RU S TOM M IS T RY

RUSTOM MISTRY

INDI A

SINGAPORE

M A L AY S I A

Notion Press Old No. 38, New No. 6 McNichols Road, Chetpet Chennai - 600 031 First Published by Notion Press 2018 Copyright © Rustom Mistry 2018 All Rights Reserved. ISBN 978-1-64249-413-6 This book has been published with all reasonable efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. No part of this book shall be used, reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The Author of this book is solely responsible and liable for its content including but not limited to the views, representations, descriptions, statements, information, opinions and references [“Content”]. The Content of this book shall not constitute or be construed or deemed to reflect the opinion or expression of the Publisher or Editor. Neither the Publisher nor Editor endorse or approve the Content of this book or guarantee the reliability, accuracy or completeness of the Content published herein and do not make any representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose. The Publisher and Editor shall not be liable whatsoever for any errors, omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause or claims for loss or damages of any kind, including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage arising out of use, inability to use, or about the reliability, accuracy or sufficiency of the information contained in this book.

This book is dedicated to my dearest wife and daughters who have steadfastly supported and stood by me through all our travails and hardships.

Contents

Forewordvii Prefaceix Acknowledgmentsxi Reviewsxiii 1. My School and College Life

1

2. My Working Life in Dubai (U.A.E.)

15

3. Tragedy Strikes

31

4. My Life as a Model and Actor in Bollywood and Hollywood

35

5. Grateful Thanks

103

Days Under Lights Camera Action

105

Foreword

This book just shows how much you don’t know about the people you interact with on a daily basis. It’s a hard to put down book and one of the few that I have read from start to finish in one go. Having known Rustom for a long time and having shared Mumbai and Dubai with him, it was extremely pleasurable to read the details about the journey right from his school days and through his tryst with Bollywood and Hollywood, in this well described book. Knowing the localities and the people that are so vividly described, it was as if I was transported back in time and I was part of the adventure sharing the journey with Rustom. Be it Laxmi Talkies or the Filmalaya Studio, this book took me back to a time that was truly magnificent. As a teenager I was truly awestruck when Rustom brought his imported Hondamatic car to Mumbai and it felt just wonderful to see it speed past my house. As life has it’s ups and downs, Rustom also saw the good days come to an end and a new struggle for survival began. What started as a blink and you miss roles in Bollywood later changed to sharing screen space with legends and becoming the face of advertising campaigns. I was very happy to point out to all that I know this model and actor who was posing from the large posters all over Mumbai. Even through life’s upheaval two things have always been constant. One is the smile on Rustom’s face and the other is his constant blessings for all the people he meets. Never have I ever heard an unkind word for anyone from him. Even during our lunches and dinners in Dubai, Rustom always smiled and cracked jokes to keep us entertained. Maybe he was preparing for the future movie roles that would come his way. Now the cycle is changing again and Rustom has decided to pen his memoirs in this wonderful book. All I can

viii | FOREWORD

do is wish him the best of luck and admire his spirit and courage for facing innumerable odds and coming out smiling on the top. I am already looking forward to Part Two of the book coming out in print soon. Wish you loads of luck, stardom and success. Happiness always. Neville Pardiwalla, Dubai

Preface

I have had varied experiences, happy as well as devastating and humiliating, while growing up in Mumbai, working in Dubai, getting defrauded and financially ruined by people I trusted, and as an actor and model in Indian and international TV commercials, music videos, films and related projects. After getting financially ruined many years ago, I am still struggling to survive in my mid sixties and I would sincerely pray in my Fire Temple to help me become successful in life once again while continuing to follow the path of truth and righteousness. It was while praying in my Fire Temple that I received the divine message or intuition several times to share my varied experiences with the world, to write my book on these experiences. Hence, in October 2017 I finally bowed to the divine forces’ guidance and started writing my first book, based on only the truth. Here I am simply describing my various experiences as they actually happened, with due respects to all concerned. I am not complaining, alleging, pointing fingers, making fun of, maligning or belittling any person/profession/ institution/organization or industry. Nor am I seeking sympathy from anyone. Nothing described here is exaggerated or imaginary or work of fiction. Many of us harbor the desire to become models and actors and this book gives a first hand insight into this industry through my wonderful experiences, with due respects to all concerned. I have enjoyed and I cherish all my experiences which I am now sharing with you.

Acknowledgments

Grateful thanks to captain Adil D. Moos and family for all assistance given for publishing this book.

Reviews

Rustom Mistry’s debut book FROM MUMBAI TO DUBAI TO BOLLYWOOD TO HOLLYWOOD is straight from the heart. Interesting and heart warming, it details Rustom’s nostalgic childhood, his absorbing Dubai experiences and also gives a good behind the scenes narrative of his day to day struggles as a background crowd model and gradually as an aspiring model and actor. Nostalgia evoking in the first half and very compelling reading overall. A thought provoking read for all those aspiring to become actors thinking it’s all glamour and glitz. This book shows that it’s anything but that. 

– Cyrus Umrigar,



Senior Manager, Business Process Services

I had the privilege to read the book in it’s final stage just before being printed. I liked the book and the book did arouse a lot of anxiety in me on what is going to happen next. The book is a light hearted and exciting compilation of one’s journey of life with twists and turns along the way. It gives tremendous insights into the film world. The overall language is very simple to understand. It subtly tells you that you need to go with the flow and that everything we do is momentary. So enjoy the moments till they last. Recommended for leisure reading. 

– Hoshi D. Bhagwagar,



Author of  THE LITTLE LITTLE THINGS

xiv | REVIEWS

Rustom Mistry achieved his vision what was predestined by facing obstacles. Rustom had no shortcuts for achieving the road to success but his efforts and struggling with the obstacles of the past became gateway in achieving to his new beginning as a shining star in film industry. I wish him greater fame in years to come. 

– Phil Masters, Canada

A quirky, humorous read, a poignant tale of the ups and downs in the life of an ordinary man, a Parsi and an actor, so much clarity and so many minute details especially the car numbers...amazing. Simple and straight from the heart. 

– Shilpa Mehta, actor

My School and College Life

I

am August 1951 model, which makes me 66 years old now, and born and brought up in the most beautiful Malcolm Baug Parsi colony in Jogeshwari, a suburb of Mumbai. I have now completed several years as a model and actor in Indian and international TV commercials, films and related projects. But first let’s see from the beginning how it all came to happen. During my early childhood days during the nineteen fifties, my father used to take us to the Santa Cruz airport where, in those days, as spectators/visitors, we could walk right up to the final gate from where the pilots and passengers walk to the aircraft which would be standing just a few feet away. And I would always be fascinated to see the smartly dressed pilots as they walked past us to the aircraft, went up the stairs, and later the propellers would start one by one and the aircraft would start moving towards the runway and finally I see it taking off with full power. That would excite me a lot and I gradually decided to become a pilot only. In those growing up years we along with our neighbors would religiously go for the 9 pm night shows either on a Wednesday or Thursday because from Friday a new film would get released at Laxmi Talkies in Vile Parle east, because it’s very friendly manager Mr. Nariman Batty and family were our very close neighbors, almost like family. So it would be our 1930 vintage model Citroen car (No. BMX 453) and our neighbor’s left hand drive Dodge car in which we all neighbors squeezed in for our drive to the Laxmi Talkies. To reach Laxmi Talkies we have to cross the PARLE biscuits factory railway crossing and closely pass the small Venkatesh Talkies on our right where invariably a Dara Singh sahab’s film would be in the final fighting scenes and we would actually hear the dhishooms dhishooms and the audience’s screams of joy as Dara ji would beat the baddies to a pulp. I was greatly fascinated with the Hindi films we

FROM MUMBAI TO DUBAI TO BOLLYWOOD TO HOLLYWOOD

From Mumbai to Dubai to Bollywood to Hollywood is a factual description of the author’s growing-up years in Mumbai, his working life in Dubai, getting conned by people he trusted in Mumbai, which led to his financial ruin that necessitated his return to Mumbai. He became a background crowd model and gradually, a full-time character actor in several popular TV serials, super hit Hindi films and a model in prestigious Indian and Pakistani ad films and music videos. He went on to crack a tough audition to bag a major role in a Hollywood biopic plus an English film for the NYFA-UCLA. From Mumbai to Dubai to Bollywood to Hollywood provides real-time insight into life’s realities in Mumbai and Dubai in general and specifically for those having no contacts but want to become models and actors in Mumbai.

Mumbai based Rustom Mistry, popularly known as Rusi Mistry to friends, had a successful career with an European MNC for many years in Dubai. Now he is a popular model and actor in ad films, films and related projects in India, with an English short film and a Hollywood biopic under his belt.

Price 200