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iView Author: A. Singh (Fremont, CA, USA)

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Fate of Scene Stealers
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I had to sit through Money Hai to honey Hai on DVD this weekend and that inspired me to write this post. The film as you all know by now is a disgrace in the name of cinema and it’s hard to pinpoint any one reason that made the film so bad. Everything about the movie was bad, almost like a bad dream. The two reasons I watched the whole film were- one, it was a comedy and like a typical fan of Indian national cricket team, I kept thinking it’ll get better and I’ll at least like some jokes and two, my wife forced me to sit through it. Her taste in movies is not that bad but she has this weird compulsion to finish every movie if she has sat through more than 15 minutes of it. I don’t exactly know when she contracted this disease, I think it was about 8 years back when we officially became NRIs and Bollywood movies became part of our staple diet, just like toor dal and basmati rice from our friendly neighborhood Patel store.

Anyway coming back to the topic, it was really sad to see Govinda make a big fool of himself by trying to copy, of all people, yes Salman Khan. Govinda was trying to be and do everything that Salman was or did in Partner. He was dressed like him, trying to talk like him and even the character was similar, giving advice to people, sitting on a restaurant table. I don’t know whose idea this was, Govinda or the dim witted scrip-writer. Sad, really sad! But that wasn’t the saddest part in the film. What broke my heart was really seeing Manoj Bajpayee make a big fool of him in this bit role. I was so sad for the poor guy after that that I started to feel depressed about it and before my sympathy for him could result into some self pity and self sympathy, I cured myself with a repeat watch of Satya. The poor guy was trying his best to inject some sense in a totally non-sensical, technically wrong, ghastly written character and was almost successful in doing even that. What a waste of talent!

But when I thought about it more deeply, I realized that Mr. Bajpayee is not alone here. There is a whole pattern here of highly talented actors appearing on the stage from nowhere, actors that are such powerhouses of talents that when they are on screen, they completely take over the screen and actors that I am fondly calling as ‘Scene Stealers’, in a positive way. They completely take over and dominate any scene with even big name stars in it and for no fault of theirs. If you want one example, think Rajpal Yadav in Paheli. Pitted against the biggest super star in the industry, in his home production, our man has a two scene role. But he ends up creating magic with it. Or think Raghubir Yadav in Lagan and in umpteen number of movies. Almost like an extra, he appears in the scene and before you know it, takes it over with his earthy voice and his perfect to the core expressions. Even, some of the lesser known ones, like Sharat Saxena, who has been around for ever but has achieved so little, in comparison to so many non-talents, non-actors dominating the industry. My heart goes for these guys!

In most cases, they come; they conquer the hearts and minds of audiences and yet very soon relegated to the sidelines. In many cases they get no work when they are at the peak of their skills, get their confidence destroyed and appear years later in bit roles and to support and provide cover to the sons and daughters of stars debuting in their first film and strutting their starry stuff around.

These Scene Stealers have some common shortcomings, they are born with ordinary looks and are complete outsiders to the film industry and in many cases are usually from middle case background without a big business man father, brother or even mother ready to back them up if they fail. If they do have good looks, then only God can help them because they won’t even get the first break unless they have extra ordinary personalities and political skills of SRK. Have you ever hear of a talented boy called Samir Dattani. I have read multiple times about him, raving comments from the likes of Om Puri, but haven’t seen him in a film. Or even Sharman Joshi, I wonder why he is out of Golmal II. Or even his replacement in Golmal II, Shreyas Talpade. All of them have multiple shortcomings, are talented with decent looks that’ll make the star sons insecure much faster than the Scene Stealers with ordinary looks. Both of Yes folks, I understand that the world is unfair but no world is probably more unfair than Bollywood.

I also understand that struggle and chances of failure are professional hazards in most professions. I also acknowledge that the hazards are worse in a high stakes, winner take all industry like show business. But I still wonder how it must feel! Not when you are struggling and can’t make it, but to fail after having succeeded. After having been told that you have arrived, you realize that you have arrived nowhere. I am not even remotely connected to the film industry and don’t know any of these Scene Stealers personally. But somehow I do feel like you can draw a story line that could run close to what these people are or where they come from in real life.

A boy in a small town, who, instead of listening to his parents and focusing on studies, feels drawn to drama, gets applause every time he goes on stage and at some stage chooses that line to the disappointment of his not so well to do, middle class parents. He arranges enough money to last him for few months and heads to Delhi or Mumbai. In most cases his talent gets him an admission into NSD or some acting or drama school, where his skill gets further honed and where he start feeling better about his own existence on Earth and less guilty about not meeting the expectations of his parents. After spending few years performing in some great plays, he realizes that he has no money and his parents are entering an age where they would soon need support. In his village or town, his family is slowly becoming a laughing stock while this guy is the toast of the drama world. At some point he decides that he has had enough and heads either directly or via television to the world of Bollywood. He does many bit roles and earns some money until finally one day some maverick director decides to give him a prominent role. Remember, it’s not a leading role, but some strong supporting role, usually that of a villain or accomplish of the hero. He outshines everybody in that movie and in every other movie that year. Bollywood finally notices and gives the chap a standing ovation that year. The film makes huge money and gets critical acclaim and our small town boy all of a sudden finds himself in the limelight.

The actor in him also gets more opportunities with bigger roles in better banners either as character roles or as villains. The poor innocent middle class boy gives his best performance each time he gets screen time and is totally oblivious to the going-ons around him. What he doesn’t know is that his scenes are being viewed again and again on the editing screens by the star sons whose dad owns the director and producer either financially or because of lifetime of relationships. The star sons and heir apparent, with insecurity ingrained in them right from their childhood just as horse riding, dancing, fighting and other skills, become aware of the ability of this boy from no where to steal scenes that aren’t even written for him. Meanwhile our boy from no where realizes that the scenes are becoming fewer and smaller for him. By now, with a decent size ego of his own, he confronts the director, script writer and producer of the movie and faces the true nature of the industry he is part of. He realizes that he is nobody despite his great award winning performances. The reasons given to him are weird, stupid but do sound true and make some financial sense. He is told that he may be a good actor, but he is not star material. His face and name does not sell movies. He opts out of some such movies hoping that he will get better treatment if he stands his ground. Instead the reverse happens. The word gets around about his attitude and the offers start drying up, his confidence starts dropping and his financial security gets back in question again. Frustrated, brought to ground realities because of his financial compulsions, he accepts his fate and accepts anything and everything that comes his way.

There are variations to the scenario. In some cases, our Scene Stealers accept the realities of the world they live in and don’t pay heed to people who keep raving about their talents. They knowingly make fool of themselves from day one and keep their brains and ego aside. They accept every offer that comes their way, make appearances as a buffoon in bit roles, in inane comedy movies that are made up to shore up the start power of some sagging and aging star husbands or appear as side kicks with some total non-actors whose father or sister has financed the film. There is even a year when they appear in almost 90% of the movies made in bit roles. Even after doing so many films in a year, they probably do not earn more money compared to a C class actress or Z class leading man. But overall, they do earn enough money and doing lots and lots of bit roles helps them become financially secure even though it overexposes them and almost destroys any acting talent left in them. Many of these roles are baldy written comedy scenes and allow the lead star to slap them to make the scene look comedic. Slapping the Scene Stealer makes the leading star feel secure and he is not scared of appearing in the same scene. See, its win-win. The star is able to boost his ego and the Scene Stealer is able to save his job.

There are other variations too. The actor becomes the poster child of an alternate wave in cinema where he gets to play the lead roles. He gets the satisfaction of doing justice to his talent and making some meaningful cinema. These films are made at shoe string budget and have no money to even feed the unit during lunch breaks. The films get rewards and so does him but these films don’t make him any money except further shoring up the size of his ego and making him more dejected. The actor, once in a while lashes out against the ways of the film industry and gets further isolated in the process. The show goes on while our Scene Stealer languishes either in the world of theatre or on some TV shows. After decades, we see the actor, once in a while, with the same level of intensity, adding fire in bit roles in an otherwise boring and childish movie made to launch some star son or star nephew and makes the film watchable by his sheer presence.

I am sure, there are other variations too. Some of these boys get together and make some different movies, are talked about as the future of the film industries until they run straight into the establishment. After some time, they all make compromises in their own ways and help the establishment make more of the same crappy movies.

I don’t even want to guess what happens on the other side of the sexual divide. Majority of our Scene Stealers are men but once in a while, we do see a complete natural actress like Ayesha Takia, Sonali Kulkarni or Gracy Singh or a Deepti Naval, who disappear after few movies. Meanwhile, completely wooden actresses from the world of modeling and beauty pageants move ahead and keep getting roles even after proving to the whole world that they can’t act, not even in a role, where they have to act like themselves. I am not counting Shabana Azmi or Smita Patil, as I believe they did get their place in the industry.

I can go on and on and list out endless variations of the scenario. The scenario gets played again and again, from Ompuri, to Naseeruddin Shah, from Satish Shah to Anupam Kher to Boman Irani. Ompuri and Naseer are exceptionally strong as they proved their credentials in leading roles and in some cases even in hard core commercial cinema. Yet, you see them doing stupid stuff on the side. Anupam Kher used to be a necessary ingredient in Hindi films at one point of time before Amitabh Bachchan took over those roles in his come back avatar. It did happen to Boman Irani in last 2-3 years if you count the number of movies he appeared in. Boman and Anupam are strong characters because prove you wrong, every time you write them off. But some others are not so fortunate. Have you ever seen Satish Shah, Sharat Saxena, and Raghubir Yadav hitting wrong notes? Every time I watch a Raghubir Yadav on screen, I feel like standing up on my feet and saluting him. The performance is so overpowering, but we see so little of him. On the other hand we see too much of Rajpal Yadav, but in most cases, in inane roles where he gets slapped by Akshay Kumar or plays side kick to a star son who has the screen presence of an extra. Many times I feel as if, Rajpal Yadav is trying to hide himself in the scene or deliberately trying to act badly, to avoid being thrown out of the film. I have seen Main Meri Patni aur Woh and can’t believe that it’s the same actor. The list goes on- Irfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, and last but not the least Pankaj Kapoor who finally gets some of his due after he has passed his prime.

I don’t think it’s completely a lost cause for Manoj Bapjpayee or Ashutosh Rana or Irfan Khan. It’s a one way road, once in Bollywood, always in Bollywood. They just need to lie low and sustain themselves until they are into their late 40s and 50s. That’s when Aryan Khan (SRK’s son) and Junaid(Amir Khan’s son) and a new Roshan Jr. or a new Kapoor or Kumar Jr. will make their debuts. Their films will need strong supporting cast to make the films watchable and give the star sons or daughters cover to hide their acting shortcomings. By then, our scene stealers will be past their prime and will have a shrunken ego. They’ll have no problem accepting smaller roles where they get pushed around and get asked to change their line or angle of standing to the camera so that the star son or daughter doesn’t get overshadowed. Once, they have learned that and get over that, they will still give powerhouse performance and continue to steal the scenes even if they are framed in a photo hung on the wall in the entire movie.

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