A Junior Artist's Curse

I watch from the sidelines as you and the others discuss the script.

You throw your head back and laugh at some stupid joke told by the assistant director. Everyone watches in awe. You are beautiful, charming, and at the top of your game.  You have everyone bewitched.

It didn’t matter that I was an award winning artist with years of experience to my credit. All it took was one noncommittal statement from you and I was blacklisted in the industry.

Suddenly, I became just a junior artist.

It’s fine. Really. I mean, I’ve seen many like you before, experienced many like you, your arrogance.

The thing is, I know how the ending is going to be.

You won’t last long in my industry, sweetheart.

I’ll give you 5 years tops, two state awards, a debut in Bollywood which does absolutely nothing for your career and a scandal involving a none too innocent photo shoot with an international photographer.

After that, it’ll be over for you.

Following a whirlwind of media coverage, you will run away from the industry you loved, the industry that loved you, craving an escape. You will quickly find yourself married to a businessman, pregnant, fat, with sagging breasts and black circles around your eyes…

Your husband will quickly become tired of you. The media will refer to you as the yesteryear actress. New girls will strut in front of the camera with their size zero figures and scandalous item numbers and you will remember your golden days. Lakhs will be spent on your physique, a crore on your face. The kids will grow to despise you.  And then, you will come back and beg for a role, any role, with anyone.

Gone is your selectiveness. Gone is your favoritism. Gone is your arrogance.

You will swallow your pride as you sign on for films in which you will play

my sister

my lover

my wife

and if you last, perhaps even, my mother.

That’s how it is in my industry.

So have your fun now, sweetheart… 

Enjoy it while it lasts.