Slumdog Millionaire and me

When an actor friend told me about the audition for a film going to be made by a foreign director, I was not greatly enthused. Also , I was writing a television show at that point of time and was quite busy but then I did send my pictures to Lovleen who was casting for the film and surprisingly I was invited for an audition.

(When you come to Mumbai to act in films the first thing you are asked to do is to get a portfolio done, what that means is that you get still pictures clicked of yourself in different costumes and poses. There are a number of professional photographers who actually do just portfolio work for aspiring actors in the film industry. This is important , they say as this is the way the casting directors will get to know how you look and where you fit into the films they are casting. I am not sure if it works exact same way. In the time that I have been around I have figured out that the photos play a very small part in your getting cast in films, you have to know people who can put you through to others who can help you get a decent audition and then you get cast.)

This was an explanation of why I was surprised when someone actually saw my photos and called me for an audition. Another thing to be understood is that you can also get these portfolios or so called, clicked at your neighbourhood studios. They do advise you to get a make up artist, your costumes and then once the photos get clicked they also ask you to get them corrected through photoshop. So my photos were also similar, clicked at a low price by a neighbourhood photographer, my face was made up, though I did not let him correct the pictures .

Now I was working with arguably one of the best exponents in theater in India - Habib Tanvir. I had also worked with Barry John and was relatively liked by both of them. However, it was difficult , I knew to get an inroad into the film industry. You had to look glossy , so I decided, so what if I don't in real life, atleast in my pictures I can and I did. That did not help much because when Lovleen saw me in real life, she wasn't impressed.

 She called her assistant aside and demanded why I have been called for an audition. The assistant told her that it was she who indeed saw my pictures and asked for me to be called. She actually went down to check the pictures and looked at me , I think she was about to say something but then she decided not to be rude and held herself back. I think out of sheer decency she called me in for the audition and my short but memorable journey of Slumdog Millionaire started. Short because I shot with them for two days only , memorable because it was the first film that I acted in and it went on to win eight oscars. Infact, I feel I am more a part of history than a number of fairly successful actors because the kind of films that they work in could be soon forgotten but Slumdog Millionaire is going to be watched by millions of viewers in the future too.

Intially there were two scenes in the film that I was a part of. One scene where the teacher is teaching the class which was shot in Dharavi, one of the biggest slum areas in Mumbai. I have had a lot of experience of working in these settings and working with kids so it was not diffcult for me to do this scene at all.

The other scene ( edited out of the film) was when the teacher leads a mob of rioters. The riot scene is retained but the teacher chasing the kids during a riot is edited out. That was a scene I did enjoy shooting although to do this scene I had to go all the way to a studio at Trombay from the Mumbai airport. I was supposed to be acting in a Habib Tanvir show at Guwahati but then I told him that there are these people who want to shoot with me and I can't drop out of it or rather I wouldn't want to. Habib Saab was very understanding and he said 'I can understand you are excited because it is your first work in front of the camera, and generally you do not make excuses, so I am okay if you go back and do not do this show, I will get someone else to do your part, but I have another axe to grind with you, and that is, why did you go to Mumbai and the film industry. That is not the place for you.' I am testing the latter part of his statement and sticking it out.

So he let me fly down from Guwahati and another actor replaced me for the next show. But once I landed here it was a nightmare, despite many requests to the assistant director handling me I did not get any transport to Trombay. I had to do an autorickshaw and go all the way to the studio.

However, working with Danny Boyle was completely worth it.Just as kids test their parents and teachers, actors and lazy ones like me do test the directors for how much will be enough for this guy. Danny Boyle showed me the walk that he would want this character to take and I understood that he does know his stuff and I will have to do my best. unfortunately you cannot see that scene as it has been edited out. But nonetheless , it was an experience to cherish also because the film was so well received.