Friday, January 21, 2011

Kristen really does go Bolly

We'd barely stepped off our 13 hour bus ride from Goa to Mumbai and we'd already been scouted as extras for an up and coming Bollywood film. As I said "No thanks" Brent simulataneously blurted out "Yes please" and the next morning we found ourselves with two fellow Aussies from our bus trip crammed into a taxi headed off to the set of Bollywood.

It was worth the two and half hours of choking on polluted air to get there and turned out to be a pretty incredible experience. Although we weren't exactly treated as stars our scouter made good on the promised food and water and payed each of us R500 for the day (which in turn covered our accomodation). And who can complain about rubbing shoulders with some of Bollywoods biggest starts including Bobby Deon, Akshay Kumar and the beautiful new comer Sonam Kapoor.

The movie we worked on is called Thank You  and will be released in April. As far as we know it is a comedy with the commom cliched overtones of a Bollywood love story. Thanks to my hair I was lucky enough to score three parts, one of which included a hideous peach dress and where I was required to dance the same ridiculous moves over and over for several hours with a handsome professional Indian dancer. Brent also made this part and another 'walking part' but he fears these may get cut! Either way we are pretty sure our parts will be barely recognisable but it's not everyday you can claim you were in a Bollywood film. It also turned out to be a great place to meet some fellow travellers and swap tales of our Indian adventures.

While waiting for the train back to the Salvation army (our home in Mumbai) still buzzing from the days events, I was once again plumetted back down to earth when a small child tugged on my arm. She was no more than seven and in her arms was the most beautiful tiny baby no more than a week or so old. I had no change on me and had given away all of my bananas but I couldn't resist taking the childs face in my hands and asking her where her Mama was. "Mama?" she half stated half questioned tilting her head to the side. I touched the babies check and held its warm hand for a moment half checking to see if it was alive. The little girl smiled at me and the Indian man that was with us gave her some change. I was longing to hold them both but our train was waiting.

For some reason the glitz and the glamour of the Bollywood set only accentuates the poverty which haunts India . That night as I lay on the thin hard mattress confined to the cracked stained walls of the prison-like room I realise honestly for the first time how truly blessed I am, how comfortable and easy my life is and just how unfair this world is. 

Arriving for costume change

In costume. Smokey nightclub scene with professional Indian dancer


Sonam Kapoor (Female Bollywood actress)

Brent and Ian (Aussie mate) preparing for Art gallery scene

Art gallery scene

Brent on set

Famous Bollywood actor Bobby Deon and Jo (left: Aussie mate)

In Action. The man in front of me in the white is the main actor Akshay Kumar

3 comments:

  1. Wow guys what a day u had hope you took some pics or do i have 2 wait for the film to come out lol,like most of your entries i start reading with awe then saddness such contrast in one day what a life experience you are having thinking of u both xxxxmum

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  2. isnt that ow Angelina Jollie was discovered? hee hee-cant wait to see it will there be a red carpet? re Dorny- he's a looker no way they would cut him out xxx

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  3. omg you look amazing how exciting ,the pics are great a bit of a chuckle at dorny in the art gallery scene lol he looks so different

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