First name as screen name

It is common practice in the Indian film industry for characters to be named after the actor playing them. I mean stuff like (ok i can’t get a better example) in Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin, Pooja Bhatt’s screen name is Pooja; or in Andaz Apna Apna, Raveena Tandon’s character is called Raveena and Karisma Kapoor’s character is Karisma, or closer home*, Chandni’s character in A (upendra’s acting debut) is called Chandni!

Also, after ten years of religiously reading reviews of movies, I notice that this practice is more common among women than for men. More importantly, I notice that the above phenomenon is much more common in the southern fim industry than in HIndi. And that this is done usually early in the actor’s career.

In this context, I’m surpised that the Superstar (or the Boss) took more than thirty years to act in a movie where he uses his first name as screen name!

*? “closer home” needs some explanation – Upendra is my neighbor. lives across the street from my house

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