Crashing B-Town, by US-based author and film and fashion journalist Tulika Mehrotra takes a grim look at the film industry through pink-tinted glasses. Karan, Emraan, Vivek, Riya... the names are not the only thing that will make you sit up, says Tulika, the explosive content will.
As someone born in Lucknow and raised in the US, how did you go about writing a book on Bollywood?
I have worked with the top studios in LA, where I interacted with the senior executives and the top guns. I had a fair idea of the business aspect of Hollywood. But I have also been visiting India very often and met and spent time with professionals from different rungs. While researching for this book I met everyone from producers to casting agents, to assistant directors and many independent filmmakers and actors. I started with five people and they introduced me to ten others and the network just kept expanding.
Do your characters have real life parallels? (Laughs) There are no direct parallels, but each of my characters is a combination of several people I met during my research.
Your protagonist Lila tries to gain a toe-hold in the industry. Did you audition for any roles as well?
No I didn't. But I did meet this casting director (will not give out the gender) who invited me to the agency office, which was actually this person's bedroom! And then I realised that this person was objectifying me... sizing me up and I made it very evident that I did not like it at all. Thankfully, the main door was open and I left before things could get ugly.
You would be expected to drop a few bombs, reveal a few names...
I did not want to do that. There are plenty of bombs and revelations in the book... you will find them as your read along. Don't get fooled by the pink cover, it has some pretty gritty, hard hitting, dark and explosive stuff inside. There are paedophiles and megalomaniacs; there are also issues of homosexuality and exploitation...
How much of Lila, your protagonist is you?
Well, I have received a couple of very casual offers for films, but I am not interested in acting at all. And other than the hair colour, Lila and I have nothing in common (laughs).
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