Sonia Singh, Bollywood Confidential

Bollywood Confidential By Sonia Singh

Wannabe actress Raveena Rai has failed to make it in Hollywood so when her agent informs her that he has a starring role in a Bollywood movie, she immediately accepts the job. Without waiting for anyone to change their mind, Raveena quickly heads to Bombay where she assumes fame and fortune await her.

However, upon reaching her destination in India Raveena finds nothing is remotely like that described by her agent she now considers slime. Her hotel is a dump, but she cannot move in with her Uncle Heeru as his home is overrun by wild pigeons. Even worse, her script is not written and she must dance more than act. To make her stay more miserable her director uses a hands on method touching her everywhere while trying to get her on the casting couch; all this without a script. On the positive side of this disaster is her leading man, mega hunk Siddharth, who Raveena believes is her destiny though she has a few rivals who consider the most popular Bollywood actor of the moment as fair game.

Using stereotypes as support cast, Sonia Singh lampoons the Bollywood movie industry for making inane films that are so undemanding and unoriginal yet at the same time Raveena toasts the industry for its vigor and energy. The story line is well written as the audience wonders whether Raveena will get the leading man and finish the movie while eluding the fast hands of the lecherous director. Contemporary readers will welcome this fine absorbing look at the dynamic Indian film industry.

Harriet Klausner