With reference to Farrokh Jijina’s article "Pioneering Pestonji” (Parsiana, September 21, 2018), I would like to share more information about Rattana Pestonji and his family with your readers.
Pestonji’s father and my great-grandfather were brothers. They were entrusted by the then King of Siam (now Thailand) with the construction of the railways. They both shuttled between Siam and undivided India. Finally, Rattana’s family became permanent residents of Siam.
Phannee (Freni) Trangkhasombat (l) and Sam (Santa) Pestonji
Rattana’s Hanuman Films Company, later metamorphosed into Santa International Film Productions. It was named after his son Sam (aka Santa)... Sam means three in Siamese and Santa was the third child of Rattana and his wife Chung. Their daughter Phannee (Freni) Trangkhasombat and Sam joined Rattana in the film industry. Sam later took over the film production business, while his elder brother Edal migrated to the United States.
Sam led the company to great heights, shooting many segments for Hollywood and UK films. Many (or possibly all) of the far-East segments of the James Bond films were entrusted to Sam’s company.
Edal returned to Thailand some years ago to assist Sam in the running of the production house. Sam’s two sons are also currently in the company. Sam sadly passed away in December 2017, after a very brief battle with liver cancer.
The family are predominantly practising Buddhists, though Phannee and her family are devout Christians. Her husband Vichai was a deacon of their church.
This branch of our family, though geographically far from us, remain in close touch with me and are very loving and welcoming to my husband, son and me whenever we visit Bangkok.
GITANJALI SORAB SIDHVA
drsjsidhva@gmail.com