I Want to be a Bollywood Extra!

Bollywood Stars: Saif Ali Khan & Karina Kapoor

My Bollywood addiction started about 3 years ago.

For me, nothing can rival the beauty and grandeur of Bollywood films- upbeat song and dance numbers, colorfully ornate costumes, flirtatious eyes, sweeping romantic aerial shots, exotic locations, gorgeous heroes/heroines and TONS of romance- tragedy-bale (“dance”)! bale! bale!   Sometimes I wish I could live in these films…  For me, it’s not always about possessing grand dreams, just nearly impossible ones-  the wish “to be an extra in a Bollywood film” was on my list of eccentric achievements to fulfill before I die… (being a backup bollywood dancer is the secondary wish).

Unless you’re willing to pay a $1000 plane fare to Mumbai and stand under the “Gateway of India” (one of the known pickup spots for tourists to go to if they want to experience the adventure of being an extra in a Bollywood film),  your chances of finding Bollywood are pretty slim. So, being chosen to be in a Bollywood film without having to leave my New York City residence felt pretty extraordinary.

Boarding the Marco Polo

I am on the set of Kurbaan, starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

Kal Ho Naa Ho, was the first Bollywood film I saw and it was  shot in New York and co-starring Saif, Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta.

Twenty of us extras, boarded a small cruise boat called the Marco Polo, with 20 Indian  crew members and a handful of U.S. crew. The scene we were shooting was an insert for a music video and the shot was a winter cruise scene as it sailed around the Statue of Liberty.  This is one of the first days of warm weather (90 degrees) in New York. With a gentle breeze dancing off the Hudson river, a winter coat is ironically, still pretty comfortable wear.  Famous Bollywood choreographer, Vhaibhavi Merchant, was there to help direction. I was excited to have met and spoken to her. She gave me a camera and binoculars and placed as one half of “a tourist couple” and next to the stars for half the day.

Bollywood Star Saif Ali Khan looking out at the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island

Bollywood stars like “gods” in India.

With Saif  and Karina, we’re talking top of the God food chain!  Sharing the same waiting room with them on a small boat is pretty darned cool, just as is listening to gods having random conversations on topics such as “deja vu”. When not shooting, we are free to chillax and catch some sun on the deck. Being a mere 5 feet from Saif and watching him bask in the sun was as normal as watching a live photo shoot (he poses in real life, like one of his print ads!).   During a break, Saif, game to conversation, leaned over to me and in his polite Saif-voice asks if he could look at my prop binoculars. Then in the very next take as Action! is called and cameras are rolling, much to my surprise,  Saif turns to me again and asks “Excuse me, Miss…“  (may he  borrow my binoculars).

Delightfully warm and easy to chat with, the India crew this day are like “Japanese working tourists”.

Between takes, when the director yelled “CUT”,  every Indian crew member got out his digital camera, rushed to the deck, took pictures and posed with each other against the landscape.  This happened often throughout the day. Yet, who can blame them…it was the view of the NYC city line, the N.Y. Statue of Liberty and the only opportunity to see it for free under the premise of work.  Being in the entertainment industry myself, working as camera crew or talent, I know all too well the sightseeing and travel adventure perks of my job. Working in production gains one a free pass into  many places that sometimes, even the public is not allowed (like the U.N. for instance or the Food Network kitchens, like I blogged about…).  Even I, in all my 8 years of living in New York City, had never once taken a cruise to see Ms. Liberty- this was definitely my treat, as well.

Lunch arrived and it was Indian food.  Naan, rice, fruits, channa masala, sag paneer, etc… Yum!

Ever wonder how Bollywood films get those signature shots?

…The romantic 180 degree aerial pans or sweeping mid shots of the heroes and heroines in those hard-to-jib places?  Scene 2 was a wide shot of the entire boat with the actors at the helm and the extras acting as tourists in the background. 

Answer: Low flying helicopter mounted with a huge fish-eye looking camera lens. Huge.

In New York, a non-union background extra will make $75/day on a feature film.

It’s not great pay by U.S. standards but considering that film extras in India make around $11,  I obviously made out. A boat cruise on the Hudson River circling Liberty Island, a great crew, an Indian lunch, a chat with my favorite Bollywood choreographer and the “gods” …I didn’t get to live in a Bollywood film but I did get my wish to be in one!

How to be an tv/film extra or background actor in New York City?

Sign up with a talent agency which handles background actors. (i.e. Background Inc, Grant Wilfley Casting, etc…). Here’s a list of 12 extras agencies in New York City. You can also check Craigslist New York under video or subscriptions sites like Actors Access.  Background work seldom entails a resume, just a a photo of yourself or headshot.