Be an Extra in a Bollywood Movie

The Bollywood Casting Couch – Getting a Part in Mumbai Movies

Mar 26, 2009 Bridget Coila

Producing more movies than anywhere else in the world- even more than Hollywood- Mumbai is the perfect place to get a taste of stardom while on vacation.

How to Get a Part As an Extra in Bollywood During an India Vacation

Participants don't necessarily have to have acting talent or experience, although it does sometimes help Bollywood casting directors make the decision to include someone or not.

Patience is probably the biggest requirement, since sometimes scenes will have to be shot over and over again and there is a lot of waiting time in between shots.

Featured extras, who may have a few lines or appear prominently on screen near the main actors, will often have to audition for their parts. But general extras who appear in crowd scenes or remain in the background may need to do nothing more than just show up on time on the day of the shooting.

Finding Casting Calls for Bollywood Movies

There are a few ways to land a job as an extra in Bollywood. Here are a few of the most common:

• Check for ads in the paper or online looking for extras. Bollywood casting directors on the lookout for background actors will sometimes post casting calls in local classifieds and in online forums.

• Some travelers have reported being approached on the street and asked if they want to act as an extra. Some areas this is known to occur are near Leopold's Café in the Colaba neighborhood.

• Hotel managers often recruit extras, so asking at the front desk is a possible way to get included.

• Hostels and even the local YMCA sometimes post ads for extras on bulletin boards to attract backpackers willing to endure the long shoots and meager pay for an authentic Bollywood experience.

Once hired, extras will be given a time and place to appear, where they'll meet other western extras who are also appearing in their movie. They will be assigned parts, given a costume and often shuffled off to a waiting room to sit around until their scene is scheduled to be shot. The part is often as a person in the background at a nightclub, airport or in a crowded street scene.

The Experience of Being a Bollywood Movie Extra

Potential Bollywood extras should keep in mind that the work may not be as glamorous or exciting as they are hoping. Most extras don't get to meet or interact with the stars and many don't even get to see the actual shooting of the movie.

A typical experience for an extra is to be kept waiting in a room with the other extras until their particular scene is shot, eating with the crew and have to stay on set long hours doing nothing. But the allure of the spotlight can be worth it to some. And there may be no better souvenir for some travelers than to return home with DVD proof of themselves performing in the background of a Bollywood feature.