American-born desi dazzled by the dream factory

First-time author Rajal Pitroda on the journey that brought her from Chicago to the Hindi film industry, which inspired her to write Starstruck, a fictional account of an outsider's perspective of bollywood

'Six inches too tall, three shades too dark and twenty pounds too heavy', Sapna Shah, the protagonist of Starstruck, Rajal Pitroda's debut book, arrives in Mumbai ready to make her way through the dazzling highs and murky lows of one of the country's biggest exports: Bollywood.

It's hard to miss the many similarities between the author and her creation -- both have noticeable American accents (that people comment on "every five seconds"), have lived in New York and hated it, and are fascinated by Bollywoodu00a0-- but Rajal says that Sapna is still different from her. "Initially, I thought she would be similar to me. But later on, it was tough to see her motivations."

Daughter to Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, better known as Sam Pitroda and current advisor to the Prime Minister, Rajal was born in Chicago and moved to New Delhi at the age of eight. "The transition from Chicago to Delhi was easy. It was the move back to the US that was tough," says Rajal, recalling her experiences growing up as a teenager in '80s America.

Looking back, the 33-year-old, who was at the time one of only a handful of Indian students, feels that having to deal with stereotypes about India was a learning experience. "People weren't as familiar with India as they are now. Going back to Chicago and being in that environment was the real world," she explains.

After graduating with a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, Rajal would return to Mumbai for a two-week trip that would last for over two years. "Bombay exceeded my expectations. I was 25 at the time, and it was this amazing, unexpected adventure that tied me to the city and the business," says Rajal, who worked with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

During her time here, Rajal met people that would prove an inspiration. "What drew me to the city is the people I met; they are so dynamic and passionate about what they do, which was very motivating to me," says Rajal, who counts actor-producer Aamir Khan among the people she respects. "He is not afraid to take risks and has this ability to look at everything with a fresh perspective."

In the city to promote her book, Rajal feels ready to move on to her next adventure, which will see her as a student at the London Business School. "When I first got here, I knew two people, but by the time I had left, I had made so many friends. This book feels like my homage to Bollywood; to Bombay. Starstruck is my love letter to the city."

Extracts from starstruck
Chapter 1
It is like a dream come true. As if she is standing before us, her willowy body swaying lazily in the breeze. A white sari is wrapped around her frame like tight gauze, transparent over her cotton blouse in the pouring rain. Her hair is deep brown, shimmering with shades of blonde. It cascades past her slim neck and down her back, the ends dripping with the weight of seduction. Her face, delicate and pale, offers contrast to the heavy gold that jewels her neck and dangles from her ears and nose. Hips swaying to music, glossed lips parting in song, her body inches forward - an apparition of beauty, glamour and stardom.

She is all around us, weaving back and forth like a needle on a cloth. Dark red mehendi lines her feet, vines and peacocks twirling over each toe, larger and larger as she approaches. Her movements are choreographed to perfection, each step of her heel of tilt of her head as defined as the words that flow from her supple lips. She edges close, her gaze steady. And it is in her eyes, wide and beckoning, that she conveys the intensity and longing of this moment. Leaning forward, she extends one milky arm, a hypnotizing force that draws us deeper and deeper into her fold.
Chapter 6
I smile at a pair of women sitting directly from across from me. They are thin, almost frail. Their hair looks like it has been dyed over and over gain, the final result a murky peroxide blonde. As I look back and forth between them, I realize they are identical. They pout their watermelon-coloured lips in unison, and turn to each other.
'How long has she been in there yaar?' the woman on the left taps the heel of her strappy shoe on the floor.
Her twin shakes her head. 'No idea,' she replies, glancing at a large white door in the far end of the room. She leans closer and whispers, 'Did you see her in that item number in HHKL?'

They giggle softly and smile, the first genuine look to pass through either of them. I move my gaze away from them and scan the rest of the room. It is then that it hits me. The room is full of women, with faces full of make-up and outfits similar to the twins across from me. There are skinny faces and even skinnier frames, pale skin and figure-hugging tops. They are carrying folders spilling with headshots, grasping them with a certain intensity, all of them are here, I have just realized, for a chance to act in Gautam Gupta's next Bollywood blockbuster.

I look down at my beige kurta and jeans, wondering if I too look as if I long to sing and dance my way into Gautam Gupta's office. Unfortunately, judging by the competition, I am about six inches too tall, three shades too dark and twenty pounds too heavy. And entirely inappropriately attired.