In 2001, candies were 50 paise per piece, and 100 rupees was considered expensive. When keypad phones were a flex and cycles were a luxury. Lagaan, featuring Aamir Khan made 65.7 crores in an era like that, which is equivalent to 200+ crores in the 2020s. To eradicate the tax pushed on Indians by the British in 1893, they either have to win a cricket match or surrender to the tax rules. Cricket is a developed sport in India today. But in the 1800s, it was an alien sound to the villagers.
The brutal truth is, not so much has changed in the attitudes of the industry. Just like Avika Gor was replaced spontaneously from Antim and KKBKKJ, Gadar actress Ameesha Patel, too, was denied the opportunity out of a sudden. To audition someone, conduct several meetings, decide the pay, brief them about the character, then reject them last minute is a disrespect to their time, efforts and even for the emotions they go through. Walking in their shoes, we realize it’s a disappointing, demotivating experience to go through. “My manager said that the director doesn’t think you look like a village belle,” were the team’s reasons to replace Ameesha. Wasn’t her face visible in the first meet? Why was this decided just before the shoot? It’s an interesting pattern to notice – it’s always the underrated artists that get shaken off. Is it because the production presumes the film will not be a hit because they’re not ‘A grade’ actors?
As a proof, we have Bhoomika Chawla replaced in Bajirao Mastani, Radhika Apte in Vicky Donor, Gulshan Grover in James Bond, Pankaj Tripathi in Lakshya. Countless names remain hidden in the list, the famous faces stealing everyone’s limelight.
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