It’s ‘imports’ vs desis

While the audience is welcoming the new talent, some actors within the industry feel that it’s an unfair deal. Surabhii Prabhuu, a small-time actress down South, had recently put up on a social networking website, about how “imported” talent had begun to affect actors in India. “Obviously Indian actors and singers aren’t that talented to be even considered . Only star kids , NRI glam dolls, porn stars and Pakistani artistes are talented. Indian actors should struggle outside Prithvi Theatre and survive on vada pav” read a part of her Tweet.

She also spoke about how depriving local actors out of jobs could lead to sad situations like the one Shweta Basu recently found herself in. While many actors act magnanimous and say “it’s childish”, Shweta Basu had reportedly said that she had found the going “very, very tough” as she wasn’t getting any film offers and hence had to choose an alternate lifestyle to make a living.

Surabhii says her post sparked off reactions within the industry and there were a number of people who supported her views. “It’s very unfair. Why would one want to import talent when there are many actors in the country waiting to get a break?”

In Tollywood too, producers seem to prefer outsiders for second lead roles these days and Sunny Leone is the current hot favourite. In fact in the recent past there have been many foreigners who’ve bagged roles in T-town. (See Box)

Apart from signing up foreigners for the dance numbers and as second leads, many of T-Town’s heroines too are not from the state, and when asked why it’s so, producer Suresh Babu says, “Down South people are still fairly conservative. Not many families want their daughters to act in films, we are left with no option but to look for talent elsewhere. We don’t look at boundaries, all that matters is whether an actor has talent.”

Director Nandini Reddy feels the same, “Do you know how time-consuming it is to train an actor from a different place to hone the dialogues, or get the feel of Telugu? It’s just extra work. We will give preference to local actors, provided we have someone who suits the role.”

Vishnu Manchu, who has turned producer and chose to cast Sunny Leone, says, “Sunny is a thorough professional. We wouldn’t have hired her if she wasn’t talented. When it comes to choosing actors, their talent and how they work is what we look for.”

So, actors who are feeling insecure and upset at being ignored, are brushed aside by filmmakers as a case of sour grapes.

Tanuj Garg, CEO of Balaji Motion Pictures, says, “I think she’s (Surabhii) feeling the pinch. The basic rule that works here is that talent sells. If you have talent on your side, everything will fall into place.”

But recently, on the sets of Bang Bang, a union in Mumbai raised an objection when the filmmakers hired a foreign hair stylist for Katrina Kaif. It was only after Salman Khan reportedly intervened, was the matter settled.

Sources say the union is pretty strong, and filmmakers give in to it.

Ask Tanuj if a union for the actors would help solve such issues, he says, “That would just curb the creative freedom of the writer. When you place such a rule, you’re hindering creativity, you’re telling the writer that he only has to look at one place for talent. That’s unfair.”