All About Deepak Morris
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Theatre and Bollywood
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I have ended the last three workshop series less than a quarter into each series.
I had to.
Participants signed up, PAID and then stopped coming because I wanted them to actually WORK.
I could read their expressions. "What's this stuff about text, subtext and stuff?" their expressions said, "I thought this guy would take a gazillion bucks, introduce me to a Bollywood director and I'd get famous overnight."
This, in spite of conducting a free seminar before the series started that I would not introduce them to anyone until they were ready. I realise in retrospect that they took "ready" to mean, "ready to pay cash."
Permit me to digress a bit here.
Naseeruddin Shah is a fantastically successful actor in Bollywood. He plays roles that are memorable and he's able to get "into the skin" of any character he plays. He is rooted in theatre and still appears live on stage, for the pure thrill of playing before a live audience. Of course, he charges tons of money even for those live appearances but I think that's in order to avoid the freebie celebrity seeking directors. What he gets for stage appearances is minuscule compared to what he gets for movies.
Be that as it may, Naseeruddin Shah, talented as he is, is by no means an overnight success.
He spent years in amateur productions in order to build the portfolio required just to get into FTII (The Film and Television Institute of India). Then he proved to the selection board of FTII that he has what it takes to be an actor.
Then he spent a few years going through the process of becoming a professional actor.
Then he spent decades in Bollywood doing Art Movies and other forgettable movies. Sure, he won critical acclaim for those movies, and won government awards, but the man on the street wasn't really impressed.
THEN he was recognised for the gem he is and given roles in mainstream movies like Jalwa, Karma, and others. Personally, I think his greatest role was in "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron" but that's just a personal opinion. I just saw some things in there that convinced me that this man was destined for greatness, that's all. Easy to say in retrospect, I know.
He then became the legend he was destined to be. He even played opposite worldwide legends like Sean Connery in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", playing Jules Verne's Captain Nemo.
He is definitely NOT an overnight success. He worked long and hard to be who he is today.
I am amazed at the number of youngsters who think they can achieve Naseeruddin's greatness without going through the struggles. Who think being introduced to a Bollywood director automatically puts them one day away from success.
I am saddened that they are looking for shortcuts. The path to shoddy, underground films and outright prostitution is littered with shortcuts.
That is not something I want to promote.
Hence, no more workshops.
Deepak
I had to.
Participants signed up, PAID and then stopped coming because I wanted them to actually WORK.
I could read their expressions. "What's this stuff about text, subtext and stuff?" their expressions said, "I thought this guy would take a gazillion bucks, introduce me to a Bollywood director and I'd get famous overnight."
This, in spite of conducting a free seminar before the series started that I would not introduce them to anyone until they were ready. I realise in retrospect that they took "ready" to mean, "ready to pay cash."
Permit me to digress a bit here.
Naseeruddin Shah is a fantastically successful actor in Bollywood. He plays roles that are memorable and he's able to get "into the skin" of any character he plays. He is rooted in theatre and still appears live on stage, for the pure thrill of playing before a live audience. Of course, he charges tons of money even for those live appearances but I think that's in order to avoid the freebie celebrity seeking directors. What he gets for stage appearances is minuscule compared to what he gets for movies.
Be that as it may, Naseeruddin Shah, talented as he is, is by no means an overnight success.
He spent years in amateur productions in order to build the portfolio required just to get into FTII (The Film and Television Institute of India). Then he proved to the selection board of FTII that he has what it takes to be an actor.
Then he spent a few years going through the process of becoming a professional actor.
Then he spent decades in Bollywood doing Art Movies and other forgettable movies. Sure, he won critical acclaim for those movies, and won government awards, but the man on the street wasn't really impressed.
THEN he was recognised for the gem he is and given roles in mainstream movies like Jalwa, Karma, and others. Personally, I think his greatest role was in "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron" but that's just a personal opinion. I just saw some things in there that convinced me that this man was destined for greatness, that's all. Easy to say in retrospect, I know.
He then became the legend he was destined to be. He even played opposite worldwide legends like Sean Connery in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", playing Jules Verne's Captain Nemo.
He is definitely NOT an overnight success. He worked long and hard to be who he is today.
I am amazed at the number of youngsters who think they can achieve Naseeruddin's greatness without going through the struggles. Who think being introduced to a Bollywood director automatically puts them one day away from success.
I am saddened that they are looking for shortcuts. The path to shoddy, underground films and outright prostitution is littered with shortcuts.
That is not something I want to promote.
Hence, no more workshops.
Deepak
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