One of my fashion writers Zina Tasreen suggested her buddy Danny Sura blog about his adventures in Bollywood for MissMalini.com and I must admit, I was intrigued. Having spent 6 months as a “struggling actor” what would Danny have to say about big bad B-Town? Well, let’s find out! xoxo

Danny Sura

Hi all! I’m Danny Sura, a thoroughbred Punjabi from Birmingham, in India on a life-defining journey, one that involves chasing my dream ‒ of making it in Bollywood (and perhaps, go on to become a sooooperstar!). And I hope to share this joyride with you all :-) Things were lovely jubbly back in Brum ‒ yet I felt unfulfilled. SO, one glorious day, I decided to quit my perfectly decent job and hop on a plane to Mumbai. A 42-karat plonker you all must be thinking!

Metamorphosis: Chubba (bottom right) to Hubba Hubba!

Having been born into a Hindi film-mad family (example: my mum would make me sing Hindi songs to her over the phone when she was at work) in the UK, I was bound to have been bitten by the bug sooner or later. Well, it happened at a very early age, and I was charmed for life. Golden oldies like “Deewar”, “Sholay”, “Amar Akbar Anthony”, etc. roused the desire in me to perform, and most importantly, to entertain… And which film industry entertains more than Bollywood??!!?

Danny Sura

Naturally, I applied myself in performance arts (plays, musicals, indie films) right from school ‒ and continued to be involved even when I joined the rat race of the corporate world once uni ended.

Danny Sura

Then last year, a friend who always harboured hopes of making it in Hollywood actually left for LA. Him taking this monumental gamble in the name of reaching out for his dreams ‒ got me introspecting. I realized I *no longer* wanted a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” cloud hanging over my head, so, along came I to the sunny shores of Mumbai…

Danny Sura with Dharmendra and Arjun Rampal

To begin with, I knew absolutely *no one* related to the Indian film industry. My cousin used to be a television actress *once upon a time* and she gave me a handful of numbers to call, which I did and got more leads from there. I went headlong in my pursuits, and within a month of arriving in Mumbai: I created an acting show-reel + portfolio and distributed to all and sundry in the film industry; I contacted theatre companies; I began networking with casting agents, co-ordinators and fellow Bollywood hopefuls; I joined dance classes; I took up Hindi tutorials to perfect my diction. And before long audition calls started trickling in…

Now after 6 months in Mumbai, I managed to star in 4 TVSs (the Malaysia Tourism one is the fondest of the four as many recognized faces from the acting and modelling world contested for the part but it came to ME!! Plus I got to visit all those amazing places.), a Pulitzer-winning play titled “August: Osage County” (directed by Lilette Dubey, features Sandhya Mridul and Suchitra Pillai), and an ACTING gig ‒ wait for it! ‒ alongside Arjun Rampal and Chitrangada Singh.

August: Osage County

So far it has been extraordinary. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly facets of Bollywood: the casting couch, the disorganization in sets and the method in madness, the mistreatment of crew members, the lengths people are willing to go to further one’s prospects (and it’s not a pretty sight), the assurance by a MASSIVE production house of a role in its film which turns out to be already under production (what a farce!), the amazing feeling of being on the sets and so on. Clichéd as it sounds, the good easily outweighs the bad and ugly.

UTV Stars "Live My Life!"

Hope you enjoy reading my stories of breaking into Bollywood as an outsider, here…

P.S: Would be great if you follow me on Twitter (@DannySura), too. Ta!

I have to admit I’m quite enjoying Danny Sura’s adventures (in case you missed it here’s where we started) this is the 2nd installment and I’m sure there’s loads more to come! xoxo

Outtake from "UTV Stars: Live My Life!" promo

How I crave a full-English breakfast, now. Aloo paranthas with yoghurt and cutting chai is a good start to the day but… A fried egg with buttered-up toast, hash browns, sausages, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, baked beans ‒ the best, really! Vain as it sounds, you gotta look good at all times, in case an audition crops up – so I had to give up on my beloved artery-clogging brekkie. So, all-important auditions, let’s talk about them in this post, today.

Outtake from Malaysia tourism TVS

Here, in Mumbai, aspiring actors have to go through casting co-ordinators first and then the casting directors ‒ to get an audition. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is a casting co-ordinator here, sending you texts (SMSs) like: “Cast: 2 boys very gudlucking model types gud hair… 22 to 24 years.. In either black or any other dark colour shirt or full sleeve. Shoot in Poland btw 8^th 12^th. Valid passport reqd”. And these co-ordinators take a commission (15-30% of your earnings) for the work they send your way. However, if you get called directly by the casting directors (ones working for the entity that is filming an ad/doing a film shoot), you get to keep all your money. But getting to them is too tricky so you’ve to rely on the co-ordinators.

Outtake from "UTV Stars: Live My Life!" promo

Some co-ordinators can bleed you dry. A casting co-ordinator will get a cut of, let’s say, 50,000 rupees from the company to which he is sending out his talent, BUT he’ll say to his talent that the amount offered for the shoot is a measly 10,000 rupees. That is, out of the 50K, 40K goes to him and the poor actor/actress who slaves it for 12 hours in the shoot only gets 10K. Not fair, right? But hey, beggars can’t be choosers, if that’s the way the cookie crumbles here you just have to get on with it. There are some excellent ones too, mind, who, once you build a rapport with them, will look out for you when anything good come their way.

My first couple of auditions were unforgettable. In good ol’ Blighty, the casting agents send you comprehensive e-mail on the audition at hand, like what time to arrive to take my take and what lines to prepare for it. So I was expecting it to be more-or-less organized, like that, but, when I turned up at “Aram Nagar 1” for my first audition, on a boiling June day, I got quite a jolt. There was a big queue to enter the audition room, with pushing and shoving going on to put your name on the queue sheet. I noticed a few brave souls who, on seeing the queue, went for another audition and came back for this one; then some got calls from their friends to put their name down, for them to walk lackadaisically in to the room. All this was an experience!

Outtake from "Reliance Mobile" TVC

Waiting for audition

It makes you more determined, and even sparks off some healthy competition. When you walk into the room, invariably other’s auditions would be going on, and you watch diligently. If someone does fantastically, you aim to do 110% better; conversely, if you felt someone did not-too-well, you try to avoid their mistakes. Since my arrival in India, I have attended many auditions and still I feel incredibly nervous before giving my first take, especially when there are so many people in the room staring at you and waiting for you to stutter. My first successful audition was for a Reliance Mobile TVS ‒ and the sheer joy of watching myself pop up on telly for the first time puts to bed everything else.

Until next time, god bless… Danny

P.S: Do follow me on Twitter, so click, click, click this way, people –> @DannySura. Cheers!

Poser!

“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our rival! And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night, and he’s watching us all with the eyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee of the tiger!” ‒ I was howling out these lines, posing in front of the mirror, right as I woke up in the morning, today. What a prized idiot, you all must be thinking!

All psyched for the gym session :-D

Erm, I was actually psyching myself for the grueling gym session that was in store. We all know that there isn’t much room for a minger in Bollywood, so, in the name of my dreams, I torture myself, i.e. work out, 5-6 times a week. Whoa, he must be ripped, you all must be wondering… like Hrithik Roshan… Salman Khan… John Abraham!

…but – grrrrrrr ‒ NO… not yet! I bloody want it, though. Through gritted teeth I’m saying this: it’s a gratifying experience, more so when you see the effects of your blood, sweat and tears. Fingers crossed that I get the Greek God-body soon-ish ;-)

Poser!

To break into Bollywood, also impertinent, I was told, is having the perfect diction. Remember how the English actors spoke ‒ in Hindi ‒ in Lagaan? Well, slightly embarrassed to confess that I sound like that, i.e. like a firang. When I came to aamchi Mumbai, my plan of action was simple: join an acting school to learn the Bollywood style of acting (if such a style exists!), but most importantly, to be in an environment where I would be compelled to speak in Hindi at all times, and along the way, improve on my diction, get taught shudh Hindi and so on. After visiting many schools I realised that a lot of these “institutions” were a *big con* ‒ out there to walk off with unsuspecting people’s money. So, *for the first time in life* I used my brain and forfeited that route.

But the Hindi language still needed to be conquered. All my life I was under the impression that I was good at it, and for some bizarre reason, I spoke it rather well ‒ whenever I got drunk! (Mum and Dad, I swear it was not too often!) A friend of a friend of a friend recommended that I use a personal tutor and passed on the details of a jolly fellow who gave one-on-one Hindi lessons. He got me a Hindi text to read on the first day he came over to my flat. I had a smug look on my face (!) after I finished reading, thinking I aced it… Until he pointed out the good few mistakes I made.

Outtake from an ad shoot

Next, I had to sort out the matter of getting around in Mumbai… :-D Although autorickshaws are amazing (the drivers’ sat nav-like knowledge of every flipping corner of Mumbai never fails to leave me gobsmacked), I’m just too used to driving myself from point A to B. “Son, the more careless the driver you are, the better the driver you will be in India,” were the words of wisdom passed on to me by my dad before I took to the Mumbai roads. And how true was he!

At first I was driving like how I did back home: gave way to fellow drivers, was courteous on the roads and followed the road rules to a T. Then at one point, I said to myself “sod it!” ‒ and squeezed my car into the tightest of spots that I could find in the traffic. Now after seven months, I too honk my car for no apparent reason, overtake from anywhere and everywhere… When in Rome, do as the Romans do, y’see! Yet to roll down the window and spit out paan juice from my mouth, though. (Think I’d do that too, soon, so look out for me, in a red car, around town!) Surprisingly, I’m enjoying driving around Mumbai… Just like the city itself, there’s a method to the madness in the roads, too ‒ which, oddly, I find quite charming.

Until next time, keep well, keep healthy and follow your dreams ‒ as life is too short to have regrets :-) Do follow me on Twitter (@DannySura) for snippets from this mad, mad adventure that I’m on ‒ thank you ever so much.

If you’ve missed it please revisit and catch up on the chronicles of a certain Mr. Danny Sura who may well be on his way to Bollywood stardom here (and you get to watch it happen, from scratch!) And yup he’s had to do just that *lol* pump iron and shave his chest on the journey so far, so we at MissMalini.com wish only the very best for him and hopefully a mention at the Oscars one day :) xoxo

Danny Sura

Happy New Year, y’all… all the way from the freezing UK! Y-es, I’m back on these familiar shores for a month, to make up for all the fry-ups and fish and chips missed, and convert my four-pack to a giant one-pack in the process… :-) Right before I left Mumbai I was in Thailand  to shoot a commercial, so I thought I’ll talk about the less-glamourous shorter cousin of Bollywood (or films), today.

My first paid job in India came to me a little over a month after I’d arrived in India, a TVC for a Channel [V] show called “Axe Ur Ex”. It was an experience I’ll never forget. And it’s *not only* for the reason that you’re thinking!

It coincided with my first voyage to the metrosexual waters! Being a Punjabi, it’s in my psyche that the amount of body hair is directly proportional to one’s manliness. So imagine my horror when I learnt – as I walked in, full of adrenaline and excitement, to the set in Madh Island on a scorching July day ‒ that I needed to SHAVE OFF my treasured chest, back and armpit hair :-@ Let’s just say that after being stripped clean, I felt indescribably violated… And. Just. Couldn’t. Wait. For it to all grow back.

Reliance 3G

The next assignment was a TVC for Reliance 3G, and I was quite chuffed to have bagged it. Not only because it was a big brand, but also for having fended off competition from lots and lots of hopeful actors and models, that too with my then dodgy (!!) Hindi. Like I said about auditions, the trick is to watch others’ takes and improvise on them, on the spot ‒ which is exactly what I did. After a week I was told that I got the role :-D The production value for this shoot was unbelievable. I was like a little boy in a sweet shop when I walked onto the set: it doubled up for an airport departure lounge, for crying out loud!

I totally forgot that my voice would be dubbed, which is customary for TVCs (except in cases of a handful of Bollywood folks), so when I saw the spot on TV I kept scratching my head and saying to myself: “Whaaaat, when did my voice break like THAT???!!!?”

Backstage at UTV Stars's "Live My Life!": See what I meant by feeling like a sooperstar??

For the men who are following my posts, you know that when we watch a Bollywood film and see Hrithik Roshan bust a move, Salman Khan rip off his shirt and kick some major ass, Shah Rukh Khan get the girl at the end, we all picture ourselves doing that, right? Or, is it just me who has these weird fantasies?? :-S Erm, my next TVC let me do them all – of course, briefly ‒ and hence was my most exciting assignment in Mumbai yet. It was for UTV Stars’s “Live My Life!”, after all! At the audition I had to show the casting directors that I had good facial expressions, could fight and dance. Now facial expressions and fighting were a doddle, but dancing… !!! Although I don’t have two left feet ‒ fortunately! – making up a dance routine out of thin air is a knack, sadly, that I don’t posses. So I let my legs and hips take me wherever they wanted and ‒ PHEW! – they didn’t go too much towards the female casting director in the room.

I wanted the part so badly that when I got THE call, I nearly ended up doing the split! (If only I wasn’t wearing those sodding skin tight jeans at that moment…) On the set I felt like a real superstar: from having my own van, working with choreographers and beautiful women, to praises from the director about my performance :-D

In Malaysia, with the director (right) of the spot

In Malaysia: Getting some slap on for my take (left); hanging out with the crew (right)

Ever since I’ve been on this mission in India to break into Bollywood, I had certain questions hovering in my mind: am I good looking enough, have I got the talent and that “X-Factor”, are my teeth white enough? Well, getting the male lead for the “Malaysia, Truly Asia” gig put them all to bed! (Still in doubt about the pearly whites though). People from the acting and modelling fraternity came to audition for this part, which lasted four days. When I saw the competition, as I waited in line, I gave up straight away thinking: “If the talent will be chosen on looks alone ‒ I’ve no bloomin’ chance!”

Final audition for "Malaysia, Truly Asia"

For the male lead, one had to demonstrate that he was taken aback by Malaysia so much so that he ignored his wife. But most people did the complete opposite! Anyway, I did my audition and felt I did a pants job. So I came back the next day to audition again, which surprised the casting director. One week passed and no phone call. Another week passed and still nothing. “Ahhh well,” I thought, “I didn’t have a chance anyway!” Then I got the call a few weeks after, that I was one of the two shortlisted (who I later found out was an established TV actor!!) and have to audition again the following week. I was so ecstatic that I broke into bhangra! But hang on – I was only shortlisted, I still had to audition.

As fate would have it, I got the part :-D I asked the casting directors why they chose me, to which they replied, “Danny, in all honesty your audition was crap. But we liked your facial expressions.” A good enough reason for me!

Happy New Year from all of us in Blighty... :-D

Until next time, keep warm, and yes, follow me (@DannySura) on Twitter, pleeeease!

...in kurta salwar, mard lagey Punjabi!

Mumbai meri jaan, lo mein aa gaya, wapas! Which means, more stories to share with you all, so read on.

Playing Inspector!

So where was I? Ah, my journey to Bollywood stardom. One of the first things I did as soon as I landed in BOM, was knock on the doors of theatre production companies, asking them if they needed a good looking Brit-Asian actor new talent to join their theatre group. Okay, now you all must be thinking: “Whaaat? He says he wants to make it to Bollywood, and there he is ‒ chasing plays??” Well, I thought being on stage would be a fantastic exposure, the money will keep me from starving to death, and just like back home, I believe if you rake in the praises in theatre, you’re given more credibility as an actor.

August: Osage County poster

One of the doors I knocked at, with my portfolio, was that of Primetime Theatre Company, run by the great Mrs. Lillette Dubey. Out of the blue, a few months down the line, I was called for an audition, at Lillette’s place, for a Pulitzer-winning play titled August: Osage County. As I entered her luxurious pad I saw another actor, who came to read for the very same role. “My competition,” I thought to myself, with a smirk. The atmosphere couldn’t be more intense, as if two cowboys were meeting for a duel. Then he got up from the sofa and towards me. “Is he going to whack me?” I wondered, and prepared myself for any eventuality. As he got near me, I quickly raised my hand to… shake his! I wished him the best of luck, too.

...with Lillette Dubey

The read through went well, and the feedback I got? My Brummie accent’s too strong, and that it needed to be toned down, a good deal, IF, I got the role, that is. I learnt that the other cast members were already finalized, and the part I auditioned for was the last piece of the jigsaw. Who was Suchitra Pillai? Meeta Vashist? Sandhya Mridul? Amar Talwar? Denzil Smith? Kitu Gidwani? Nope, no idea; didn’t ring a bell to me, at all.

The cast of August: Osage County

The cast of August: Osage County

Skip to a few weeks later when I have been offered the role and we all assembled at Madame Dubey’s house, for the first time. I was shocked when they all walked in: I didn’t know the names but I definitely knew the faces, and the talent!  “Lad, you have bitten off more than you can chew,” was all I was mumbling to myself.

...at the rehearsals, with Suchitra Pillai

...with Meeta Vashist

So rehearsals started full time in August, 2011, and I was a nervous wreck the first few days! But the more I saw of the cast, the more positive I became of my chances of matching up to these veterans on stage. And along the way, I made a few quality friends, too. Not bad for a boy with a thick Brummie accent!

Our first show was in Delhi, on the 16^thof October, 2011. It was a huge auditorium, flippin’ massive! How did the show go? Erm, check out the vlogs to find out!

So far we’ve performed in Delhi, Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bangalore and Mumbai (more shows here later on in the year ‒ so do come and watch me!). And in March, we are taking our play to Dubai! Happy days, people, happy days!

Danny Sura

Hey ho, people! How were your X-Mas and New Year’s? Mine was fantastic; actually, scrap that, my past couple of months have been fantastic. A few stage acts for August: Osage County, a shoot for a TVC to be aired Asiawide and an interview with… the BBC Asian Network, on DJ Nihal’s show!! Click through to read my account of the TVC shoot in Thailand and, listen to the interview, where I talk about, erm, the casting couch :-)

...with the make-up crew

Bangkok! That’s where I took off to in the middle of December, for a four-day holiday for the shoot of a TVC for Farmer’s Insurance.

...with the other dads

...at the fittings

Since the commercial was going to be aired in other Asian countries as well, it had a Korean and a Chinese actor playing the same part as me, in a montage advertisement. So what was the part? That of a new dad! Cradle a baby, deliver some lines in Hindi and English ‒ all in a day’s work :-p Which means, I had the three days off to…

With Tom Cruise (is it, really?)

…fend off a wild pack of lady boys! The hotel we were *put in* was right in the middle of red light area. Before your minds start playing up, no, I didn’t go for any of those body massages or their ilk. I was a good boy! That aside, Bangkok is quite the charming city that everyone says it is.

Bangkok fun with the gang!

And oh, this industry is such a small world! I have a fellow actress matey, with whom I’ve done some plays back in England. I didn’t see her for a good few years and ‒ lo and behold! ‒ I see her, at the hotel’s reception as I was checking-in. Turns out, she was doing the same commercial as me ‒ what are the chances? And not only that, she also moved to Mumbai, from the UK, to chase her Bollywood dreams ‒ like me.

...at DJ Nihal's show!!!

Right after I got back to BOM from BKK, I took off again, for a month, for pastures familiar, the UK. I took time off from stuffing my face with whatever edible came in my sight, to pull a few strings for a spot of free publicity (ha!). Proper chuffed I was, when a contact of mine sorted me an interview on DJ Nihal’s show, at the BBC Asian Network, BBC’s radio arm for the South Asian diaspora. On it, I talked about my journey to Bollywood, what made me make the move and… the CASTING COUCH!!!!

I don’t know why I kept on saying “to be honest” at the start of every sentence, in the interview… Check it out!

First and foremost what a privilege to be MissMalini’s first “Guy About Town” guest blogger, you are not confused! This is the same Danny Sura, who has been chartering his Bollywood adventures for MissMalini.com and I thought, why not share another side of me, and show you some of my favourite items from my wardrobe!

Danny Sura

Who is your fashion icon – Amitabh Bachchan! Considering his age, he can carry off any look! Be it flowery loud shirts, to loud sunglasses, to wearing multi-coloured scarves. Rahul Khanna is another person, whom I admire for his dress sense.
Who is your favourite designer – Without a doubt, it has to be Britain’s own Ozwald Boateng. What I admire about him, is his trademark twist on the classic British tailoring style.
What is your personal style – Varies on the day and on my mood! Mostly, I like wearing clothes that are light and comfortable and give me room to breathe.
Your one fashion tip – If you feel comfortable and relaxed, wear it!

(1) Ben Sherman blue shirt:

Ben Sherman Shirt

This is the first Ben Sherman item that I have bought. What attracted me to it, is that it’s well-fitted and most of all, very comfortable to wear. It’s a nice colour as well, and can be worn casually or with a pair of nice trousers, suiting any occasion.

(2) Top Man light blue t-shirt and Next hat:

Top Man light blue t shirt and Next hat

Sorry folks but the Top Man and Next brands of clothing are only available in the UK! In this picture, I am sporting a Top Man low neck t-shirt and a Next hat. This low neck t-shirt is light, well-fitted and perfect to wear in the hot Mumbai heat. The Next hat that I am wearing, is something that I like to put on when wearing t-shirts; it brings out some of my meanness and sometimes I like having that “look with an attitude!”

(3) Top Man collared t-shirt and River Island hat:

Top Man collared t-shirt and River Island hat

I know what you are thinking… “Doesn’t Danny shop anywhere else besides Top Man and River Island?” I believe one doesn’t have to pay high prices, to look good and wear good clothes. You can make something simple look like a thousand pounds! The Top Man collared t-shirt shows off my broad shoulders, and just sits perfectly on me – one of the reasons why I bought it! The hat from River Island, is an accessory that I would not normally purchase, but it makes me stand out from the crowd, and not many people can carry this look off. I believe that I can!

(4) Top Man black v-neck t-shirt and River Island grey waistcoat:

Top Man T shirt and River Island waistcoat

My chosen outfit when I venture out into the night! This is a classy look, and I feel it brings out my “British” side perfectly. Again, I am wearing a Top Man t-shirt, and it’s one of my favourite brands of clothing. The River Island waistcoat is part of a 3 piece suit.

(5) River Island grey suit:

Danny Sura

So when I am going off to dinner parties, or auditions that require me to come dressed in formals, I wear this grey suit, with a light grey shirt and black tie. The slim fit compliments my body shape perfectly, and I get the “oooohs and the aaahhs” from the opposite sex… which helps boost my confidence!

By Danny Sura for MissMalini.com

Posing as Bruce Lee!

Hello mateys, how are you all? Hope you’ve recovered from Holi by now… Or, was it just me who was knocked out for 18 hours straight after a not-too-strong bhaang? But here I am now to share experiences of my very first movie shoot (!!!), a Sudhir Mishra-film titled Inkaar, starring Arjun Rampal and Chitrangada Singh.

Playing daku!

Remember how I told you that instead of standing for hours in the queue to enter the audition hall, some quick-thinking chaps wander into other auditions and come back once the queue gets shorter? Well, on one blistering Sunday I decided to be like them and… landed myself a film role! I showed up for a Listerine commercial audition and seeing the size of the queue, I worked out that it’d take at least 3 hours for my turn to come. In the queue I found myself between a guy who was sweating by buckets and a model doing all that she could to not perspire. I was actually dreading having to spend all that time sandwiched like that… Then divine intervention or what, I heard whispers around, “Sudhir Mishra ki film ki casting ho rahi hai.” I further heard: “Sirf short-listed actors ko bulaaya hai audition pe…” But the gang of people outside still ventured further down the alleyway to where the film audition was happening, and I decided to follow them, too.

Any resemblance...?

There was quite a crowd gathered in the little waiting room shack where the film audition was taking place. The casting director came out to tell everyone to go away, which most of them paid heed to and actually walked out! But the obstinate me decided to stick around, that too right at the front. Time went by and more people on hearing news of this audition came to try their luck. The casting director came out again, asked people to leave, and then… came up to me! “You’re actually very good looking,” she said to me, “You look like Imran Khan…” “Imran Khan the actor?” I asked. “No, Imran Khan the Pakistani cricketer,” she clarified. Then with a straight face I said, “Madam, that is because I am his bastard son and he is my illegitimate father!” She looked as if she had just seen a ghost; her mouth wide open in shock. Then with a hearty laugh I said, “I am only joking,” to which she burst out laughing. She asked if I could do a French accent, which I blagged I could. And the next thing I knew I was in the audition room doing a scene that involved me in an inebriated state flirting with a woman in a French accent:

“Ahhhh madame, where is your bindi? But Indian girls look sexy with a bindi, so where is yours? Ahhhhh madame, what does a bindi mean? Why do you wear a bindi?”

After a couple of weeks I was offered the role – which I grabbed with both hands!

...with Arjun Rampal

I was contracted to do 2 days of shooting but ended up doing an extra day as some more scenes were added on (is it a good sign…?). It was only when I got to the set on the first day I realized that the main leads of the film were Arjun Rampal and Chitrangada Singh! The drunk scene that I auditioned for was actually going to be with Chitrangada herself ‒ and boy did I have fun filming it! Alas, I don’t have it captured on my vlog. When the cameras were rolling it was hard to film the stars themselves. Shoving my iPod in front of their faces would have been quite rude and I don’t think that the director would have been none too impressed either.

So that was my first taste of working on a film. As great the experience was, this small role is not my aim. I want to be the hero, the star! Yes, I may have an accent when I speak Hindi, I may not have the 6 pack ‒ but I got faith that I will succeed, that too without compromising on my values and beliefs. As always, people, send me your positive energy and love, and watch out for moi in Inkaar (it’s in post-production now, SO, soon, very soon…)!

Oyye Sardarji!

Hi y’all! I’m back, with some more stories of my Bollywood adventure. Wanna know what I’ve been up to lately?

I’m playing the main lead in a soon-to-be-aired Sony HD camera TVC! It took me back to, err, the city of sin that is Bangkok, where, as y’all know, I shot previously for a Farmer’s Insurance TVC and had some, erm, out-of-ordinary experiences. Btw, that spot’s on air now, so please take a look.

New mates!

Back to the Sony HD shoot… It was quite the experience ‒ and you’ll agree with me, too. We shot in a zoo and I got to work with a tiger cub, adult elephants, giraffes and an orang-utan! Wicked it was.

New admirers/stalkers!

But what you’ll find more amusing is this: the people in charge of hair and make-up took a shine on me!! They took extra time to tart me up; I’m pretty sure the make-up guy was not supposed to apply lip gloss on me but nevertheless continued to with great enjoyment *tablepalm*. And they didn’t stop right there. They looked me up on Google and rummage they did, ‘cos they managed to find an article from my old work place from ages ago! Thought I had seen the last of them as the shoot ended, but then it occurred to me that they could still get me through FACEBOOK!!! What’s with Bangkok, guys? I seem to be a magnet for unwanted attention there…  Aaaarrrgghh.

Setting up the shoot...

With Anisha, the female lead of the TVC

Playing family, err, for the TVC

With the lighting crew...

But you know what? I almost missed out on this fantastic opportunity to be on TV and have my mug plastered on billboards across India. The shooting schedule was clashing with my August: Osage County run. As great as the opportunity was, I was on two minds in accepting it. The thing is Primetime Theatre Company, that is Lilette Dubey took a chance on me when I was new to Mumbai and I couldn’t simply abandon them a week before the show. But Lilette being the incredible person that she is, pronto roped in a replacement actor ‒ so that I could be freed up to go ahead with that shoot. And I’ll always be grateful to her for this magnanimous gesture.

Chak De Phatte (for an audition): Before & After...

Before this Sony ad campaign came along I went through a proper dry phase. The calls for auditions just stopped, the walk-in ones that I went to lead to nothing (i.e. not getting short-listed for further rounds), the momentum built up the last few months simply fizzled out. Testing times they were, in which I could’ve easily lost heart. Then I realised it was all momentary… I kept on marching forward with the belief that work that is good for me and is meant for me will somehow find its way to me… And look where it got me! Rewarding as this industry is, it can be a lonely and taxing place too, esp. when you’re out of action for sometime. You’re on a roll and abruptly, you’re in a state of lull. But these are times which will make-or-break you. SO, fellow aspiring actors and dreamers, in good times and bad, maintain a never-faltering belief in your ability, in yourself, in your dreams ‒ and you’ll get there.

And oh, I’ve something promising to share with you… There’s a talent hunt’s going on for the role of main lead of Aashiqui 2! You’ve to record a 2-minute showreel comprising of two to four acts (with at least one scene and one song) from Aashiqui and upload it to Vishesh Films’s specified Youtube channel by the 17^th of April. You bet I’m going give it a proper go, so I’m on a gruelling (hindi) elocution routine at the moment. When that is all recorded I’ll put it up here for you to judge, so watch this space!

From Thailand With Love...

Until next time, love and best wishes ‒ always…

Danny x

The next Rahul... ?

Hello peeps! The moment of truth is here. My audition video for “Aashiqui 2: Star Hunt”! Remember I mentioned in my last blog? Want to see the clip and perhaps rip it into shreds?

In with the new pair...

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been checking out the submissions here as and when they are being uploaded, and I must say it’s a good thing that I did. So many people have made the same common mistakes in their auditions! If I could spot them, then the seasoned folks over at Vishesh Films obviously would, even faster. It amazes me how little direction people were given at the time of their recording. Oh well…  Here are the things I picked up on and was mindful of, when I recorded my own:

1. Look straight at the camera (unless directed otherwise);
2. If you are raising your hands in front of your face, make sure your face isn’t covered by them;
3. Try to remain in a centre position, don’t keep veering towards camera right or camera left. If you do, make sure you come back to the centre;
4.  And most importantly, make the audition piece your own!

Danny Sura

The last point, I felt, was a must to stand out in the crowd. I mean, in what others ways can you bring your own unique qualities as an actor to the fore? Everyone’s after all copying scenes from the same film! So I analysed the scenes that I selected, thought long and deep about the character to get where the character was coming from. I created an entire backstory! Just to be on the safe side, I *actually* asked the casting people at Vishesh Films if they wanted me to enact the scenes exactly as it was portrayed in Aashiqui or I could interpret it the way I see fit. And just like a blessing, they said to go for the latter…

Danny Sura

Acting is an art I hope I will never master and a craft that I will keep on honing. Not to forget my newfound respect for all the talent show hopefuls. It takes immense guts to sign up for an audition knowing the whole world might be able to see, and will, maybe, mock you, heartlessly or not, once they’ve seen it.

Exactly what I did... Fingers crossed now

So, friends, here it is… For you to judge :-) Be as brutally honest as you can be with the feedback, the only way is up after them. And PLEASE, wish me luuuuck!!!

Retrospecting...

Hi guys, can you believe a year has whizzed past me ‒ already? Yeah, on this day exactly a year ago, I landed in Mumbai from London Heathrow via a Kingfisher Airlines flight. So much has happened in that time ‒ err, Kingfisher doesn’t fly international anymore ‒ so today, I thought, I’d present before y’all a round-up of the year that went by!

Posing as groom's men... ! (Photo courtesy | WeddingSutra.com)

I so vividly remember the day I landed here. It was scorching, about 30 odd degrees, the summer sun was out in full force, a band of eunuchs bugging me for money right as I stepped out of the departure gate. I remember thinking all throughout the 8-hour plane journey if I was doing the right thing, wondering if this was too big a gamble I took. I mean, I left my home, my family, my profession for this. A noble act or an act of stupidity? Without sounding corny, melodramatic or cheesy, going into the unknown and venturing into unchartered territory, it was proper daunting ‒ but well exciting at the same time!

My goal, today, after a full year in Mumbai, is resolutely the same, still ‒ that is to take Bollywood by storm, baby ‒ and, I think I’m advancing nicely towards it, considering that:

1. Hindi is not my first language;
2. I have no godfather or links to the film industry;
3. I was never, no matter how dire the situation, going to jump on the casting couch.

I remember that after a couple of days of arriving I met a fellow actor who said to me something along the lines of: “For the first 12 months every door will shut in your face and you will not get any work. It will be the most testing time for you”. I psyched myself accordingly for this “worst” phase, all the while hoping for the best. I needn’t have worried, though, as, in the past 366 days, I’ve done a bunch of TVCs, been touring a well-received play with a bunch of great actors and great people, and best of all, got to act in a film. Not to show-off/boast/patronise, I’ve created a little video for you all where I illustrate how I made it all possible, how I created those opportunities for myself. So please, go ahead and watch the video above titled… *cue drum roll*… Tips on Breaking into Bollywood!

Mahurat of "Main Aur Mr Right" graced by the golden Bappi Lahiri

Mr Right... ?

And now, even more exciting news :-D I’ve signed yet another film, titled Main Aur Mr. Right! The mahurat for the film took place last week, which was made all the more special by the golden presence of the great Bappi Lahiri! The cast includes Shenaz Treasurywala, Barun Sobti (that popular TV actor), Kavi Shastri (yep, Muffin from those TATA Sky adverts!) ‒ and yours truly. I’m not allowed to say much about the film yet, but will keep you all posted as and when I get the green signal to :-)

That’s it for today. Signing off now with an immortal B-Town dialogue: “Picture abhi baki hai, mere dost…”

P.S. Hope I get to utter this, too: “Itni shiddat se tumhe paaney ki koshish ki hai, lagtai har purey zarrey ne tumhe mujhse milaney ki saazish ki hai…”!

P.P.S. And oh, here’s the Sony Handycam TVC that I spoke of in this post…

Sony Handycam Shoot. Project. Smile. print ad

Reflective Danny...

Hello followers! Yes, I know it’s been an ice age since I last wrote here, but what can I say? I have been too busy trying to break into Bollywood, innit! A lot has happened since my last post ‒ and here’s how it went… ;-)

At the sets of "Main Aur Mr Right"

Remember I mentioned in my last post that I was signed on as one of the leads of a Hindi feature film, titled Main Aur Mr Right? Well, I was caught up shooting for it all the while :-D The shoot’s been done, now it’s onwards to post production, which will start shortly!! I have been told the film’s releasing early next year ‒ SO, I hope you guys are there for the first day, first show. If not… I’m “unfollowing” you lot on Twitter : p

You talking to ME?

The first day of shooting was towards the end of May, and I gotta say, time does fly. Without sounding corny, the journey has been incredible. I remember feeling so nervous in my vanity van. The first scene that I shot, apparently, was a very important one for my character in the film, with the director making me feel completely at ease with these words: “this scene’s going to define your character so you’ve got to be bang on”. No pressure there then, aye! But it went well, thankfully, and the cast and crew were very encouraging, right from day 1. I wish I could go into details about my role but, rest assured, it’s probably the best launch vehicle I could have asked for.

Will Mithun Da agree to give me dance lesson, will he?

What’s got me excited right now is, towards the end of the year we will be filming the song promos ‒ and I’m thinking of giving a ring to the original “Disco Dancer” Mithun Da for some lessons!! You think he will let me borrow his white flares and white shoes… ????

Mucking around with Maneesh on the sets of "August: Osage County"

So now that the film’s been wrapped, what’s next for yours truly? Well, I am still attending auditions and actually filmed an ad for Renault sometime back. However as it was a “montage ad”, meaning I am there for about 0.5 seconds. But hey, at least I got to drive the new Renault “Duster” on a dirt track ‒ like a mad man for most of the day! I have been for other film auditions, too, and I am waiting to hear back on this comedy film. Wish me luck!? Other than that, I’m still touring for August: Osage County ‒ do check out the video diary of the North India Tour above :-)

And oh, some breaking hot news for you all! I was approached by a production company to be the main male anchor for a new show that is being pitched to a new channel. Now I can’t say much more because the “pilot” is still being made and I won’t know until the end of August if the channel will commission more episodes. But I can’t leave you all hanging by a thread now, can I? So without giving too much information away, I created a video diary of my adventures during that particular shoot! Do enjoy :-)

Look who I bumped into: Sharman Joshi!

As always, thank you ever so much for following my adventures, and please do spread the word about my blog! Take care and God bless… Danny x

P.S. Here’s a photoshoot I did for WeddingSutra.com sometime back… you like?

The WeddingSutra shoot... (Photo courtesy | WeddingSutra.com)

With my folks!

Hi all!

It’s been a while since I have updated my blog and let you all know how I am getting on! Well, the reason for the slight delay is because I was back in sunny, good ol’ Britain on a… surprise visit!! 

With (clockwise): Ishaan, my three princesses and sis

I wish I could say that the family was happy to see me, but all I got was, “I thought we were rid of him!”

Zoolander!

Learning from my visit last year, I tried my best to not to over indulge. But you know what they say about ghar ka khaana – there’s nothing quite like it! Waking up to an English brekkie or aloo waley paranthas was too good to pass up on − on some days. Then we have the fish and chips and doner kebabs, which are forever tempting, esp. after a night out on the town!

Anyway, enough of my blabbering. Without further ado, I have uploaded a 2-part vlog about my short time back home − enjoy and please feel free to leave your comments :-)

Danny x

Danny Sura

Happy belated Dussehra, y’all! SO, shooting an arrow at the 10 heads of Raavan… I never seen it up, close and personal myself, but if us Indians tried anything like that back in the UK… we would get arrested straight on the grounds of ‘elf and safety alone! What you can get away with in India, right!?

The cast of "August: Osage County"

Onto August: Osage County, a play that has given me tremendous opportunities, is nearing the end of its run. Yeah, just a few shows to go before the curtains are brought down on this production. Our most recent show was in Kochi, for which we had new additional cast members, one of whom was the great Anant Mahadevan!

...with Mohanlal!!

The show went really well, but it was made all the more memorable by the presence of the great Mohanlal! In case you don’t know who he is, let’s just say that he is the equivalent of Amitabh Bachchan down South. He even came to the after party, which you can see in the vlog :-)

Remember I told you sometime back that I’ve done a TVC for Renault Duster? Well, it’s out now – have a look! In case you can’t find me, I’m the one in blue jacket driving near the windmills.

Denzil giving me gyan!

So for my next post I want to do something fun… How about you tell me your fave scenes from Hindi films and I re-enact them – for your entertainment?

Love Danny x

Smokin’ some sheesha…

A very belated Happy New Year to you all!!!!

It’s been a while since I updated my blog, but let me tell ya, there’s a lot to report… ;-)

At the Vat 69 TVC shoot: The Incredible Hulk!

The final costume for the Vat 69 TVC – thank God!

The New Year has, actually, gotten off to a very good start for me. I have shot 1 viral ad and 3 TVCs that should be airing in the next month or so. Also, I have auditioned for a Punjabi film and the Indian version of the hit show 24. And Mr Anil Kapoor, if you are reading this: mate, don’t keep me in the lurch for too long! Have I got the part or not? :-p

August: Osage County is still running strong. Yes, yes, I mentioned in one of my previous posts that the show was coming to an end, but it looks to be anything but…! We’re getting more and more bookings for 2013 :-D

With an actor from “Fear Files”!

I am not sure if I told you this, but I have started taking Hindi lessons again − but this time with a new tutor. It took me a while to refresh my memory, but I am getting back into the flow. It really does boost my confidence when I go to auditions and spout out Hindi dialogues. Before, any Hindi line would take me a few hours to learn, but now, I think I have gotten it down to about 30-45 minutes now. Not bad, eh?

With the rest of the gang from the Vat 69 shoot

On the same topic, one casting director was amazed at my Hindi delivery at an audition. He was hesitant to call me at first as he thought that the lines would be difficult for me to say, but… I was happy to have proven him wrong! I walked out of the audition feeling like “The Fonz” from Happy Days.

At the Kwality Ice Cream TVC shoot: Picture perfect family, no?

A couple of weeks back my bro, sis-in-law, niece and nephew were in Delhi, so I got to spend a week with them. In between I had to come back to Mumbai for an ad shoot that had the gorgeous Bipasha Basu in it − more on that in my next post, promise! Anyway, spending time with them really boosted my morale and gave me a “top-up” in the energy department. What family can do for you, aye? But shame that they didn’t bring me more Christmas gifts from the UK.

Oh, before I forget, my first film Inkaar has been released. Okay, it’s not technically “my film” as I am there for about 10 seconds. Actually, even less now, as one scene of mine has been cut. Anyway, if you fancy seeing me speak in what is supposed to be a French accent, go and watch it!

I have uploaded 2 video diaries for you to watch. Please leave your comments, and please do pass the link around to your friends. If anyone is considering making a move to Mumbai to get into Bollywood, feel free to contact me to ask any questions.

Now I will leave you with this quote: “Don’t try so hard to fit in… Instead try hard so that you stand out”

Love and good wishes,

Danny x

Danny Sura

Howdy folks! I’m back, with plenty of news to share :-D My first film, Main Aur Mr Right (y-es, the one with Barun Sobti), is ready for release in July. I have four TVCs on air at the moment, and another due in soon. I’ve signed my second film, where I’m playing the lead! Yeah, I’ve been on a roll the last few months.

…at the Parachute Advansed TVC set

…with Naura, my co-actor in the TVC

Can you believe that this month it will be 2 years since I moved back to the mother land?! It only seems like yesterday that I was in the UK, munchin’ on fish and chips and dreaming about being on the big screen. And, it looks like my dream is somewhat coming true this July! All you #Sobtians out there, please throw some love my way too when you all go to watch MAMR ;-)

Reverse planking on the Parachute Advansed TVC sets!

Taking an *important* call :-p

Those of you who are on Twitter must’ve noticed that the promotion for MAMR has started. I have to say that I am very nervous about how I will be in the film. My mind is buzzing with Qs such as “will the audience accept me and even like me?”, “was my acting any good or did I really make a mess of it?” and so on. We’ve a photo shoot soon for the actual movie poster – and I can’t wait for it!

…with the film crew in Kerala

…with the film crew at Kerala

And then there’s my second film, where I play a hero who saves the day and gets the woman in the end…. or does he??? (OK Danny, don’t get too excited.) Let’s just say that the character that I play in this film is poles apart from what I played in MAMR. I was in Kerela for a month for filming… And what an experience it was!

From my new film!

Moving on, so what goodies have I got for you all? Well, take a look at the videos below to find out! As always, please do leave your comments and share the blog with your friends and family.

And, in case you’ve missed my TVCs on telly…

Danny Sura

Hello followers!

How’s tricks? Y-es, I am guilty as charged for not keeping y’all updated about my progress, but here I am now :-) Things are going very well for me, actually, and without further ado, let’s get to it, shall we?

SO, my new TVC for Chevrolet is doing the rounds. Although I’ve a small part in it, it’s a nice little spot, no? I did make a vlog of the shoot but it wasn’t the most pleasant of experiences that I have had since venturing over to Mumbai, so I thought it’d be best to not share it. But I did come out of it with some valuable life lessons… That, in this industry, just as in life, not everything will go smoothly… And, what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.

Kavi Shastri

Barun Sobti

…with Maia Sethna (Note: She played that little girl Lenny in Nandita Das-Aamir Khan-Rahul Khanna starrer 1947 Earth)

…with Shenaz Treasurywala

Moving on to films, there’s been some movements with my first film, Main Aur Mr Right  – we did a photoshoot for film posters, back in May. But the highlight of the past few months has been the dubbing sessions for my second film that I shot in Kerala. (Before you ask, it’s in Hindi.)

Danny Sura

During the dubbing…

Danny Sura

It’s looking SO good and I’m just so excited for its release, which, I think, would be before Main Aur Mr Right. I’ve got reams of behind-the-scenes footage but I’m afraid I can’t show any of it until the film has been released. Yeah, it’s all a bit tight-lipped right now – so much that I can’t even give away the title. All I can divulge is… I play the hero of the film!!! Not to brag but in all honesty, nothing like that has been made in the Hindi film industry before – and I’m just so grateful that I’ve been chosen to be a part of it.

Danny Sura

I’m still attending auditions, though, with as much gusto as before. But the good thing is, I’m getting a crack at film auditions, these days. Most recently, I auditioned for 3 films: 2 Hindi and 1 international production being filmed in the US. Auditioning for this international film was like being in an action movie! It was all touch-and-go. I first auditioned on Skype and then I made a recording of it and sent it to the producers. I didn’t get that role, but after a couple of weeks I was contacted again for another important part in the film. I really thought I had nailed it and was already making plans in my head to get ready for America, but destiny had other plans for me. There’s a silver lining, though: the producer really liked my work and said we will defo collaborate on a project in future.

Right next is a short film that I’m doing with my production company, Timepaas Productions, when I head back to Blighty in a fortnight’s time. It’ll be a short trip, but Mumbai, I’ll miss you!

Wish me luck and stay blessed and happy, people.

Love always,

Danny x

Posted on MissMalini.

Danny Sura

Yo Yo Honey Singh! How y’all doing? I know… it’s been ages since I last updated my blog but what to do, yaar? First, I was in the UK for a while spending time with my family, eating lots of English breakfasts and generally pigging out on anything and everything!

Sharing a pint with my older bro…

Danny Sura with Beera mama

Also, (cue the violin) work has been a little slow, so I really didn’t have anything to share with you all. However, since the end of last year and beginning of this year, that has changed and I have been filming a few TVCs as well as attending auditions for some good stuff. So thank you, Universe!

Main Aur Mr Right poster

Right, first and foremost, for all you Sobtians out there, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop asking me when Main Aur Mr Right will be releasing. I have no clue and neither am I in touch with the production house. If you want to know, please ask them directly by tweeting their twitter handle, which is @MadMidaasFilms.

Danny Sura

Regarding my second feature film, where I played the main lead, I still have to be “hush-hush” about the whole thing. However I am pleased to announce that I can reveal the title of the film exclusively on Miss Malini! Its called *cue drum roll* Out of Time. I saw some of the footage and hand on heart, I can say that it looks brilliant! I will go out on a limb here and say that this kind of story has not been done in “Bollywood” before. My Hindi does sound a bit accented in a couple of places, but generally I feel I have done a good job. I may need to re-dub some portions again but let’s wait and see if that is required. It is amazing how people look different on screen as opposed to how they look in real life. I am being honest, I don’t really like the look of my face but on screen, I shape up very nicely. People have even said that I look like the Indian version of Ryan Gosling – I’m sure he will be flattered once he hears that LOL!

At the dress trial for a MTR Snacks TVC

At the dress trial for a MTR Snacks TVC

It truly is remarkable how coming to “Bollywood” can change people. I am talking about the new entrants and those who aspire to achieve something in this industry. Last year, I saw a group of guys standing around looking lost. I could tell that they were “freshies”. The poor guys honestly did not have a clue about how the whole system works, where auditions take place and so on. I bumped into the same group of people recently and it was an eye opener! They were looking more confident and they physically looked better and were on the phones confirming auditions at various places. It just goes to show that in this game, you have to be a fast learner and quickly understand how everything works.

Okay, so let’s get to the meaty stuff… my vlogs! I shot a Garnier TVC with Deepika Padukone and another for MTR Snacks, which is a brand in South India. Take a look at the vlogs below to see how they both went! Please give your feedback and comments and do share my blogs with your friends and anyone else who may be interested in my adventures in B-town! Anyone thinking of coming over to Bollywood, do get in touch with me – I’d be more than happy to share my experiences and give some advice.

***SPOILER ALERT***

In my next blog I’ll talk about a shoot that I did in Amritsar and another in Pune, where I almost met with a fatal accident… Stay tuned and keep on spreading the love people x x x

Posted on MissMalini.

Danny Sura

Hello, followers! I hope you like my latest entry — this one is packed with some great pictures and some brilliant behind-the-scenes videos ;-)

Right, if my memory serves me correctly, I was supposed to talk about a shoot that I did in Amritsar and another in Pune, where I almost met with a fatal accident. The Amritsar shoot was for a new travel show that I am doing — but, sorry folks, I’m not allowed to show any videos from it until the episode has been aired. It’s a fantastic project, one which gives me the opportunity to travel across India. For instance, I was in Benaras a couple of months back shooting for another episode. Here, check out some pics…

Ganga

Benaras

Benaras

Chillin’ on the boat in Beneras…

Jazz hands

Being silly with the line producer

With a Aghori baba in Benaras…

A busy market in Benaras

Locals in Benaras

With a local in Benaras

With regards to Pune, I was there shooting for another car commercial! Yep, not content on doing one ad for Renault and another for Chevrolet, the Gods above have deemed it necessary that I do another one, for Renault. Below you can check out the vlog and the actual ad also, which I hope you like.

If you have been following my tweets, you’d know that I was in South Africa recently shooting for a commercial. That was a very last minute deal but suffice to say, I had an amazing time! Check out the pictures and vlog below.

View from the Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town

View from the hotel’s rooftop

Interesting coffee sizes they have in South Africa!

Co-actors for the shoot

Getting some war paint on

In costume

Selfie!

And oh, I’ve got some good news to share… I have started rehearsals for another stage production. This one’s a musical, and due to those pesky fine prints on the contract I’m not allowed to say anything about it. But what I can tell you is that it is going to be HUGE! The first shows are in July in Mumbai and I am confident that it will lead to more shows around the country and possibly even abroad! So, watch this space ;-)

That’s all for today, folks. Spread the blog (and love) people and if you want any advice about coming to Mumbai and having a crack at this acting malarkey, please feel free to contact me.

Until next time…

Danny x

Danny Sura

Admit it! The title is what brought you to this page, no? Or, was it my good looks? Right, even if it wasn’t the latter, please lie just so that my ego isn’t bruised :-p Us actors need constant affirmations, y’see.

For those of you who know me and have been following my journey to Bollywood from the start… Welcome back, my lovelies! I know it’s been a long time since I have posted anything on here, but better late than never, aye? And for those of you who are new to my blogs/vlogs, you can catch up on my incredible journey here.

Main Aur Mr Right cast and crew

Main Aur Mr Right cast

Danny Sura and Shenaz Treasuryvala

SO much has happened since I last spoke to you that I don’t know where to begin. But, let’s begin with news of the whole reason of my being here: I got my first film out of the way. Yep, Main Aur Mr. Right finally released :-D

Danny Sura as Badmaash The Monkey from Panchatantra Musical

I did another stage production, a musical based on the Panchatantra tales. It had yours truly busting out his vocal cords, breaking into dances and doing aerial silk work. No kidding. That too live in front of a massive audience. Saying it was nerve-wracking would be an understatement, friends. But, I revelled in that challenge.

Danny Sura at Juhu Beach for Ganpati Visarjan for the ‘Spirit of India: The Festivals’ shoot

I have also been shooting for a new documentary show (which I’m allowed to talk about now) called Spirit of India: The Festivals. It’s an English show enlightening one and all about Indian festivals and I’m the presenter!

Danny Sura on location for Yath Ratra and Navratri episodes of ‘Spirit of India: The Festivals’

Give or take the odd blemish here and there (for one episode I travelled over 30 hours on a train – yep), I completely and utterly enjoyed the experience, as I got to travel around India and check out many festivals. It will air on the Zee TV network in the coming months — as soon as I hear of the exact dates I will let you all know :-)

Danny Sura and Gunjan Utreja at the ‘Spirit of India: The Festivals’ shoot

Now saving the best for last… I have signed another film and have already started shooting for it! I am under non-disclosure contract for now, so I’m afraid I can’t give you much deets, other than the fact that it’s with a leading production house, so the film will definitely be promoted in a big way and it will get a wide release. You won’t be waiting around for two years to see it on the big screen, like you had to for… :-p Mark my words, this film is going to be a CRACKER! It has great talent involved and the songs are just awesome! I have made vlogs about the shooting and all the fun that I am having on the sets:

Shakti Kapoor and Danny Sura

I promise to give you all regular updates on my B-Town adventures — and you can also follow me on Twitter and on Instagram. Now, folks, let me leave you with these legendary words said by the great Leonard Nimoy, ‘Live long… and prosper’.

Peace and light!

Danny x

The post Breaking Into Bollywood: The Prodigal Son Returns! appeared first on MissMalini.