Chasing Bollywood Dreams | Close Up | Bollywood

From: Al Jazeera Close Up

Lured by the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, often labelled as ‘strugglers’, they wait for one real chance at fame.

It took a minute for Satya to realise what the Bollywood casting director was asking her to do – and to make the decision to walk away. “He claimed he had a part for me and then asked me to visit his home, alone,” says the 27-year-old aspiring actress from New Delhi.

Satya is one of the thousands of young women who leave their homes and loved ones behind – often against the wishes of their parents – to pursue their dreams of making it big in the world’s most exuberant film industry.

The actor’s experience with what is known as Bollywood’s “casting couch culture” underlines the challenges facing anyone seeking to break into India’s massive, multibillion-dollar, insiders-only film industry.

Unlike the children of celebrities who are groomed for stardom and tailor-made debuts, outsiders have to contend with a gruelling routine of auditions – and rejections – and fend off lecherous men.

The #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment perpetrated by powerful men has hardly been able to secure any wins in India’s entertainment industry. “I have been sexually harassed three times in my first 10 days,” says Nirisha, an aspiring actress.

Satya hopes her parents might be able to forgive her by seeing her on the Mumbai building posters one day. But, will they?

 

Credits:

A film by Gautam Singh

Associate Director: Abhijeet Saha

Cinematographer: Vidya Nath Bharti

Editor: Jameel Hodzic

Location sound: Manoj Yadav

Sound design: Linus Bergman

Colour grade: Kishore Kanchan

Producer: Ala Alhussan

EP: Tierney Bonini