Sunday, October 14, 2007

Bolly Blog 7 - The Family Picture

A little about the movie I've come to India to make....

"The Family Picture" is a children's movie in three different languages - Hindu, Telegu and English - It's the story of a little boy named RAVI who is crazy about the cinema. He finds a movie camera left in a hotel by an American Movie Critic. He convinces his best friends Hamid and Shiva to make a movie with the camera in 7 days, before the critic leaves India and of course the hilarity ensues!

The boys cast in the movie are amazing kids and I sat down with each of them for an impromptu interview which follows....

Teja S. is our Ravi and our "old pro". At only 12 years old he has made 40 movies in Southern India, mostly in the Telegu language. He appeared in his first film at only 2 years old.

His favorite part was the role of the young Hero, Indra, in a recent Telegu film, which brought him a lot of fame in Hyderabad. Teja makes 3-4 movies a year and still attends school full time. Teja's school is the oldest school in the state and was built by King Salar Jung for his children to be taught. The campus is on 350 acres!

Besides movies and school Teja loves to ride horses.

Teja tells us he's not really interested in American movies - its' "Tollywood all the way!", but he hopes this film will be successful so he can come to America to...He also wants everyone to know that Snickers is his favorite candy bar and he wants to say "Hi" to his best friend Vic..."Hi Vic!"



This is our Hamid - Kunal Sharma, who plays the little movie producer in the film. His favorite American Movies are Home Alone - Broken Arrow and Fast and Furious and He also loves to go to Hindu movies. When he goes to the cinema it's a real family affair. Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Cousins will all attend together.

Kunal loves cars and the last two books he read were the biographies of Karl Benz and Henry Ford. He is also a bit of a 9/11 conspiracy theorist and sent me to this web site...where the $20 dollar bill proves EVERYTHING about 9/11, including the fact that "Ben Laden did it!"

Kunal is also the cast smarty pants and he watches Discovery Channel and National Greographic and History Channel regularly, His motto? "Money can buy you a bed but it can't bye you sleep...." This is Kunal's very first movie and there is sure to be more to come...Watch out India!


This is Shiva who plays Onka, and our "Star" when the kids can't find a heroine He is forced to put on the dress! Shiva began in films only 1 year ago and has already made five or six Tollywood movies. Brendan Fraiser is his favorite movie star and the Mummy is his favorite movie (He says HI! to Brendan in America....)

Shiva loves dancing and loves to compose his own steps to Tollywood songs. He was orginally discovered in a local department store and hopes to go to American really soon. He'll even travel in my suit case, he tells me and this little guy is so cute I might just take him up on it...He also hopes that you will come visit him here in Hyderabad and would like you to say Hello to him in the comments of this blog...He would LOVE to hear from you!!!

More to come from the set!!!....

11 comments:

Cameron said...

Hi Shiva!

I am Shannon's friend, Cam, from Hollywood, California in the USA and I am writing to tell you that I enjoyed learning about you in the blog. I hope you have a great time making the movie and I look forward to seeing it when it is finished. Take good care of Shannon for us.
Cam Watson

sashi said...

Hi Cameron, thank you for sending you note this is Shiva and it was very exciting to get it ont the set...I am taking very good care of shannon for you...all she eats is peanut butter...when she comes back I will send you a chocolate..love Shiva

Anonymous said...

Hi! I am Shiva Once again here for you.

Richard said...

Hi Shiva, this is Shannon's husband, Richard, saying hi to you from New York. I hope you are all going to have lot's of fun making this movie. I hope we all get to see it here in America. Say hi to Shannon for me.
Best to you, Rich

Anonymous said...

Hi Shiva:

I am Amy, Shannon's friend also from Hollywood, California. Here's an idea for you, hide Shannon's peanut butter! I hope to meet you when you make your trip to America and can't wait to see your film. Give Shannon a kiss from me!

--Amy

Steve Cubine said...

Hi Shannon,

I just got caught up on your blogs. They are FANTASTIC! I miss you, but I love that you're having such an adventure. to be honest, I'd rather be in India right now than Sacramento.

xoxo,
Steve

Anonymous said...

Hi Shiva & Shannon!
I love the blog and all the photos! If Shannon can fit you in her suitcase I'll keep you here at my house so you can play with my boys (they are 8 & 4). Hopefully Shannon is sharing her candy with you--she's always got a treat somewhere!!
big Hug
Heidi

Anonymous said...

Hey Shannon, Shiva, Kunal, Hamid and Teja S. Steven here. I'm Shannon's nicest and best looking friend in the world. Or at least in Santa Monica California. Listen to what Shannon tells you then play lots of tricks on her behind her back. She will think that's funny.
Love, love, love the blog. And that's no joke.
love Steven

Anonymous said...

Hi Heidi - this is Shiva - I would like to be pen pals with your boys...send shannon your email addresses and I will send mine to you. -

Also Hello to Amy and Steven...Shannon say that amy is funny and Steven is the best looking man in America...

Love Shiva

Anonymous said...

Shannon,

What an amazing experience. Thank you for the blog,it have become something that I look forward to as well as the movie - oh it is very true - Steven is Shannon's nicest and best looking friend. Shannon, I've heard "they have no bacon" in India, True or False? Glad to see that all is going well with you.

William

Anonymous said...

lowest price viagra viagra price viagra benefits viagra suppliers viagra and cialis viagra online uk how to get viagra buy viagra cheap viagra stories can viagra causes legs to ache viagra suppliers free sample prescription for viagra buy viagra on line no prescription viagra