The weather is very comfortable in Mumbai today. I am sitting in a Parci area of Colaba. Nearby are group of elder ladies and I am listening to them talking. I think I can understand them because they are speaking in English sometimes.
(The Cusrow is a Parci community. They resided originally Iran one thousand three hundred years ago. An elder told me.)
I came to Mumbai for Bollywood. I did not enjoy the Indian movies when I was a kid. But since my senior classmate, Liu Yun showed me some new Bollywood movies this year, I changed my mind.
The unknown photographer and the unknown extra actress have some things in common. At first, they have to wake up early at 5 or 6 am. The second, they need much patience. And third, they both get low pay.
I woke up at 5.20am yesterday morning and walked around the street in Colaba. In a moment, I’ve got a job as an extra in Bollywood. But in fact, the film belongs to a New York film company. It’s about a love story, so I joined the wedding shoot with a group of foreign travellers.
The director, Jimmy said “Your guys look fabulous!! Listen, here is not in India, it’s in U.S., you are in Central Park in NYC…” Our handsome first actor is Jesse Metcalfe. He acted in the TV show ‘Desperate Housewives’. Someone said if the first actress was sick today then I could play her role instead. “Are you serious?” I said.
It was a very good experience for the whole day. But it needs the patience of a saint to be an extra. Now I understand that to be an actor is one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
Judie in Mumbai
