Bollywood Comes to Town
As a Southern California native, I’m no stranger to movie shoots—most often, they seem to randomly block traffic just when I’m in a hurry! But it was a thrill to happen upon a Bollywood shooting in progress during an afternoon walk in a nearby park. We had heard rumors that a film crew was in town, but busy as we are with language study and practice, we hadn’t paid much attention. Filming in our valley is actually fairly common, as the misty mountain scenery makes for a romantic backdrop.
And this one was definitely romantic, although we couldn’t get near enough for a close-up view. Film crew kept us, along with a handful of other bystanders, well away from the action. 
At one point during a break, locals were allowed to cross the set from one side of the park to the other. Like the locals, my husband and I were dressed in at least four layers, two of which were wool, as the temperature hovered below 50 degrees. The Bollywood star was waiting off to the side, wrapped in a thick blanket. Then “ACTION,” and the romantic Indian music swelled from the speakers. Our heroine threw off her blanket, revealing a scanty red dress, and ran through the fallen leaves into the arms of her dark, handsome co-star, who twirled her around as the cameras rolled. 
As soon as the short scene was over, our starlet rushed for her warm blanket. I asked the people standing around me who she was. None of them could remember her name, but they all assured me that she was a Very Big Star. Like me, most of our neighbors have to put all their focus and energy into meeting the demands of daily life, and don’t have much to spare for films and fantasy. As we turned to leave, I wished I had had the language ability to ask them which of us looked more out-of-place—the starlet in her skimpy chiffon dress, or me, obviously a foreigner dressed up like a local. Next time maybe I’ll be able to ask, and to understand the answer. Either way, I hope my neighbors can see that the part I’m playing is not just fantasy. It’s for real.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged bollywood by Lisa