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Book review: Exposing the Hindi film industry

Sutra’s India Correspondent, Steven Baker, spoke to author Rahul Bajaj about his recently published national bestseller exposing the Hindi film industry – better known as Bollywood.

From an investment banker on Wall Street to a Bollywood actor in Mumbai, Rahul Bajaj is a man of many talents. After achieving success as a leading television actor in India, Bajaj can now add the avatar of writer to his resumé, with the recent launch of his first book Bollywood Roulette: Inside the Struggle! Over coffee and dhokla at his South Delhi home, Bajaj reflects on struggling actors in the cut-throat world of Hindi film.

Q: Bollywood Roulette is an interesting title. How did it come about?

A: Bollywood Roulette was my title of choice as soon as I had finished writing the climax of the novel. At various points, the editors came up with names they thought would be more commercially viable. But I always felt Bollywood Roulette captured the true essence of my novel and stuck by it. I think outsiders who come to Bollywood to ‘struggle’ are playing a dangerous game of roulette, and that thought is not foremost in their minds when they begin their pursuits. I wanted that thought, that sense of danger, to be up front. Of course, the game of roulette also features in the narrative, so it made sense in more ways than one.

Q: Are the characters in the book based on real ‘strugglers’ within the industry?

A: They are very accurate representations of ‘strugglers’ I have known, but with an important caveat. The caveat is that, again, there may not be a one-to-one correspondence between each character and a real person, but rather the characters are amalgamations. My aim has been to capture the entire spectrum of people that I’ve seen in the ‘struggler’ category. For that, I have taken the liberty to create characters that are collages, but those collages have very real elements. Each of these characters represents reality. Sutra’s India Correspondent, Steven Baker, spoke to author Rahul Bajaj about his recently published national bestseller exposing the Hindi film industry – better known as Bollywood. BOOK REVIEW posing Left: Sutra’s Steven Baker is a British writer who divides his time between London, Delhi, and Mumbai. He has appeared in 15 Bollywood films, including Baabul. 78 SUTRA

Q: Have you now ‘officially retired’ from Bollywood?

A: I think I will never go back to being a professional actor in television or film. I made a conscious choice to give that up. Also, I think after this book nobody will give me a role even if I changed my mind! I do think I will remain connected to the arts in the broad sense of the term. I am not sure what shape that will take. I have many dear friends who are still on the ‘inside’ so I guess I will remain connected to Bollywood through them at least.

Q: You have spent time in the US and the UK, do you perceive Bollywood to have made it outside of India?

A: I think Bollywood is an integral part of the life of South Asians in the diaspora abroad. They cling on to it with the same fervour as they do to religion or cricket or desi food. It’s part of their cultural identity. The overseas market for Bollywood films is driven mostly by the diaspora and it is now pretty substantial. I think for the non-desi audience, Bollywood is just another thing they associate with India - a novelty - like the Taj Mahal or snake charmers. I don’t think Bollywood has really crossed over into the mainstream in any real or substantial way. There is complete awareness about Bollywood today even in non-desi circles, but again, it is not much beyond awareness and it certainly does not amount to regular consumption as say Hollywood products, are consumed. So yes, the world is aware of Bollywood and curious too.

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