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Hi Folks,

Completed a short and quick tour of London, Zurich and Mumbai. The tour was film based since had wrapped up my first feature script and the first two cities were toured for locations (and a director and cinematorgrpher) and Mumbai, because that is where I am looking to realease and speak with the production houses/actors/crew. 

Earlier had made an observation in this same blog of my Mumbai experience in Dec and this is a follow up to that.

The upbeat mood that was then just a mood, culminated in some firm actions this time around leading to the view that the India media scene, centered around the films and television, is really, using an expression from HR (that man Himesh), HAPPENING!!

Professionalism is in, opportunity is in, but of course the script has to be of the top order. Film companies are willing to meet you even if you come unrecommended and with nothing other than a script, at least they were with me.

Two schools of filmmaking financing is beginning to emerge. For the small aspirants like me, post Bheja Fry, which was made for Rs 55 lacs ($135K) and continues to rake in at least 7 times that amount in NET PROFITS, the time to make that small budget film is now. Then for the folks who dream big and are willing to sell their scripts to the corporates, the money is flush, the actors are flush. Almost everybody is ready to meet you and discuss your script, again at least they were with me and I don’t claim to have played up or been nice to anyone, but I was superlatively confident of my script.

Other Mumbai observations:

a) The SMS and script narration continues to be the way to go, much to my chagrin, since a written script rarely matters despite popular belief to the contrary. Voicemail and messages as a concept does not exisit in Bollywood, SMS is king!!

b) A new breed of private financers is emerging, again, the script has to be solid!! Corproates in the film world are beggnnin g to do that one thing they were not doing in the past in India, straight talk….coupled with professional meeting and I can confidently say, they are second to none anywhere in the world

 c) Almost your entire crew (actors, directors) can be located in ONE LOCATION - YARI ROAD, ANDHERI. Directors are more spread out, but not too far, include Lokhandwala and Goregaon and perhaps that south mumbai area of Lower Parel and Mahalaxmi and you have a completed film on hand

d) The concept of HD is still alien to Mumbai directors, they spend needless and endless time discussing HD and HDV and 35mm, instead of getting on with it….a good film is a good film is a good film, medium nothwithstanding, so move on!!!

e) The first day I visited, went to see Oceans 13 in Infiniti, and Saif was there with his kids and ponytail and nobody was bothering him as he walked up the escalator. I can bet you if it was UK or US, he would be mobbed, clearly Mumbai has more maturity when it comes to handling Bollywood icons.

f) Despite calling itself as the happening economy, traffic still sucks and is getting bad in the city and rains can still throw the area which is south of south Mumbai, into a total mess

g) The best party to attend during this time is that of noted heart surgeon Dr Tiwari in South Mumbai. I went and Jackie and Suneil were there as was a wiered looking Shekhar Suman (did not know men also resorted to “rakhi sawantish” methods) along with Krishna and Ram (I mean Vishal Bhardwaj and Arun Gowil). The film and Tv fraternity comes out in full force.

j) Coffee Cafe Day has become the most popular coffee joint in the city and Barista a close second.

k) Television is becomming bigger and hotter with actors and actresses becoming millionaires (more power to them!!)

l) The film cliques are becoming stronger and that includes the “former have not’s,” who also gang up at the first opportunity after they become “haves”

m) Himmesh ’s Aap Ka Saroor - The Movie- The Real Love Story- The Terrible Himesh Acting- But the 100% opening- The Public Opinion  Against Himesh Acting- But HR Showing The Index Finger To The World And Doing It Anayway (love folks who do that, hence also love Yash Raj films, the world hates their guts and I love them for that)-The Question Is It A Hit Or A  Flop - The Response We Have a Sequel On The Cards

n) Apne - The Deols Cry and so does the Audience- Sharma declares it a hit but the audience does not- Sunny Deol wins the boxing championships but in relaity Indian boxing scene is in a mess…..summary give me Dharam in Metro anyday!!

o) Jhoom Barabar becomes the second Yash Raj disaster after Tara Ram Pam and all the folks whom Yash Raj has rubbed the worng way (basically 99.9999% of the other film people ) celebrate….c’mon grow up guys…Yash Raj will rebound and is a studio system we are all proud of

p) RUMOURS HEARD IN MUMBAI -1) The script for Veer Zara may not have been original?

2) A certain Khan in the TV industry (not the filmi one’s) is paid Rs 40,000 per day for enacting soaps (to me that is bigger salary than most Wall Street types)!!!

SURPRISING FACT IN MUMBAI - 1) Ran into Jaggu Dada aka Jackie Shroff at the JW Mariott and he continues to be the same easy going guy I had grown up watching in Breach Candy (Farhangs) and Napean Sea Road (Pastry Palace) year’s ago……go Jackie!!! we need more nice guys like you !!!

NAME EATERY OBSERVATION: While most starry restaurants suck (eg Tendulkar’s), Dino’s Crepe Factory, is outstanding and continues to flourish……….go Dino!!!

Finally me, accused of being only about business, might, with  a few things falling in place, make my scriptwriting debut in Bollywood very shortly…………in the tradition of HR and Yash Raj….who cares what the world things….just go do it….

Oh yes….also before ANY film starts the national anthem comes on screen and everyone stands…..I think that’s really cool!! 

Sincerely,

Vivek “now could they do something about  “I’ll give you a missed call,”SMS and message me” and the word ”happening” in Mumbai” Kumar 

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