Breaking Into Bollywood: Interview With The BBC Asian Network!
Danny Sura
Hey ho, people! How were your X-Mas and New Year’s? Mine was fantastic; actually, scrap that, my past couple of months have been fantastic. A few stage acts for August: Osage County, a shoot for a TVC to be aired Asiawide and an interview with… the BBC Asian Network, on DJ Nihal’s show!! Click through to read my account of the TVC shoot in Thailand and, listen to the interview, where I talk about, erm, the casting couch :-)
...with the make-up crew
Bangkok! That’s where I took off to in the middle of December, for a four-day holiday for the shoot of a TVC for Farmer’s Insurance.
...with the other dads
...at the fittings
Since the commercial was going to be aired in other Asian countries as well, it had a Korean and a Chinese actor playing the same part as me, in a montage advertisement. So what was the part? That of a new dad! Cradle a baby, deliver some lines in Hindi and English ‒ all in a day’s work :-p Which means, I had the three days off to…
With Tom Cruise (is it, really?)
…fend off a wild pack of lady boys! The hotel we were *put in* was right in the middle of red light area. Before your minds start playing up, no, I didn’t go for any of those body massages or their ilk. I was a good boy! That aside, Bangkok is quite the charming city that everyone says it is.
Bangkok fun with the gang!
And oh, this industry is such a small world! I have a fellow actress matey, with whom I’ve done some plays back in England. I didn’t see her for a good few years and ‒ lo and behold! ‒ I see her, at the hotel’s reception as I was checking-in. Turns out, she was doing the same commercial as me ‒ what are the chances? And not only that, she also moved to Mumbai, from the UK, to chase her Bollywood dreams ‒ like me.
...at DJ Nihal's show!!!
Right after I got back to BOM from BKK, I took off again, for a month, for pastures familiar, the UK. I took time off from stuffing my face with whatever edible came in my sight, to pull a few strings for a spot of free publicity (ha!). Proper chuffed I was, when a contact of mine sorted me an interview on DJ Nihal’s show, at the BBC Asian Network, BBC’s radio arm for the South Asian diaspora. On it, I talked about my journey to Bollywood, what made me make the move and… the CASTING COUCH!!!!
I don’t know why I kept on saying “to be honest” at the start of every sentence, in the interview… Check it out!
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February 21st, 2012 at 10:35 pm
[...] here to read the rest: Miss Malini » Blog Archive » Breaking Into Bollywood: Interview With … Tags: asian, bollywood, celebrity-spotting, contests, fashion, hollywood, interview, photography, [...]
February 22nd, 2012 at 7:37 pm
You’re quite prompt in replying! I REALLY hope that I’m not bothering you by writing constantly. I am on top of your journey :); as I mentioned before, it’s very insipiring and keeps me hopeful of my chances. I sincerely wish that your journey is fruitful and we get to see you in Bollywood films.
On another note, I’m not sure if you heard of Brampton. Yeah, that’s pretty much Punjab of Toronto. There are streets called Khalsa Drive, Gurudwara Gate – just tell you the influence of Punjabis. Great food places there too – if you want some really oily and buttery stuff (yummm?) Other than that, it’s a good mix of people ranging from South Korea to South America. I grew up in a area that is strictly British, Italian and Portuguese with very few desi families. So I guess Bombay will be a big change! At least you have family over there which I’m sure is a good support during the initial period. I don’t know anyone in the city and enough people discourage me from wanting to go there. I guess being wary of safety and security makes people want to discourage me. I have been sharing your story with my family and friends which also strengthens my side ;)….so that’s awesome!!! I know that the living situation in Bombay will be nowhere near what I’m used to at home, at least initially and I’m totally preparing myself to get shocked perhaps?!
Anywho, wanted to know who your favourite contemporary bollywood actors are?
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:44 am
Morning Nebeela,
Well us British people are always prompt in things that we do LOL. Thank you for your good wishes I to hope that you and many other well wishers get to see me in a Bollywood film soon! Well I have done one already. It was a short role and I will upload the vlog for it soon.
I have heard of Brampton but I didn’t realise that there are street names such as Khalsa Drive and Gurdwara Gate! That’s brilliant! We don’t have anything like that back in the UK.
Yep having family here does help but I have tried to not be a burden on them. As I said in my previous post, as soon as I came here I joined the rat race and most days I was out of the flat. Now I have my own pad and that’s a nice feeling. Besides my bro-in-law is a vegetarian and I couldn’t eat any chicken or anything whilst I was staying with him and my cousin sister! Now I can eat as much meat as I want hahahahahahaha
See Mumbai is relatively safe. Where I stay its fine. I believe that bad things happen to stupid people. So if you are careful and sensible nothing will happen. Just have to be smart.
I wouldn’t worry too much about adapting and stuff. Its all very exciting and such a great adventure when you move here. I am sure that that will take your mind off everything else. On another note, I would strongly advise that you discuss with family etc and really be 100 percent certain that this is what you want to do. Getting into the industry is not easy and there are loads of obstacles. But if your passion is there, if your heart is in it then nothing will stop you from attaining your goals and achieving your dreams.
My favourite actors in Bollywood are (in no order) Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Dharmendra, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. What about yours?
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:45 pm
Hey Danny,
I was just thinking how “approachable” you are! It’s been great talking to you. Just realized this morning that I wasn’t following you on twitter yet so I promptly did that. My mom thinks (after seeing some of photos on missmalini) that you’re hispanic. She couldn’t believe that you’re of Indian origin. And I quite agree with her!
My heart is set to go! I think my family just worries about me living on my own in Bombay (movies and Times of India don’t exactly portray it to be a safe city -_-). I’m just waiting to finish my bachelors. The only one rule that I have to follow: finish my schooling before venturing into such a world.
I am a BIG movie-freak. I’ve grown up watching mostly hollywood films due to less influence from home and more from my peers. I haven’t watched too many old bollywood films but I definitely do like Amitabh Bachchan. I mean who doesn’t? I enjoy his recent films even more but that also may be because bollywood films are more “advanced” now in all aspects. I liked Salman Khan’s movies back in the days till Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. His more recent movies are not in the range of genres that I enjoy :$. I enjoyed Ranbir’s performance throughout his movies like Wake Up Sid, Anjaana Anjaani, Rajneeti and now Rockstar; he seems to have come out of a particular type of image he had. And Ranveer Singh has absolutely surprised me in Band Baajaa Baraat. He’s sooooooo natural. I hope he too does well in the industry.
P.s. please do upload the short film… I’m sure many of us would like to see it.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Hey Nabeela,
It has been great talking to you too. I have also followed you on twitter! It’s great that people have been asking me for advice, feels good helping other people who want to tread the same path/or are considering doing what I am doing. LOL yes people do not think I am Indian. When I speak Punjabi and they hear the Punjabi twang in my accent then they believe that I am!
Very good idea to finish school and your education before you pursue Bollywood. I did the exact same thing. Actually did a bachelors and a masters degree but always did acting as a hobby back in the UK. Through education and through employment. You haven’t got any family in India at all? What about friends?
I am a film freak too and watch all kinds of cinema. You should watch Korean cinema and Japanese cinema. They make some films that are really really out there! Look out for “Oldboy” and “Battle Royale”. Will make you think how people get such great/freaky ideas. I like Salman Khan and loved “Dabaang” and “Wanted”. But I absolutely hated Bodyguard. I thought it was a real sh*t film. I felt sorry for my butt for having to sit through 3 hours of garbage. Ranbir Kapoor is a great actor, he makes it look so easy. Very natural. I like his films but could not stand “Rockstar”. I just thought the guy who directed the film couldn’t make up his mind if the film is a love story, a tragedy or a story about fame and its pitfalls. I thought the main heroine was bad too. I cringed at her acting but critics loved it. Sorry I must sound very pompous talking about other peoples acting. But hey, she got her break! That’s what counts at the end of the day…
Short film? You mean the video diary that I did about the film I did?
February 24th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Hahahaha! I feel the same; the way Rockstar was portrayed did not work for the film but really enjoyed Ranbir Kapoor. I was hoping for it to be a great movie since Imtiaz Ali directed it and he has given flicks like Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal that were pretty decent movies. The concept of the film was good but the continuous past-present-past-present didn’t work well for this movie as it did for Love Aaj Kal. Nonetheless, Ranbir won the best actor award and I was more than happy for that (you can say that I find him very attractive and crushing on him :p). And I didn’t really like Nargis Fakhri’s acting. Although I didn’t find her absolutely terrible (I’ve seen far worse) but I felt that she pouted way too often unnecessarily. Nonetheless, she’s the lucky one who got a big break! And my absolute favourite movie from last year is Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. I have watched it a few times and never get bored of it. Even my boyfriend (who’s white and not a very multicultural person) loved it! Actually, I have gotten him to watch many, many, many Bollywood movies and now, he keeps on a tab on when new movies are coming out. I’m glad – a guy who doesn’t enjoy Bollywood, him and I not get along well :). And yes, I didn’t like Bodyguard at all….it was too predictable and reminded me of romantic flicks from the 80′s and early 90′s (which were good for their times, but have been overplayed).
I have watched very few Korean films. I know that their dramas are pretty intense and interesting. But reading subtitles for hours can be a bit tiring on the eyes. They usually make good family-dramas and romantic flicks. And since it’s the weekend, Have you seen the movie called Bol? It’s a Pakistani film and addresses many social and cultural issues in the country. If you haven’t, it’s a must-watch film. It’s a tad bit long but a brilliant movie.
Sadly, I have no family in India, that too in Bombay :(. I think we may know some people in Delhi but that’s a distant land from Bombay. And no friends either. Believe it or not, all my family (extended included) is settled in the west (Canada, the US, and the UK). Hey, btw, where are you from in the UK? I think I may have missed that info while following the rest of your journey. I have quite a large extended family in the UK, mostly in London. I’ve been there quite a few times and I think I have visited most of the tourist attractions/historical sites at least a couple of times. It’s one of my most favourite cities in the world. As my mom says: it’s a very decorated city and indeed, it is. And the fresh fish and chips in Brighton are to die for!
Anywho, time to get back to work. Ttyl.
P.s. thanks for following me back on twitter :)
February 27th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Hey Nabeela,
Sorry for the late reply. I agree Zindagi was a fantastic film! On first viewing I thought it was a tad too slow in some parts, but after watching it again I appreciated that the director just took her time in telling the story of this great/strained friendship. Yep that whole past-present in “Rockstar” did not work for me at all and the whole pouting and dire acting by Nargis just put me off from enjoying the film. But you are right in saying that you have seen much worse. I didn’t mind “Love Aaj Kal” but I think Imtiaz Ali’s best film has been “Jab We Met”. Have you seen that? Ahhhh your boyfriend has been forced to watch Bollywood films? He must really love you! The true test of love, getting him to watch “Bodyguard” LOL. Oh I hope he doesn’t get jealous finding out you have a crush on Ranbir Kapoor!
I understand about reading sub-titled films, but these Korean/Japanese ones are just so crazy you cannot help but keep on watching to see what will happen next! I have heard of “Bol” and I do have it on my hard drive. I haven’t had a chance to watch it but I know about the theme of the story and what issues it raises. It sounds like a sad, depressing story which I am not against watching. But I would rather watch a film that will put a smile on my face than making me feel sad. One day I will get around to watching it. It actually did really well in Pakistan. I have heard great things about it. I know it’s Atif Aslam’s screen debut and he apparently does a great job.
Well when you do come over to India, you will have at least one friend : ) I actually hail from Birmingham back in the UK. Born and bred there. I got lots of relatives and friends in London too and when I used to do acting back home, I went London quite a few times to attend auditions. It is indeed a great city and I never get bored of it. Damn expensive though!
Ahhhhhhh fish and chips! When I got back to the UK for Xmas and New Year’s that very same evening I went to the local chippy and ordered a tonne of food! Do they sell fish and chips in Canada?
Anyway matey, day has just started for me so I need to shower and up and get going. Speak soon : )
March 12th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Hey Danny,
I’m SUPER-LATE with this reply. It’s been a few insane weeks with work and school, and a couple of assignments. I’ve been driving back and forth from to Toronto to Montreal due to some modeling assignments :) which went great, but those drives are pretty damn tiring. So I decided to unwind and watch a few movies this week. Have you seen Kahaani yet? i managed to squeeze sometime in over the weekend, and it was absolutely worth the watch. I don’t recall a single dull moment in the movie and I did not see the end coming. There is no doubt after this movie that Vidya Balan is a powehouse. It’s a must see. I also wanna watch London Paris New York. I kinda like Aditi Rao’s “outspoken” characters so far and I think, her character is similar to that once again in LPNY.
I saw your tweet about LFW! I’m quite jealous -_-; that’s quite the grand affair of fashion. I would’ve loved to go. I’ve been following Malini and her team members’ blogs and some of the designs were stunning. Wouldn’t I love to own some of those ;). Whose show did you go to? I’ve been to H&M, Zara and FCUK shows in Toronto and a Kenneth Cole show NYC but I assume that LFW had obviously a different spin to it. That’s one very first things on my “to-do list” once in India. My favourite Indian designers are undoubtedly Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra. I’m sure all the designers were great but the traditional style of Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra are captivating. If you wanna rock a sherwani, definitely look out Sabyasachi’s collections.
And yes, lots of fish and chips places in Canada. As you may know, there are lots of Brits in Canada. I’m currently doing an internship and my boss herself was born in England. Lots of your people here :). Now if you ever come to Toronto again, you have a friend here who’d love to show you around and eat a lot of fish n chips with you :p, if I am still here. I’m hoping to be in India by the end of 2013…it all feels so close. Did you go through a lot of planning before going to India? I’d definitely have to do that since I don’t know anyone there other than you :) and thanks for that.. it was very sweet of you.
Ahhhh, time to get back to work. Enjoy your night! Speak to ya later.
March 14th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Hey Nabeela how are you? Not to worry about the delayed response LOL. Great to hear that you have been busy with modelling assignments. How are they going? How long is the drive? But you Canadians love your long drives though! It’s like “We are going down to the store. Its only 2 hours down the road”. I haven’t seen Kahani yet but Vidya Balan is a great artist. Probably fair to say that she is the female Aamir Khan of the industry. Doing different films, doing risky roles as opposed to playing it safe. I will watch it soon. LPNY, I am not feeling that movie for some reason. I find the main title track annoying hehehehe.
With regards to the Lakme fashion week, in all honesty I am not into fashion that much. Malini has been kind and gracious enough to let me attend these events with her and her colleagues. A bit of PR for myself and just showing my face around, you never know who may notice you. But we saw the following designers when I went: Jatin Varma and some other guy. It was a good experience. Some people from the industry showed up such as Jiah Khan and Mimoh Chakarvarty.
I didnt know that there are loads of fish and chips places in Canada. But you cant beat the greasy oil and fat that we use back in the UK! I didnt realise there lots of Brits there! Defo if ever I venture to Canada we can meet up! They film a lot of Punjabi films there so you never know! You may see me sporting a turban and beard or something!
In terms of planning, I came about 6 months before hand to meet with a couple of producers and to really give it a good think if I wanted to make the big move. In terms of pics etc I had a tonne of them anyway so I just brought them along. But in terms of contacting the right people that all happened when I moved here. The secret is, get into the rat race straight away. You will be fine!
Anyway nice to hear from you and speak soon. Should be having my new blog uploaded soon x
April 6th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
[...] Sony HD camera TVC! It took me back to, err, the city of sin that is Bangkok, where, as y’all know, I shot previously for a Farmer’s Insurance TVC and had some, erm, out-of-ordinary experiences. [...]