The dark side of glitzerland
Tulika Mehrotra's second Book 'Crashing B-town' explores the grim realities of Tinsel town and delves into issues that the youth grapple with
The picture-perfect worlds of fashion and movies hide many a dark truth. Behind the razzle dazzle lurk the murky realities of greed, sleaze, exploitation. Zooming in on the glitz and grime is Chicago-based author, film and fashion journalist Tulika Mehrotra’s latest book Crashing B-town.
Her debut novel Delhi Stopover explored the grim realities of the modeling circuit of Delhi through the (mis)adventures of a model, Lila. Crashing B-town is about the same protagonist, Lila, now trying her best to survive and sustain herself in the dark but alluring world of the Bollywood film industry.
“Crashing B-Town is grittier than Delhi Stopover, as it takes more risks and doesn’t apologise for realities that exist these days. The novel goes beyond just revealing the dark side of the film industry, it also focuses on major issues that our young generation grapples with regularly. I have made a very concerted effort to remain objective and offer both sides of situations,” she asserts.
Born in Lucknow and raised in the US, after getting a degree in finance from Illinois, and studying fashion in Milan and spending years working on the business side of entertainment, Tulika believes that both Bollywood and Hollywood are world-class industries where revenue is the bottom line.
About writing a book on Bollywood, Tulika says, “I lived in Los Angeles for four years, right in the heart of Hollywood, where I had access to the film industry — from the studios to the players involved in getting films made. On my trips to India, I was concurrently noticing a major shift taking place over the years across the country. I wondered how this was impacting the film industry. It was a combination of having access to the right people and my own curiosity to learn more about this world that led me to write Crashing B-Town.”
The plot has a mix of interesting characters — egotistical agents, exploitative directors and co-artistes, gays, sexual predators, even paedophiles. “Beyond physical appearances, I let my characters reveal their personalities to me, before I set the stage for the actual story. I try to get out of the way to let the characters’ nuances, hopes, fears and neuroses develop naturally. While researching for this book, I met everyone from producers to casting agents, to assistant directors and many independent filmmakers, actors and fashion designers to the likes of Prakash Jha and Tarun Tahiliani.”
Crashing B-town’s protagonist, Lila, is a struggling actor and wants to carve out a niche for herself in the industry. Drawing parallels with her protagonist, when asked if she ever auditioned for any roles in films, Tulika quickly replies, “No, I did not! I never liked the idea of being someone else’s puppet. Additionally, in the US there really aren’t any meaty roles for ethnic women. I could not imagine going through the soul-crushing process of auditioning — for the role of a waitress or some other insignificant part that is forgotten in the next scene.”
Recalling one of the grim situations she faced while researching for the book, she shares, “There was an instance where a casting director was willing to speak to me for my research. The frightening aspect was that the ‘office’ where we were supposed to conduct the interview actually turned out to be his personal residence. Immediately, I felt he was trying to objectify me! I left before the situation could take an awkward turn. I left after offering a flimsy excuse, sadly without the interview. However, it was a great reminder of what people in the entertainment industry have to put up with on a regular basis, and are willing to tolerate for a chance to further their career.”
A full-time author now, Tulika already has something brewing in her mind for her next. While admitting that she would love to see her books adapted into films, the author concludes, “The third novel would be a complete departure from the other two but you will still find a deep Indian connect.”