Working in Mumbai (Bollywood)?

mercedes10 · Jun 7th, 2005, 20:12

I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or contacts on working in Bollywood. I'm planning to spend time in Mumbai in the Autumn and would love to get involved (be it as an extra or in adverts/commercials whatever). I have experience as a model and TV presenter.

Does anyone know of any modelling or TV/commericals agencies who represent Westerners?

Many thanks! :-)

Merchant · Jun 7th, 2005, 21:00

There's a documentary produced in Canada and now playing on the Sundance Channel called "Bollywood Bound," about 4 Indo-Canadians heading to Bombay to seek fame and fortune. Worth setting your Tivo for.

anita_5000 · Jun 7th, 2005, 21:22

A model from Prague has really done well for herself. Yana Gupta , she was in Lakme ads and signed up for a song and dance in a bollywood movie which was a chart topper. She started off with modelling; got noticed and now is just as famous as any other bollywood stars.

Sama · Jun 7th, 2005, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by mala

I didn't take it because I would have made an absolute idiot of myself, and it would affect the image I'm trying to build.

HA! Do you think that stops any American actors/actresses??

J.Lo and Ben Affleck come to mind in Gigli
And don't forget Dumb and Dumber, Porky's, Jackass....
the list goes on and on!

vista · Jun 7th, 2005, 22:31

everyone that wants to know..

you need a work visa to work in india. your tourist one could be converted to a work visa ,but it's a process that most people ignore when the tout approaches them at the lobby of the oberoi.

many get away with it, considering the lax status of enforcement of all laws in general in india, but if you have a "proper " role (eg: item number girl...or something) which makes you want to stay in india longer than your tourist visa expiry , make sure the producer gets you a work visa.

there was a spanish girl who got deported for not having the proper work papers. They're particularly tough on pakistani girls(the guys in the film industry are from the mafia anyway,so they get away with ...um...murder) whom they (unjustifiably) accuse of being spies.

Digital Drifter · Jun 7th, 2005, 22:38

If this woman's story is anything to go by.....

http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feat.../index_np.html

Feb. 10, 2005 | I was a Bollywood stuntwoman. I like saying that. If I lived in a place where people threw cocktail parties, rather than in the cow tundra of upstate New York, that's the first thing I'd say while reaching for a canapé.

The pinnacle of my short but glorious career came a few weeks ago, when the Indian epic "Kisna" opened at theaters around the world, including in the U.S. It was Bollywood's biggest release so far this year, by India's showiest director, Subhash Ghai, and marked a significant step in international relations: The lead actress isn't local, but British and blond. I was her stunt double. On holiday in India, and with no acting experience, I found that the fastest road to filmdom may begin in Mumbai.

[...]

renedu · Jun 7th, 2005, 22:39

It is the luck of the draw.

Last year I got to know lots of the B-wood touts in Colaba, also in some of the flophopuse hotels in Colaba, the management will ask if people are interested. Got a Motoroal phone commercial and Pepsi spot with SAK through this last year. However you have to stick around. It is usually not paid that well for the sheer number of hours you are "working". On the Rising and Bourne Supremacy it was nice cause you got hotel and food. Other times riding the train for hours and getting heat stroke at film city, you ask yourself "why am I doing this", however it is great fun..

vista · Jun 7th, 2005, 22:52

That lady is no tourist! she's an accredited journalist pretending to be a shahrukh khan groupie for the story. (reminds me of the episode of "just shoot me" where the girl that played sabrina the teenage witch once rejoined high school when she was 35 or something for the story)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Drifter

If this woman's story is anything to go by.....

http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feat.../index_np.html

Feb. 10, 2005 | I was a Bollywood stuntwoman. I like saying that. If I lived in a place where people threw cocktail parties, rather than in the cow tundra of upstate New York, that's the first thing I'd say while reaching for a canapé.

The pinnacle of my short but glorious career came a few weeks ago, when the Indian epic "Kisna" opened at theaters around the world, including in the U.S. It was Bollywood's biggest release so far this year, by India's showiest director, Subhash Ghai, and marked a significant step in international relations: The lead actress isn't local, but British and blond. I was her stunt double. On holiday in India, and with no acting experience, I found that the fastest road to filmdom may begin in Mumbai.

[...]

crvlvr · Jun 7th, 2005, 23:25

I am just curious.. what motivates you to want to work in Bollywood? Obviously, its not the pay...

vista · Jun 7th, 2005, 23:30

What if you're like absolutely fabulous and the only thing keeping you from super stardom was the fact that you never actually went to india and tried out at bollywood?

mite · Jun 7th, 2005, 23:54

i guess there is a quite a demand for foreigners in commercials / bollywood films, models etc though its not continous. but once a face hit i guess there is just no looking back. having said that there involvement of mafia, politics etc makes the profession somewhat risky, so one should know where to draw the line and whom to connect with.

wouldn't know abt any agencies here that coordinates for foreign models, but will find out n post if IMers would like to try this out too/

vista · Jun 8th, 2005, 01:00

it's worth noting that no foreigner since nadia hunterwali in the 1940's has made a second film in india.. people like yana gupta have signed on international agencies and modelling contracts BEFORE coming to bollywood.

There's always a first time for everything, though

Quote:

but once a face hit i guess there is just no looking back

byronic · Jun 8th, 2005, 03:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by vista

it's worth noting that no foreigner since nadia hunterwali in the 1940's has made a second film in india.. people like yana gupta have signed on international agencies and modelling contracts BEFORE coming to bollywood.

There's always a first time for everything, though

Yana Gupta also is married to an Indian, which helps her get around the work visa complications. She is actually a Chech.

A friend of mine who is at the UCLA film school right now is looking into getting into the cinematograpy track at Subhash Ghai's new film school in Mumbai. It (like everything else in India is 10 cents on the dollar) 10 times cheaper than film school in the USA.
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/
I hear they have an acting track too. It sounds interesting... and a good way to rub shoulders with bollywood.
http://www.muktaarts.com/
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/
After my friend told me about this new Subhash Ghai school, I've been reading about it in other forums. I haven't any first hand experiences with it thought. I wonder if anyone else here has?

My thoughts are, hey, if Mallika Sherawat can make it big in Bollywood, so can MALA

vista · Jun 8th, 2005, 03:44

subhash ghai is ..um ...known to be extremely ...friendly.

suryakund · Jun 8th, 2005, 04:16

He's (Ghai) also past his creative expiration date. His past few movies have been quite poor except in pieces. Kisna was such crap movie - insulting to the Gita and the piece of philosophy it purported to expound. The storyline was crap, the 'firang' angle was to feed seemingly insatiable appetite for white skin at home and have a friendlier showing abroad.

He might turn out to be a good teacher, but he's definitely not done anything in the last 5 yrs that even a commoner like me might like to have on my resumé.

Jun 7th, 2005, 20:12	#1
mercedes10 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 556	Working in Mumbai (Bollywood)? I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or contacts on working in Bollywood. I'm planning to spend time in Mumbai in the Autumn and would love to get involved (be it as an extra or in adverts/commercials whatever). I have experience as a model and TV presenter. Does anyone know of any modelling or TV/commericals agencies who represent Westerners? Many thanks! :-)

Jun 7th, 2005, 21:22	#3
anita_5000 Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: sydney Posts: 32	A model from Prague has really done well for herself. Yana Gupta , she was in Lakme ads and signed up for a song and dance in a bollywood movie which was a chart topper. She started off with modelling; got noticed and now is just as famous as any other bollywood stars. __________________ Anita : Develop interest in life as you see it, in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people Quote by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Jun 7th, 2005, 23:54	#11
mite Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: bandra Posts: 62	i guess there is a quite a demand for foreigners in commercials / bollywood films, models etc though its not continous. but once a face hit i guess there is just no looking back. having said that there involvement of mafia, politics etc makes the profession somewhat risky, so one should know where to draw the line and whom to connect with. wouldn't know abt any agencies here that coordinates for foreign models, but will find out n post if IMers would like to try this out too/ __________________ by the way , wheres india?

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Jun 7th, 2005, 21:00	#2
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,074	There's a documentary produced in Canada and now playing on the Sundance Channel called "Bollywood Bound," about 4 Indo-Canadians heading to Bombay to seek fame and fortune. Worth setting your Tivo for.

Jun 7th, 2005, 22:31	#5
vista Account Closed Join Date: May 2005 Location: san diego Posts: 40	everyone that wants to know.. you need a work visa to work in india. your tourist one could be converted to a work visa ,but it's a process that most people ignore when the tout approaches them at the lobby of the oberoi. many get away with it, considering the lax status of enforcement of all laws in general in india, but if you have a "proper " role (eg: item number girl...or something) which makes you want to stay in india longer than your tourist visa expiry , make sure the producer gets you a work visa. there was a spanish girl who got deported for not having the proper work papers. They're particularly tough on pakistani girls(the guys in the film industry are from the mafia anyway,so they get away with ...um...murder) whom they (unjustifiably) accuse of being spies.

Jun 7th, 2005, 22:38	#6
Digital Drifter bang a whore? Bangalore Dammit! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,878	If this woman's story is anything to go by..... http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feat.../index_np.html Feb. 10, 2005 \| I was a Bollywood stuntwoman. I like saying that. If I lived in a place where people threw cocktail parties, rather than in the cow tundra of upstate New York, that's the first thing I'd say while reaching for a canapé. The pinnacle of my short but glorious career came a few weeks ago, when the Indian epic "Kisna" opened at theaters around the world, including in the U.S. It was Bollywood's biggest release so far this year, by India's showiest director, Subhash Ghai, and marked a significant step in international relations: The lead actress isn't local, but British and blond. I was her stunt double. On holiday in India, and with no acting experience, I found that the fastest road to filmdom may begin in Mumbai. [...]

Jun 7th, 2005, 22:39	#7
renedu Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Florence, Italy Posts: 112	It is the luck of the draw. Last year I got to know lots of the B-wood touts in Colaba, also in some of the flophopuse hotels in Colaba, the management will ask if people are interested. Got a Motoroal phone commercial and Pepsi spot with SAK through this last year. However you have to stick around. It is usually not paid that well for the sheer number of hours you are "working". On the Rising and Bourne Supremacy it was nice cause you got hotel and food. Other times riding the train for hours and getting heat stroke at film city, you ask yourself "why am I doing this", however it is great fun..

Jun 7th, 2005, 23:25	#9
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,328	I am just curious.. what motivates you to want to work in Bollywood? Obviously, its not the pay...

Jun 7th, 2005, 23:30	#10
vista Account Closed Join Date: May 2005 Location: san diego Posts: 40	What if you're like absolutely fabulous and the only thing keeping you from super stardom was the fact that you never actually went to india and tried out at bollywood?

Jun 8th, 2005, 03:44	#14
vista Account Closed Join Date: May 2005 Location: san diego Posts: 40	subhash ghai is ..um ...known to be extremely ...friendly.

Jun 8th, 2005, 04:16	#15
suryakund Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver Posts: 26	He's (Ghai) also past his creative expiration date. His past few movies have been quite poor except in pieces. Kisna was such crap movie - insulting to the Gita and the piece of philosophy it purported to expound. The storyline was crap, the 'firang' angle was to feed seemingly insatiable appetite for white skin at home and have a friendlier showing abroad. He might turn out to be a good teacher, but he's definitely not done anything in the last 5 yrs that even a commoner like me might like to have on my resumé.

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