Abhay Deol’s leading lady, Emily Shah, has assisted on big budget franchises such as Fast & Furious 7 and Jersey Boys and is the daughter of a producer of Hindi and Hollywood films
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 4, 2019)

Emily Shah makes her Bollywood debut as Abhay Deol’s leading lady in Sagar Ballary’s Jungle Cry, a biopic on the life of rugby coach Rudraksha Jena of Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) who led the team of rural Odisha boys to a big win in London. Interestingly, the US-based actress has, in the past, assisted on the sets of Hollywood blockbusters like Fast & Furious 7 and Jersey Boys.

“I grew up doing theatre and am also a dancer, having learnt ballet, tap, jazz, modern and Bollywood moves. I enjoy making the audience laugh, cry and sit on the edge of their seats. I did Fortune Defies Death, a film about defying death which was screened at several film festivals and bagged awards,” Emily informs.

Her mother is American, with Welsh and Scottish blood, while her father is an Indian film producer who’s done both Hindi and Hollywood films which was how she went on to assist on the big-budget franchise. “My Baa (grandmother) taught me Gujarati even before I learnt English and would take me with her to the mandir. That’s how I came to practise Hinduism,” she says.

Speaking about her Hindi film which was shot in Wales, Emily shares that being the team’s physiotherapist, she was doctor and mentor both on and off the field. “I trained with a physio and by the end of my prep, I learnt all about rugby and medicine,” she smiles, saying she wanted her first film to convey a strong message.

The actress is all praise for Abhay. “He’s a veteran actor, knowledgeable about the Indian film industry and also how cinema in the West works. We clicked instantly. We didn’t rehearse but I’m sure we will create magic on screen,” she promises.