4 posts tagged “bollywood”
Well, our 15 minutes of fame has finally arrived. We finally got a copy of the perfume commercial we did (and wrote about here). 15 minutes is not quite accurate...I would say it's more like three seconds. You only see us twice, and they are really quick shots. Let's just say look for the morose couple on the bench, who, bewitched by the intoxicating scent of Moulin Glaciere unisex perfume (made in India), regain their passion and lean in for a kiss -- just as a ballerina twirls in front of the camera, ensuring that the commercial stays family-friendly...
See it here! Probably not coming to a screen near you, so enjoy it!
Beth and I officially broke into the film industry this weekend -- we shot a perfume commercial in Bombay's Film City with a cast of about ten other foreigners.
It all started when Beth answered an ad that came over an email list for expats here -- they were looking to cast foreigners in a commercial, and specifically were looking for two to play bit parts as "young lovers on a bench." That's us! Beth sent in photos and they wrote back immediately asking us to be part of it -- and offering a minor, but non insubstantial, sum of cash.
We went to the costume fitting and rehearsal on Thursday evening, the night the rains started, and of course like everything in Bombay -- the experience of getting there was bewildering (no directions, not much of an address, dirt lot and small hidden building far off the main road) and then familiar (once we got close, Beth realized it was the exact same building she had taken dance classes in when we first arrived in Bombay, and that we hadn't seen that one of our favorite restaurants was literally outside the complex).
Inside the building, we expected to get costumes fitted, but instead there were several other foreigners learning some Bollywood dance moves from a choreographer. No sign from the people we were supposed to meet ("they'll be here soon") but the choreographer instructed us to join the rest of the group in learning the steps. Who are these people? Are they even in the same ad? Are we supposed to dance for this thing? Relax, grasshopper, this is India -- the answer to all these questions is "just roll with it" and "if there is film involved, there will definitely be dancing." And so we relax and eventually figure out that we're in the right place, these will be the other foreigners in the ad, and that this is practicing for the part of the perfume commercial in which everyone -- naturally -- breaks out into choreographed Bollywood dancing.
On Saturday, the day of the shoot, we wake up at 5am to take a rickshaw an hour north to Film City, the center of the Bollywood entertainment world. It's a massive complex of studios, buildings, and sets that stretches into the jungle of Sanjay Gandhi National Park -- they film everything from urban shootouts to pastoral Kashmir dance scenes here. Some of the construction impinges so far into the jungle, people have actually been attacked by leopards -- there are signs up warning of the danger. Today we're meeting at the "Swiss Cottages" because the ad takes place in a sleepy European town. This is as far out of the city as we have been in Bombay -- we're on a high hill overlooking jungle and a pretty lake. No leopards today ("unfortunately," says the ex-field biologist).
We report at 7am for makeup, and pretty much lounge around until 9am as the crew sets up. I get a plaid shirt and some Buddy Holly glasses -- Beth gets a plaid skirt, tons of 80s makeup, and several hairstyles. The other foreigners are a diverse group -- we're from the States, Slovenia, Russia, Ukraine, Norway, Tajikistan, Portugal, Germany. I'm surprised at how many are here for their careers (modeling and acting) -- the majority of them do shoots for commercials and films regularly. The payscale varies depending on experience, the nature of the role, and how much bargaining you do -- but some of them are living a very nice lifestyle off of work like this.
It is very hot up there -- it's supposed to be an autumn scene and everybody is boiling in long sleeves and coats. The talent (that's us) waits inside in the AC while other parts are being filmed. One of the Americans, in the production business, tells me the crew, cameras, and gear are all top-quality and equivalent to what you would see in the States. Although there you don't have guys coming around and offering you chaas (spiced buttermilk) while you're on a break from filming...
Finally, after a long long time and some good GMAT studying in the AC room, Beth and I eventually do our bit. Makeup and hair coming around, cameras everywhere, light guys measuring exposures in front of us, director calling out instructions, choreographer calling out competing instructions. We cruise through it no problem (our roles are not that challenging) -- first looking glum and alone on the bench, then, as we smell the intoxicating perfume, feeling suddenly smitten and leaning in for a kiss (just as a ballerina twirls by and blocks this risque act). When the big dance scene for everybody comes, they change it at the last minute to a freestyle dance party, since several new people don't know the steps and everyone is rushing to wrap the film before nightfall. So much for all our hard work learning the steps!
After the filming is finished we head home in a rickshaw. Beth gets an SMS from a coordinator offering to hook her up with dance roles in films and ads for a starting day rate that is a large proportion of her current monthly paycheck. One of the other Americans has given me the inside scoop on landing bigger parts and better money. We contemplate dropping this "nonprofit" and "sustainable business" stuff for a life of glitz, glamour, and cheesy dance moves. While it's not exactly what either one of us came to India for, there is definitely a crazy amount of opportunity here (especially for foreigners) and we can see the attraction. At this point, we're going to keep our day jobs, but you never know...we do have some free weekends.
So performance day finally came...it was grueling. A 12-plus hour day surrounded by 13-year-olds yelling, dancing, jumping on the balcony, etc. The entire experience was just as ridiculous as I thought it would be; Chris and our friends who provided the humiliation support will definitely attest to this one. The video Chris took is really poor quality, as it turned out that no cameras or videos were allowed. So my hero (that would be Chris) broke the law to preserve this never-to-be-repeated moment in time.
The most amusing part of the day was that five of us from my group were chosen afterwards for a mysterious meeting with Shiamak to take place on Sunday. So I went to this meeting, which turned out to be an audition - to be part of the elite crowd of Bollywood-jazz dancers. I did audition (memories of failed Nutcracker audition attempts), but I would say my chances are pretty slim considering that I was the only person there over 16. But again, it's all for the experience!
A couple of weeks ago, our narrow cobblestone lane became famous. We live in an area named 'Chuim Village' - a neighborhood very un-Bombay in character (i.e. un-metropolis-like; more like a small village lane). Everybody knows everybody, and kids play in the streets all day and all night. One afternoon we came home to movie cameras and reporters and very important-looking people standing in front of our apartment building. Apparently they were filming a movie called "Ghajini" which will be starring Aamir Khan. There were so many Bollywood people around, I caught one oversized actor changing his pants in front of our door! Here's the article that came out about it - looking forward to the movie!
