MUMBAI: Former Bollywood actor and founder of NGO No More Tears, Somy Ali, is launching Somy Ali Productions LLC. She says having her own production house will give her control and the power to play any character that she wants.
She said, “I like control, and not in a bad sense. I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, which means that I like things to be done as I see them visually in my own head. Launching Somy Ali Productions LLC gives me that power and control where I can play any character, be different people, and write about societal issues that bother me. I can perform them myself along with new aspiring actors who are good, but I just can’t find a plateform.”
She was inspired by Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon, who launched her own production house because she was not able to get desired roles after 40.
Somy added, “She writes the scripts, performs them, and at times directs them too. I want that for myself as well. I heard Naseeruddin Shah in an interview, saying to just do it yourself, even on your iPhone. If you want to make a film or act that badly, nothing should stop you. In today’s era, films are being made on iPhones. Naseer’s words impacted me rather strongly. So I did it.”
She purchased the domain name and trademarked it through a lawyer friend of hers. “Now I am going to write about subjects people are afraid to talk about because of abortion, the caste system, being gay, and fighting senseless wars for over 70 years. I will use new actors and give them a break since they don’t have contacts to get their foot in the door,” she said.
“At the moment, I have only written, performed, done voiceovers, produced, and directed all on my own. All my films will be on my website, which will then also lead to a talk show. And a talk show about real issues, not fluff. Actual issues, like why is Fair and Lovely still in business? Why is there a caste system in existence in 2024 like the Dalits? I have a lot to say, and my own production company gives me that freedom,” Somy concluded.
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