Lights, Camera, Struggle

“Bhai mere paas koi option nahi tha” he said with a straight face.
Here’s a guy from a small town, with good looks, academically sound (till it lasted), did very well as a model in Delhi but shifted to Mumbai for a career in the ever so appealing profession, Acting.
It has been over 2 years since he came chasing the dream.
But did it all go as planned?
“Chal raha hai. Jaisa socha tha waisa nahi hai” he answers with a bright smile.
Him and many alike have left their hometowns and are here in search of that “one big break”.
There is absolutely no harm in pursuing your desired career path.
But is it passion or a lack of choices that drives the daily struggle?

Part 1: Passion

You ask a young aspirant, the reason behind his career choice and you will hear the word “Passion”.
Honestly, I think most of them don’t even know what that is.
Not all of us are blessed with good looks. We can blame our genes but that’s a fact.
So, even if you are above average, people around you make you feel like a Greek god.
No, I never got that feeling.

Entertainment Industry is just like any other industry where there is always a demand for new products.
For an Actor, he / she is the product.
Good looks can help you get an audition invite but is not a guarantee for landing the job.
Yes, it is a job and like any other job, you have to be good at it in order to get those lucrative promotions.
“Education ki zarurat nahi hai ye industry mein” is a misconception that has plagued the aspiring youngsters.
You need not be a gold medalist in economics or be able to solve the cube root of 1037 till 5 decimal places in order to be an actor.
Attending to acting workshops or dialect training is indeed helpful but a basic educational background is an extremely important part of your overall personality and confidence.
So, if “passion” is what drives you, I pray that that you know what it means and are willing to support it with hard work.
Because passion can help you get by the initial phase but you have to think long and hard before deciding to jump in front of a world that appears shiny and precious but is filled with struggle on a daily basis.
 

Part 2: Struggle

“Hello sir, kuch chal raha hai? Do I fit?”
Basic questions that people ask standing in front of an audition studio.
And if they do not get a positive answer, they will thank you with a smile and move on to the next studio.
Yes, this is what some people do each and every day.
They will get up, look at their WhatsApp group for audition updates, fill their hand bag with spare clothes and head out with a hope. A hope that today might be their lucky day.

In the initial days, people get those odd assignment which mark a beginning of their hopefully glamorous career.
However, the supply is increasing with every single train / bus / flight that lands in the city and the demand is not adequate enough to absorb it.
Result? You queue up in front of casting offices just to get the casting person’s number / email ID so that you can send in your pics and work profile to them and hope that they will call you if something comes up.
But is that hope good enough?

 “Yaar client bolta hai ki find a model like face and acting ka director pe chod de” said a casting director, frustrated to the tip of his fading hairline.

It’s not shocking though. Some people just want a pretty face to face the camera and everything else can be “sorted out”.
There was a time when actors in the industry did not have muscular bodies and six packs.
However, a lot has changed since bhai started removing his shirts.
Today the first thing you do if you want to be an actor / model is that you join a gym.
What follows is numerous hours of training, lots of protein shakes / steroids and tight fitting clothes to show off your muscles.
While it could work for certain type of projects, it is definitely not the only way to boost your chances.

Exploitation has found its roots in each and every phase of our lives.
This industry is not different. However, it is unfair that the people in the industry have been stereotyped by the outside world as predators.
Just to explain, middleman, known as ‘co-ordinators’, play an important role if you are as aspiring actor / model.
These are the people who are your link to the casting team and audition invites.
They have office setups, WhatsApp groups, email IDs and run a profitable business.
A casting director will inform the co-ordinators for a particular assignment.
The co-ordinator will spread the work through his channels of communication.
So, if you are lucky enough and end up landing the job, the co-ordinator will take a share out of your remuneration.
Honestly, there is not harm in such a business model.
But, just like any other business, you will find the trouble makers in this line of work too.
These will be the people who will take a handsome portion of your remuneration as their ‘co-ordination’ fees. If you refuse, they will try and threaten you by not sharing the audition updates in future or even spreading false rumors about you.
And there will be a few sick humans who would want favors that are not limited to money only.
I would like to reiterate the fact that there is just a small fraction who indulges in such wrong doings and if you pay attention, you can avoid the exploitation.

We all need a roof over our heads, don’t we?
Majority of us cannot afford to buy a house in Mumbai.
So, what’s the problem? Renting is a good option, right?
Wrong.
It’s extremely difficult for bachelors to rent a house in Mumbai.
Your chances take a serious hit when you are working in the “Film Industry”.
So, you have to contact the brokers who will show you houses where people from your industry are allowed to stay.
In return, they will ask for their brokerage which is equal to one month’s rent.
Upon renewal of the tenancy agreement, you will once again have to bear the brokerage for no apparent reason.
If you happen to ask the logic behind it, they will pounce on you by saying “Rule hai bhai, naya aaye ho kya?”
So, you rent a place for 11 months but you end up paying 12 month’s rent.
Security deposit and other “miscellaneous charges” will just add to your cash outflow.
Passion certainly comes with a price tag, eh?

There is always a brighter side to things and acting is no exception.
Your talent will take you places. Trust me, it will.
You will get the respect and the fame that you deserve.
But nothing comes cheap. Be it the amount of money you have to invest in order to survive during your days of struggle or the hard work that you have to put in, fame will ask for its sacrifices.
If you are an ‘outsider’ you will have to put in that much extra to get what you supposedly deserve.

Part 3: Beginners Tips

A few points that might come handy while you chase your dreams:

1 - Know your strengths. There are various types of job assignments. A few of them being, Print shoots, Television commercials, Theater, daily soaps and movies. You might not fit for each and every category. You can be a model and do well without going to the acting part. Similarly, you need not be a successful model to be a good actor.

2 - Obtain thorough knowledge if you want to be a good actor. Choose the right courses and workshops, train in theater and you might end up being an actor after all. There is no substitute to training. Even if it comes naturally, you will have to mold it and polish it in a way that can engage the audience.

3 - Avoid shortcuts because there are none. 

4 - Interact with people. Get to know the current happenings around you. Keep yourself updated through social media for possible assignments and don’t be afraid to speak up against exploitation of any sort.

5 - Use social media to hunt for houses. You can avoid brokers and save money. At the same time, be vigilant enough to avoid getting duped.

“Acting nahi toh kuch aur kar lenge. But Industry nahi chod sakte” is what I have heard many people say.

Fame is an addiction.
It can either destroy you or take you places.
Whenever you see a successful face on the screen, remember that it’s not just the looks that has taken him / her there.
It’s a combination of skill, craft, right attitude, respect and humbleness that makes a good actor.

Please note that I have tried to put forth my point of view on the acting side of the business.
I am not an actor myself and I have not faced the struggles that are mentioned above.
However, if you wish to point out errors in my observations or want to add something, please feel free to contact me.

Happy struggling!!!