I was hired as the lead actor to star in Kaadal Oor Aalayam (Temple of Love) to be shot in exotic locales in south India and the Seychelles islands. It was a Tamil language romantic adventure. Production offices were in Chennai, India. The producer was an Indian attorney. I had been following Indian cinema and thought this picture could be a career-changer. No American had starred in an Indian-made film to my knowledge.
The hooks that hired me: The producer said he was negotiating to get India's hottest actress as my costar: Aishwarya Rai. Miss Universe. Big bank! I was to play an American photographer covering events leading up to an arranged marriage, a common occurence in India. The storyline was loosely based on the film Titanic. Bride-to-be meets underdog foreigner. We fall in love. Groom and his men chase us around the island... The Titanic is replaced by a smoldering volcano which erupts. I perish saving her life...
The producers dyed my hair black and asked me to grow a mustache. I argued that the character would be better played as the sandy-haired foreigner. But they insisted. After a few months and no script, I realized the picture was in trouble. My character went from a foreigner to a local ad agency photographer. Some of my cast members were well-known Tamil comedians. We also had a midget named Goliath. My co-star went from Miss Universe to an unknown actress who had done small roles on Indian Soap Operas. Of course, I lived at an orphanage with my brave widowed mother...
Two months and only one day of shooting later, (I had one line at a police station) I realized I might be in a money-laundering scheme. I tried to leave the country one night. The producer, his henchmen and the airport manager advised me that if I tried to board my plane drugs would be "found" in my bags and I would be arrested. I decided to stay. A few days later I snuck off to the American embassy. They told me I was on my own.
Another month went by. One more day of shooting at... an orphanage...
The picture was never finished...
