So you want to be an actor

Hey all,

Back in Mumbai (in Colaba), I was approached a few times by early-20s-something men wanting me to be an extra in movie shoots. They offerred me free transport to Bollywood and 400Rs.

Has this happened to anyone else? Did anyone take up the offer and if so, what was the outcome?

Yes, foreign tourists are used as extras in bollywood movies. But, I would warn you against trusting anyone blindly. It could be a scam to rip off/mug tourists.

400Rs is not even $100 US.

call me a cynical, but why would anyone automatically believe anything a complete stranger on the street tells them? If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

400Rs is not even $10 USD. To you and me, it may be a pittance but it is a good chunk of change in India. I think that they thought I'd be getting a great day's pay.

Exactly. That's why I'm asking if anyone ever "took advantage" of the opportunity and what happened.

There's nothing too good to be true here. It's done all the time. The Salvation Army has been for decades a location where agents come looking for foreign tourists to play roles as extras in films/commercials. Four hundred rups is too little. I know people who told me they got paid 700 rups. Once, long ago, I was offered a bit part role as a policeman - which I turned down because I didn't want to shave off my beard. To this day I kick myself in the butt for passing up the chance.

It's possible that scamsters might try to misrepresent themselves but as long as you're a male and also very important - not stupid enough to hand over a cent of your own money on the basis of some hare-brained story - then there's not much of a risk.

Go for it! As long as you don't have to pay any money....you have nothing to lose. Could be really fun and if not you can always leave!

For those interested in becoming and extra or Bollywood tours, be sure to check out Byronic's thread:

Bollywood movie extra, film tour, how to thread

Here is some more info:http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/04...tra-india.html

Two years ago I played as an extra in some bollywood movie. Some guy approached me and my mate when we came out of Leopolds.

We didn't have to do too much. Sit at the beach, drink beer, play some voleyball. We had really good fun and we got payed 500 Rs. You can have interesting conversations with actors who do the minor roles in the movie. You don't normally get in touch with these people while travelling. The main stars were really arrogant though.

Tashi.

I was approached in Goa last winter and told that they would pay my way to get to Pune on a certain day for an audition. I took the sleeper bus, they reimbursed me for that, they put me up at a hotel and paid for all my meals and I was there on the day of the audition. There were about 300 foreigners there, some dreadlocked, tatooed and rolling joints in the back of the room. Some excited and ready for anything. It was a dance audition for Amir Khan's upcoming movie...they needed to choose 8 couples (8 girls, 8 guys) to play British guests dancing the Waltz at the New Year's Party in 1857 British India. I got chosen to be one of the couples...the rest of the people were used for the cavalry scene (helmets and uniforms cover up dreads and tatoos). They paid us 500 RS per day plus hotel and food for 3 days of dance training, then 1200 RS per day for 4 nights of shooting the scene. Not bad for a week's work. They then paid for my sleeper bus back to Goa. I think I got a few hundred rupes bonus too! It was definitely worth it....!
The film is coming soon... international release date is August 12...it's called "Mangal Pandey, the Rising". Supposedly they're trying to go for an Oscar, it's very well done and definitely worth a look! Look for me...I'm in the centre couple at the New Year's party...(if they haven't cut me out!) in an gold and orange dress with a big orange flower on it.

Wow, Anandi! That sounds like a lot of fun and a vacation to remember forever!