Chapter 150 Magical Bollywood
For Raj, cinema has always been closely connected with love and death.
Some, encouraged by their families, persevered in Bollywood, while others committed suicide in frustration, without a trace.
When Raj was little, whenever someone important died, school would be closed for a day so they could go to the cinema to watch a movie.
Raj's home is in Andheri East, not far from Juhu District. Most of the 18th-tier artists who have little chance of making a name for themselves rent houses there.
In the past, extras would boast to them, "We are from Bollywood."
As a young boy, Raj was intimidated by the boastful hard workers. When he grew up and learned that these people were "just migrant workers", he felt particularly disillusioned.
He now often sees these people in bars in Andheri, such as the illegally operated Yalilu Winery and Urvashi Beer Bar.
They still sit behind dirty curtains, drinking nine-rupee bottles of desi liquor and dreaming of conquering the world.
They boast to their fellow hard-working drinking buddies, "I'm going to shoot a film with Amit Bachchan tomorrow."
Raj was amazed at their ability to only report good news and not bad news over the years. You rarely heard about their bad things.
Those who have made a decent living stay in a few fixed hotels that are said to bring good luck.
Their daily simple meal is roughly as follows: a platter for eight rupees, which includes rice, six puri or two chapatis, and a spoonful of bean paste.
If the restaurant is particularly generous, they will give you a small dish of thin yogurt and two spoonfuls of vegetables. If you find the right place to eat, you don't have to worry about nutritional imbalance.
If the boss is in a good mood, sometimes he will give you dessert. For those struggling to make ends meet, the restaurant opened by Lao Mu is their best choice. You can eat a delicious hand-pulled rice for only 20 rupees.
The male protagonist that Raj introduced to Ron and the others lives nearby. He is a real hard worker and his name is Lanka.
Lanka is actually not a real Indian. He is an overseas Indian and his family immigrated to Dubai when he was a child.
His family runs a cloth business there and earns 70,000 rupees a month, making them a truly wealthy family.
However, after the Gulf conflict, business became sluggish, so he thought about returning to Mumbai to make a living.
He had dreamed of becoming a leading actor in a movie since he was sixteen, and in his spare time he would flip through the star inserts of "Screen" over and over again.
Not long after, his uncle who worked as an advertising planner in Mumbai got him a modeling opportunity. Lanka took a set of print photos and earned 800 rupees.
To a young man from Jaipur, these eight hundred rupees meant much more than the purchasing power they brought.
Two years ago in Dubai, the owner of the supermarket next to his fabric shop told Lanka, "This store is just a rest stop for you. You can rest a little here, and then it's time to hit the road again. Your destination is not here. One day you will achieve great things."
The seeds in his heart finally began to sprout, and Lanka left Dubai and went to Mumbai alone.
He carried money with him and attended various training classes, such as dance classes, martial arts classes, and performing arts classes.
The dance class charges Rs 1,000 per month, the martial arts class Rs 5,000 for three months and the acting class Rs 15,000.
The martial arts class teaches Taekwondo, and the coach takes the students to the beach to teach them martial arts techniques from movies, such as how to jump, roll on the ground, and swing arms and punch.
Lanka always thought that the martial arts class instructor Roshan looked at him differently because he had let Lanka be his assistant in the first year.
Although this is an obligation, Lanka is still very honored.
He received invitations to low-budget films and TV series one after another, but Lanka had a clear goal: to be the leading actor in a Bollywood blockbuster.
He persisted for a year, but gradually, the invitations for low-budget movies and TV series disappeared.
The 200,000 rupees he brought from Dubai was running out, and he moved from a single-room hotel to a one-bedroom apartment in Andheri, where he lived with 13 other people.
Later, Lanka really met a producer who promised to let him play the leading role in his next movie.
Every two months, Lanka would ask the producers how the film was progressing, and was always told that they were "still looking for a director."
Although the director failed to find her, Lanka stopped actively seeking other roles, always believing that the time for a comeback was just around the corner.
He waited for more than half a year and lost all other performance contracts during this period.
Lanka was somewhat disheartened, and his family and friends advised him to give up the idea as soon as possible and return to Dubai to do the fabric business.
After careful consideration, Lanka decided to stay in Mumbai, knowing that once he left, he would never be able to return.
This is the reality. No matter how humble you are, life will make you more humble.
After wasting two years, Lanka even had difficulty getting the minor roles in TV dramas that he once disdained.
Despite this, Lanka still goes to the gym or runs outdoors every morning to keep his body fit, or at least look fit.
He always puts a lot of effort into his outfit and updates a set of his own photos every week.
He carried these hard copies with him so that he could deliver them to the offices of various producers.
Lanka was very clear about the fate of his photos. After all, there were thousands of people like him who went in and out of offices and made a living with a thick skin.
But having his photos included in an album and then selected from it is the first step a hard-working person takes on the road to acting, and he must do it.
To be honest, Lanka is not sure when she will be able to get the attention of a production company.
One of the main reasons why he persisted was to comfort himself when he failed that he had tried his best.
Yes, his family in Dubai is trying to persuade him to come back, and his brother is even planning to come to Mumbai next month.
Raj once asked Lanka if she would consider returning to Dubai.
"I still love India." His tone was like a guilty husband admitting infidelity to his wife.
Lanka didn't know if he was shaken. He didn't dare to think too much about it. He could only keep himself busy by exercising, taking acting classes, and submitting photos.
Then one ordinary afternoon, Raj called to tell him that there was an audition for the leading role in a low-budget film.
At that moment Lanka was surprised and happy, and at a loss.
He immediately started daydreaming about how he would act when the script supervisor hit the cue and the director said "Action!"
Lanka used to sneer at these low-budget films, but after being beaten by life, he learned to be humble.
Almost immediately, he started to pack himself up and made all the necessary preparations before setting off in the tattered Ambassador car.
There was a large rust spot on the hood of the car and the doors squeaked when they closed, but Lanka still paid to keep it.
After two years in Bollywood, he is familiar with every unspoken rule here.
To enter the production company, you first need a car. The doorman will not only let you in, but will also salute you.
If you take a taxi, the security guard will turn you back. If you take a pedicab, he'll question you endlessly. If you walk, you won't even get through the company gate.
When Lanka was in Dubai, everyone called him "Boss." But in Mumbai, he always called everyone "Sir."
For those who strive hard, this is life, you have to learn to flatter.
When the Tata Ambassador car arrived at the gate of the address Raj told him, Lanka was a little hesitant.
Red Sausage Agency?
Why not a production company? The first audition he encountered was at an agency.
Despite thinking so, Lanka still honked the horn.
The sleepy security guard was startled, he subconsciously raised his hand to salute, and then waved to let him pass.
Lanka parked the car and went upstairs with some printed papers.
When he arrived at the room, he saw several people sitting there, apparently discussing the script.
He was surprised to see two young foreign women there, who seemed to be of high status judging by where they were sitting.
Lanka said hello and sat down obediently. Across from him, Ron and the others were also sizing up this young man who had just made his debut.
He was dressed fashionably, wearing earrings and a golden teddy bear pendant around his neck, and he looked very energetic.
It is obvious that the other person exercises regularly and keeps a very good figure.
Ron didn't say anything, but gave the stage to Shiv Kumar, the director of the film.
The audition process was normal. Shiv and Mary asked Lanka to perform a line, dance, martial arts and singing respectively.
The overall evaluation is very good, at least more reliable than the previous ones.
"Hail to Durga Puja" has fighting scenes, singing and dancing, and a theme song. With a limited budget, the male lead needs to handle many aspects on his own.
Coincidentally, these Lankans had all attended the corresponding training courses. Whether they were professional or not was another matter, but at least they could perform a few moves.
It is always good to have many skills, and Bollywood also emphasizes this.
"You've been chosen," Ron announced bluntly.
"Sir, I...I..." Lanka stuttered a little. He had anticipated this kind of scene, but didn't expect it to come so soon.
"The film has a limited budget, and your salary is 16,000 rupees. Is that okay?" Ron asked.
"No problem!" Lanka said firmly.
"The crew will be heading to Uttar Pradesh in a week. The shooting is expected to take 45 days. Please pack up." Director Shiv gave the order directly.
"Okay!" Lanka agreed immediately.
"The salary will be paid after the movie is released. During the filming period, except for food and accommodation, everything else is self-provided," Mary added.
"Okay." Lanka still had no objection.
This is one of the unspoken rules in Bollywood: there is no talk of remuneration before the film is released.
If the film is a huge hit at the box office, then everything will be fine. If it is a flop, then Lanka will be paid zero rupees.
Yes, that’s how the magical world of Bollywood works.
Although Ron had just made an extra profit of 20 million rupees in his pocket, one thing is one thing.
He treated the business of ten rupees and the business of one hundred thousand rupees with all his heart and treated them equally.
The female lead, Urmila Matonkar, is a little famous after all, and her salary is 200,000 rupees.
If someone takes the bigger share, then naturally someone else will take the smaller share, after all, the actors' salaries only account for a fixed percentage.
The remaining money must be spent wisely, otherwise it will be difficult to ensure the completion of the film.
The crew's preparations are nearing completion and Ron is about to leave for Uttar Pradesh.
But before leaving, he had to say hello to the people around him.
(End of this chapter)
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