2 minute read
Do we have a
from 2012-05 Sydney (2)
by Indian Link
An SBS TV show checks out local talent
he meant. But then, that is probably what was sold to him by her and her agent.
BY PRIYANKA TATER
Bollywood sells…but what is disturbing is to see people buying it out of ignorance!
Conducting an interview with Hancock director Peter Berg way back in 2008, I distinctly remember a conversation off-camera, where he referred to Mallika Sherawat as an Indian ‘Superstar’. (Now for those of you not familiar with Indian cinema, may I take the liberty of calling it ‘Bollywood’, Mallika Sherawat’s claim to fame is her love for minimalistic clothing, raunchy grooves in item numbers and that lately acquired fake American accent! And for those of you who already know, I needn’t waste any more space). My jaw dropped and it took a good ten seconds to sink in, while I wondered if he was really referring to the sultry seductress or was it Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Cut to 2012, I find myself attending the launch of Bollywood Star a four-part series made for SBS by WTFN Entertainment (Bondi Vet, Keeping up with the Joneses). With the Opera House as the backdrop, my senses soak in everything Indian. Right from the chaat on the menu, saree clad beauties (contestants), foreheads shimmering with bindis, the male participants reminding me of the quintessential ‘Raj’, Bollywood indeed is the flavour of the afternoon. Amidst flashing shutterbugs and the photo sessions, I try to steal some of the contestants and judges from the photo-shoots for a quick chat. Needless to say each one present is bubbling with excitement. After all, it’s a first-of-its-kind show on Australian TV. Sydney-based film-maker Anupam Sharma is one of the judges on the show.
“People like me who have been in the media in this country for years, have been screaming and dreaming about a show on Indians in Australia, a show which showcases their dreams and aspirations.”
With the making of Bollywood Star that dream has finally been realized. Keeping with the name, the launch kicks off with a ‘Bollywood’ song and dance routine. A troupe of dancers perform to some of the popular filmy hits, Dhoom Tana (Om Shanti Om) and Choli ke Peeche (Khalnayak), followed by a video message from Mumbai filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and a small clip of the show. SBS Managing director Michael Ebeid offers some insight into the show stating, “Bollywood Star is not just a talent show, it is a fusion of the highly popular talent format and observation documentary, with SBS setting the benchmark for new contemporary TV. It is a talent quest with a difference: we’re doing it SBS style.”
He adds, “This show is a real contrast to some of the serious content that we show on SBS”.
Alright, with all the hype, hoopla and promising talk at the event I settle down to watch the very first episode of Bollywood Star given for preview, with great expectations!
For someone who has earned her bread and butter off ‘Bollywood’ as an entertainment journalist in India, I can’t help but feel embarrassed to hear a claim on air, “If you don’t have the look, you are nobody in Bollywood”. By that logic, the list of Bollywood successes would have to exclude the likes of Irrfan Khan, Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, even current industry favourite Farhan Akhtar - why, even our ‘superstars’ Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan - who don’t quite boast of the conventional good looks. Hindi cinema has long come of age. It is no longer about just dancing around trees, big budgets, Aphrodite and Adonis on screen. Can someone please sell the truth? With that unfortunate statement though, the mood of the show was set. While the auditions and the very lure of B-town managed to pull in scores of aspirants from all spheres of life and all backgrounds, it was interesting to
