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A look at those non-Indians who made a name in Hindi film world.
Here’s a brief account.
Manisha Koirala: Manya, as she’s known in Bollywood, is Nepal’s second gift to India after yesteryear actress Mala Sinha. Manisha debuted in a Nepali film, Pheri Bhetaula , before moving to Mumbai where Subhash Ghai spotted her and signed her for Saudagar.
The past few years have seen her toy with everything from power yoga to a filmmaking course in New York. But this year, she’s back with films like Sirf, Exclusion and God Tussi Great Ho after a long hiatus.
Kelly Dorji: He isn’t just famous for being Lara Dutta’s ex and is arguably one of the best male imports to Bollywood. Bhutanese by origin, Kelly was born in Kolkata and studied at St Paul’s, Darjeeling, before going off to Mumbai to join St Xavier’s College where he met Lara. He debuted in a negative role in Tango Charlie, and wants to essay more grey characters. So do his Oriental features go against him in terms of the roles offered to him? “Sometimes. I can’t play a native character because of the way I look,” he says. But he doesn’t want to be confined to Bollywood. He’s open to South Indian films and has already acted in Telugu film Don with Nagarjuna. Does he miss Bhutan? “I do. My parents are there. I enjoy celebrity status in Bhutan. I might do a Bhutanese film some time,” he says.
Yana: A marriage, a divorce, and a break-up, along with several item numbers and modelling assignments — the Czech stunner got a taste of all these and more in India. There was no looking back for this linguist (she knows five languages including English and Hindi) after her song Babuji became a hit. Currently in London for work, Yana is writing a book and will soon cut an album. After her break-up with actor Aftab Shivadasani, she’s been linked with Kelly Dorji.
RoSa Catalano: The Italian beauty came to India for love and Saif Ali Khan. But after the Chhote Nawab started chasing Bebo, Rosa began chasing Bollywood dreams. She’s shot for an item number in Desh Drohi and will soon be seen in another, which she prefers to call a “club song” in Samar Khan’s Shaurya. She’s also signed a film by Partho Ghose called Ek Second Zindagi Badal De with Jackie Shroff. “It’s been four years in India and it feels like home. I didn’t come to India for work. But now that I’m here, I want to make the best use of the situation and work hard,” she says. Has she been accepted by the people in the industry? “I hope so,” says Rosa.
Tom Beach Alter: He speaks Hindi like a native and hates to be called an import. Tom Alter, born to American missionary parents, is an Indian in more than one ways. Born and raised in Mussoorie, Tom says, “It feels awkward when people insist on calling me a ‘foreigner’.” Yet he’s mostly cast in roles of angrez doctors, or priests and brigadiers and called ‘saheb’ in the industry. “ Saheb is a term of respect for everyone within the industry. The Mumbai film industry welcomes anyone who has talent and the desire to succeed,” he explains. But has he ever wanted to act in Hollywood, given his American descent? “No, I have always and still want to be like Rajesh Khanna.”
Bruna Abdulah: This belle from Brazil is the newest import to Bollywood. Anurag Basu might not have given her the nod for his new film with Hrithik Roshan, but she’s been fascinating filmmakers after her item number in Anubhav Sinha’s Cash. The VJ with a dare-bare attitude isn’t yet ready for acting though. “I may have the potential, but I’m too new. The item song taught me how to dance and brought me in contact with Hindi. But right now I want to concentrate only on veejaying,” she says.
The other imports have mostly been one-film wonders. Interestingly, some of them like Alice Patten in Rang De Basanti and Antonia Bernath in Kisna made their acting debuts in Bollywood. Significant among the other foreign faces that have appeared in Hindi films are Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne in Lagaan and Annabelle Wallace in Dil Jo Bhi Kahey . And the Far East will soon be represented by Chigusa Takaki from Japan in Aparna Sen’s Japanese Wife .
