15 seconds of name!

Special appearances by renowned film stars has been the USP of many a film.
Remember the song John Johnny Janardan from Naseeb? It had special appearances by superstars of that era. Heyy Babyy had a whopping 21 stars. And, Om Shanti Om 31 Bollywood stars took many a breath away. In recent times, we have Zoya Akhtar���s directorial debut with cameos by the who���s who of Bollywood.
For filmmakers, a string of stars foraying into the screen one after the other has a steroid-like effect among viewers ��� whether it has any relevance on the script or not! Of course, there are films like OSO with a Bollywood background, where such appearances add a charm of their own.Such appearances are logical, says debutante Zoya Akhtar, whose film released recently. ���I don���t know about other filmmakers, but in my film cameos were important because the film is set in Bollywood.���
More often than not, cameos are played by non-entities. But, some cameos played by big stars are remembered for long. Tara Sharma, who made a brief appearance in Heyy Babyy, says, ���A cameo adds to a project and can make an impact. It���s better to do a good five minute role than play a long one that goes unrecognised. I really enjoy doing cameos where I get to play a brief but significant part.���
These special appearances are often attributed to industry friendships. Actress Masumeh, who did a cameo in Woh Lamhe, says, ���Cameos are about friendships that people in the industry share with one another. They are also about creating novelty and a reason for audience to watch the film. I did a cameo in Woh Lamhe as a token of gratitude for my patron Mr Bhatt.���
Cameos often reveal the sort of influence that a maker or an actor exercises in Bollywood. Film critic Deepa Gahlot says, ���Cameos are an added bonus for the viewers. They definitely add value to the film. The on-screen association through cameos speaks of the support an actor enjoys off-screen. But, it works only in the case of big and attractive banners in the film industry.���
Whatever the case, the audience is amply rewarded through these cameos. After all, viewers always enjoy watching superstars sharing screen space, no matter how brief the appearance may be.
amit.durgapal@timesgroup.com