Autograph anyone?

I like to think of myself as the bashful, introverted type, and then I wake up from my dream and realize I am the nosey Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched. It was my inner busybody that landed me in a film being shot in Singapore about children being forced into arranged marriages around the world.

Three weeks ago, I was walking with some friends in the Chinese Gardens when we happened upon a film crew and my big yap asked if they needed any extras.  I didn't expect the director to say yes, but she needed some bodies for a wedding scene in the upcoming weeks and asked if I had friends."Do I have friends? Hecks ya."

I even look like Mrs. Kravitz

I put the call out to some of my Singapore mates and told them to gather up their saris because we were going to be heading to Little India to be the crowd at an Indian wedding. None of us knew what the film was about but it didn't matter because it sounded like first-rate fun. We all just hoped it wasn't a porno movie, but this in Singapore. No chance of that!

If you have not been to the enclave of Little India, you are in for a feast for the senses. Little India is a loud, messy mishmash of spices, flowers, produce, meats, clothes and food.  Every corner has a restaurant, a market full of aromatic, handmade garlands and Hindi music blaring.  I have been to several cities in India and this is as close as you get, minus the animals running on the road, rooting through the trash.

Our lady in pink

The director, Natasha is a whirling dervish, full of energy from New York City, making films in Singapore for the next three years. She is originally from Iran, as is her Director of Photography. They are making films that highlight many of the injustices in the world, such as young children being forced to marry creepy old men. Imagine our surprise when we were introduced to the bride of the scene. Farrah is about 12 years old and the groom looked to be about 35. I don't think it was hard for Farrah to "act" sad or upset about this role. It was downright pedophilic  We were told to be happy, happy while this poor little girl looked so far out of her element, she was on Mars. If you were put in this position, you would be confused, terrified and wanting to run for your life. The groom was told to act proud because he had such a young bride.

Luckily my friend knew what to do!

Besides meeting the tweenagers in this movie, I met more expat extras, some local Singaporean woman and Cameron, the sound man from Virginia.  Of course, we mustn't forget the Indian men that wandered up to me in the park and asked to take their photo with the redhead in the blue sari. Good lord, can I not get away from the photo taking?  My friends thought it was hilarious and suggested I give out autographs.  These men became such a nuisance that we had Cameron chase them away. Luckily he was a big guy, not used to taking no for an answer.

The shoot itself was fun but also exhausting. I didn't think I would get so tired, standing in one spot, and who knew your cheeks would hurt from take after take of the “wedding crowd” smiling. The second she yelled, "cut," the smiles would droop off our face and the sweat would run down our backs. 

The "stars" of the movie

It was a blessing that it had rained before the shoot because I am certain there was a huge salty, puddle beneath me from the sweat running from my head to my toes, one drop at a time. I was one of the lucky ones because my Sari was a cheap 5.5 metre piece of cloth wrapped around me several times. I only spent $7 on the tatty fabric and like any big sister, my sister Lori Facebooked me and said I looked like I was wrapped in a bed quilt that my parents had in the 70s.  Leave it to the sister to tell it like it is. Some of the other ladies had authentic saris and they were hot and heavy compared to my thin cloth. As wonderful as they looked, you knew they were melting with the silken sheaths.

Me and our bride, melting

I am not sure I looked like a duvet cover, but I do know by the end of the shoot I looked like someone had wrapped me up in $1 store wrapping paper. All of the hard work my friend put forth in making me look respectable was for nothing.  We were all so hot and ragged that when the director yelled, "That's a wrap," there was a collective sigh of gratitude.  So much for my film career as an extra.  One day was more than enough for me. 

Natasha told the actors and crew to head to Little India and grab lunch at one of the delicious spots for authentic southern Indian food. We were happy to head anywhere that had air con and a place to rest our weary legs.  To make the meal even better, our petite leader picked up the tab as we gorged ourselves with food I can’t name. I never knew standing around would make one so famished.

 Natasha explained these short films they are making will be entered into many worldwide film festivals so who knows? Maybe the other love-of-my life Robert Redford will see me at Sundance Film Festival in Utah, but if he doesn’t, this is his last chance because I am officially hanging up my sari and retiring from being an Indian as well as an extra in the movies.