Bombay Calling - Documentary

Ever watched a movie that sweeps you into a celluloid realm and draws you into a twilight zone, let me explain. You watch something and you realize that the character is you but still not like you. You are riveted and you await the feeling of resonance that will arrive in some moment that the character has been sketched for you. All of us feel like that while watching a movie, only Bombay Calling is a documentary that mirrors the life of call centre professionals. It is the characters that will draw your attention and mirror your hopes dreams and desires.

In Bombay Calling, filmmakers Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal dive into this bustling world of late nights, long hours and partying hard. The result is a compelling insider's look at youth culture in India, and a growing number of young people who choose to follow the American dream…Indian style.

The Setting
India is changing. This new generation of call-centre employees works late into the night and perfects English and American accents to sell to clients half a world away. For their efforts, they are paid a lot more money than their parents earned at that age. And they spend it, frequenting all-night hang-outs that cater to their unusual office hours. They are negotiating uncharted territory, living an unfamiliar life. Bombay Calling is a snapshot of their world in transition.

Follow the lives of -

Kaz Lalani: The CEO of a small British outsourcing firm, working hard to cash in on the global gold rush of telemarketing jobs from the West. Bombay provides him with access to well-educated, English-speaking youths eager to get ahead and willing to sacrifice almost anything to do it.

Sweetlana: Also known as Sweetie is attractive, vibrant and smart. She has left her small town for the big city and joined the call centre taking a chance to get ahead.

Charles: A charming, confident and warm person who gazes at a picture of the Virgin Mary on the wall of his cubicle for inspiration at work. He also relies on his boyish charms on the phone to get a sale.

Wendy: She has left her engineering studies and moved to the city for a job at the centre. Extremely proud of her accomplishments, she has fallen in love with another employee and enjoys the freedom of her new life.

Sam: The manager who oversees them. He knows all the tricks of trade, including how to identify the accent of a Texan from that of a New Yorker. Determined to succeed, he has missed his kid's naming ceremony, his own wedding anniversary, etc. to be at the centre driving sales.

Alex: The young American who manages Lalani's operations in India. For him, Bombay is alive with opportunity. He has no plans to go home.

Interspersed with clips from Bollywood songs and movies, Bombay Calling is an interesting take on new age economy in India. It brings out the sometimes grim reality of a call centre job where targets and stress are an occupational hazard. The competition is fierce and selling with accents is not easy. But at the end of the day it focuses on ambitious youngsters who revel in their success, sometimes blissfully unaware of giving rise to a mini-economy that caters specifically to them.

'Bombay Calling' will be showcased as part of National Geographic Channel's 'Emerging India Week' on August 15 at 10:00 p.m.

Awards
Grand Jury Prize – Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
Colin Low Award – Most Innovative Documentary – DOXA Film and Video Festival