, as rusty’s granny.
Some of Ruskin Bonds beautiful poems have been translated into Hindi and made into endearing songs for some interesting sequences.
THE TELEVISION ADAPTATION
The serial is based on several stories selected from the writings of Ruskin Bond, by Shubhadarshini Singh keeping in mind the continuity of the story and the character of Rusty around whom the story revolves, a semi autobiographical picture of the authors childhood and youth.
The first part shows Rusty as a nine year old staying with his indulgent father who talks him about trees, nature, the world and books. Rusty’s mother has left his father and stays in another city. This is the only topic Mr Bond avoids talking about. Suddenly, Rusty’s father dies and his mother takes him away and sends him to a boarding school.
The next part shows Rusty spending his holidays with his granny. His Uncle Vicky is also staying there . The three spend a happy holiday together. Rusty picking on his lazy uncle.
When Rusty goes back to boarding school, a boy, Daljit from Kenya inspires him to run away from the school and they plan out a great escape.
They are caught after a few adventures. A truck driver who gives them a lift and teaches them the importance of trees, a gang of brigands who tie them up in an abandoned cottage and the Brother who comes chasing them from their school.
This time his step father Major V. K. Rathore, steps in and decides to keep Rusty at home instead of sending him to boarding school. Granny's dog, Crazy, is also accepted by the Major.
Then Rusty comes in to stay in Mussoorie with his mother and step father, who has been posted there.
Rusty meets the octogenarian spinster, a fading but famous beauty who is also an amateur botanist. Miss Constance Mackenzie, reduced to near starvation by poverty, played by Nadira. She gives Rust a priceless book on the Himalayan flora, FLORA HIMALIENESIS, before dying.
The 13th episode ends with Rusty and his stepfathers hostility turning to a kind of affection after a battle royale over Miss Mackenzies book.
PART TWO
Episodes 14-26
The next part shows Rusty’s friends Bijjuand Binya who are from the remote mountain village, Manjari and how they deal with a man eater panther and Binya acquisition of Emily’s beautiful silk umbrella.
These episodes, based on the novelettes: PANTHERS MOON & THE BLUE UMBRELLA were shot on location in a Jaunapur, Garhwal belt village, Bhatoli with the participation of the villagers.
Back in Mussoorie, Rusty is witness to a scandal in the family when his uncle Bill poisons his own wife and his mistresses husband and is sentenced to life imprisonment.
It becomes the famous Mussoorie double murder scandal.
Rusty goes away to London with his Granny and returns, a young writer, settling into a home in Mussoorie and has a surprise visitor from South Africa.
MAIN CAST
Zarul Ahuja : Rusty
Zohra Sehgal: Rani
Pearl Padamsee: Mrs Bond , Rusty’s Granny
Raj Zutshi: Mr Bond, Rusty’s Father
Suhalia Kapoor: Emily, Rusty’s mother
Pankaj Berry: Major Rathore, Rusty’s step father
Hemant Mishra: Dukhi, gardener and cook
Nirupama Verma: Rusty’s first ayah
Nadira: Miss Constance Mackenzie
Vinod Nagpal: Ram Bharosey
Swati Mishra: Binya
Suraj Verma: Bijju
Abheer: Mani
Begum Para: Miss Clarke, Emilys mother
Veena Mehta: Mani’s granny
Abhirup Banerjee: Uncle Bill
Nikhil Dewan: Uncle Ken
Jitendra Trehan: Raja Gulshan
Julietta: Veronica
Bubka, the Golden Retriever as Crazy