Review by FilmCriticLalitRao

In "Ekstra"/The Bit Player viewers get a chance to understand the complicated world of television through cinema. The film is authentic to the core as coming from television background has helped its director Jeffrey Jeturian to make a film about extras of a popular TV show. One can sense a lot of authenticity as Jeffrey Jeturian has already experienced what he has portrayed in his film. For viewers who have a little idea about Filipino film industry, it needs to be stated that this film's star attraction Ms.Vilma Santos acts in one of the most deglamorized roles of her career. In many ways, this enables her to have a direct experience of the problems faced by junior actors who use all their energy to land a small role. Most laughs in "The bit player" are generated when viewers get a chance to watch what really happens during the shooting of a TV serial. Director Jeffrey Jeturian takes viewers on a hilarious behind the scenes ride where one watches with dismay how junior artists are lodged, kind of food they are provided, conditions in which they work and how weather can sometimes spoil all good plans. At the end of this ride, it is made clear that television is not a joke and a lot of hard work needs to be put both by actors as well as technicians in order to create shows which are loved by millions in a country. Lastly, it is said that ideas are important when there is shortage of finance. This assertion has been proved true with the inclusion of an ordinary cake to represent a large cake.