FREIDA PINTO for BLACKBOOK AND INDIA’S ALTERNATIVE CINEMA
Freida Pinto is on the cover of Blackbook.
She says she hearts, the alternative Indian cinema industry, a lot, that is often never seen by the West outside of the big Bollywood film studio’s dominance. What Freida alludes to, as the “spice of Hollywood” back into India’s star system is that: a) alternative cinema has an actual storyline. And b) it’s been tough worldwide, so the chances are the realism of the underrepresented genre is a look, for Indian cinema to consider presenting to remain relevant. Good thoughts.
To read more on that, and see Freida’s latest magazine cover, go here.
[This image Smita Patel - great alternative cinema screen legend. Described as being "the realistic actress of Bollywood." Star of my favorite, alternative Bollywood film, Mirch Masala. Image sourced, here].
Smita was the 100% real deal Bollywood star. “The hot sh*t,” basically – as we’d say in Hollywood.
Smita worked constantly. Non-stop. She took good roles and bad roles, figuring that working within the realistic genre of film making, meant that the roles were going to be okay within this genre–as they were more realistic, therefore her range of emotion would be seen better as an artist rather than a mainstream Bollywood film, where actors just emoted for their next check, not just to sell an actual story with ‘a character going through real’ sh*t.’ Oops… sorry, but that’s what Smita stood for. Also a note for Freida to perhaps consider.
Smita was under-appreciated for the longest time, compared to the pampered poodles of Bollywood’s studio system. She’s legend for not caring and still giving good work playing roles of conflict in stories of substance. Smita gave a lot. I love this woman’s legacy in Indian cinema (and I like my “Bollywood brats?” in their more cheesy films too. Fun. :)
Go Freida Pinto–for raising these thoughts today to grow India’s alternative cinema profile –featuring realistic ‘village life’ narratives in film.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 11.6.10~
