Exclusive | Did you know Deepa Mehta wrote ‘Bollywood Hollywood’ in just two months?
Filmmaker Deepa Mehta reflects on her 11-year-old film 'Bollywood Hollywood,' revealing she wrote it in two months as a personal antidote to seriousness. Mehta discusses the casting of Rahul Khanna, Lisa Ray, Moushumi Chatterjee, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda, emphasizing the film's focus on the ironies of NRI life and their emotional ties to India, rather than Bollywood itself.
Deepa Mehta is one of the most celebrated screenwriter-directors in the industry. From giving cinema the trilogy of elements, ‘Fire,’ ‘Earth,’ and ‘Water,’ she entertained the audience with ‘Bollywood Hollywood.
’ The movie recently completed 11 years, and to celebrate the milestone, Deep Mehta, in an exclusive conversation, shares some interesting insights. She told us, “I wrote it in two months only.” She added, “I wanted to write and film something that would make me laugh. This seemed like just the medicine I needed.”
Deepa Mehta on the cast of ‘Bollywood Hollywood’
The film had an ensemble cast, and talking about them, Deepa said, “Rahul Khanna and Lisa Ray were perfect for the roles of NRIs.
I also cast Moushumi Chatterjee, who had a prominent role in ‘Water’ as Rahul Khanna's mother.” She continued, “One of my favourite actors, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, who was in both ‘Fire’ and 1947 ‘Earth,’ played Lisa Ray's father.”
Deepa Mehta unveils it was never a story on Bollywood per se
Further speaking about the plot, she mentioned, “The film is about the ironies that rule the lives of NRIs, as we're known. Though Indians abroad are physically distanced from their homeland, they remain emotionally attached to their country, hence the title ‘Bollywood/Hollywood.’ The greatest irony, of course, is that Indian cinema has become increasingly Westernised in tone and appearance.”
She further emphasised that the movie was not about Bollywood per se and added, “It's about the dreams and emotions of ordinary NRIs, with lots of beautiful songs composed by Sandeep Chowta.” “This one stands away from my other films. It is light and fun. I am normally known as a serious filmmaker,” she concluded.