LAST DAY + Bollywood Travel Story

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By popular demand the final travel story is:
My Day as a Bollywood Extra

This is pretty much a direct re-post from my old blogs so please excuse the grammar. I remember I typing this on a wonky keyboard in a noisy Internet café.

Upon arrival in Mumbai I checked into a flea-bitten budget hotel in the backpacker ghetto. The front desk clerk took a good look at me and asked if I wanted to be a Bollywood extra. I was surprised and accepted the offer.

I left my hotel at 9:00am and did not return home until 3:00am.
I received three meals and bottomless tea was paid the equivalent of $20 USD.

A young man came by to collect me early in the morning. I met up with four other backpacker girls and we took a taxi/train/autorickshaw combination to get to the studio. We were already late so they rushed us into hair/makeup/wardrobe. I felt quite pampered with pretty a hairstyle and flattering makeup.

Wardrobe was a big problem for me because I am not a size super-tiny. I'm tall and very curvy. The wardrobe man brought out a small bag filled with black lingerie. All us girl were like "uhhhhhhhh". I tell you, I had to wear the skimpiest outfit of my life and I had to be SEWN INTO IT because the zipper would not go up. I felt so stupid.

The movie we were shooting is a slapstick comedy-Mobster film. The lead character (Carlos) was a Mob Boss and us five girls were his lady gang members. I think we looked more like prostitutes and he was our pimp!

Anyhow, we go to the set, which was an outdoor cemetery (not a real one - made up, there were tombstones for "George Bush" and "Pink Floyd"!). They informed me that they only needed the other four girls at the moment (an Australian, a Swiss girl and two Brits) and I could have a rest in shade.

There was an enormous stone chair/tombstone in the cemetery and Carlos sat on it like a king with the four girls draped around him. They spend about two hours filming with Carlos delivering dialogue and the four girls pretending to watch a television (yes, in the cemetery - and no, I don't understand why - I don't understand Hindi).

I was beginning to think that they had forgotten about me and I was feeling sad. Finally the director called me into the shot. I had to stand in the background with four goons/henchmen in Carlos' gang and look badass holding a gun. It was a REAL gun - a 8mm Beretta. I was not just a random Mob Girl - I was a Chick Bodyguard! I felt really happy.

The lead actor playing Carlos in the film is supposedly a huge star. His name was Jackie Shroff and he was really sweet. He kept asking if I needed anything and wanted to make sure I was okay. He asked where I was travelling and gave me a huge list of his friend's phone numbers in different parts of Southern India. He told me to call them and they would give me a place to stay. (I didn't think I'm going to call but the gesture was very thoughtful).

I had a gun-man who would take my gun away between takes. At one point Jackie asked if I wanted to fire it. I was like "Hell Yeah!”. The gun man loaded it with a blank bullet for me and I fired away. I scared everyone on the set - it was fun. :)

There was a costume change after dinner. I had to wear an even skimpier outfit. It basically was a bikini. I protested saying it was not flattering for my midsection. They told me it was a comedy film so it was okay. Grrr!

Actually at least seven people on the set (actors, stylists, crew members etc.) told me I had a great face for Bollywood and modelling in India. I just had to go jogging or to the gym and I'd be set since I had everything else needed (height, skin tone, body shape etc). I didn't feel offended by their comments - I just took it as a very nice compliment.

My big scene came later during the night portion of our shooting day. A rival gang leader (played by a very petite older male actor) gets into Carlos' face. He yells out "UNDERTAKER!" and I come charging up behind the gang leader. Carlos then yells, "Take him away!" and I drag him away as he kicks and screams. I am wearing high heels and in one take the heel broke off. It was funny.

Ok - I believe that was the point when I realized I was doing way more than a background actor should be doing. Most Westerners are hired for Bollywood films to sit in a cafe or walk around on the street. I was acting - (the director was telling me what face expression etc. I should be making). The other four girls just sat around on a chair. I actually moved around and was in different scenes.

All in all I had a fun time on the set learning about the Bollywood industry, meeting all sorts of people and experiencing new things. I liked having a personal hair and makeup person who would come over and touch me up between takes. There was also a tea man who kept coming around with delicious hot tea for me. I really hated the bloody skimpy outfits. That part really sucked.

The next day I was walking to the ferry dock to head to Elephanta Island. A man approached me asking if I wanted to be in Bollywood film that day. I declined because one day on set was enough for me!

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