Showing posts with label Ron Howard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ron Howard. Show all posts
Tom Hanks gets the ‘cool’ quotient right-Irrfan Khan
7:55 AM
Irrfan Khan opens up about his latest Hollywood encounter
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 13, 2016)
At an event, Tom Hanks when quizzed on his Inferno co-star quipped, “Here’s what I hate about Irrfan Khan… I always think I’m the coolest guy in the room, and everybody’s hanging on to every word I say, and everybody’s a little intimidated to be in my presence. And then Irrfan Khan walks into the room. And he’s the coolest guy in the room.” And our desi hero retorted, tongue-in-cheek, “Tom gets the ‘cool’ quotient right, that’s why he could say this. And by saying it, he’s become the coolest actor in the world.”
Irrfan's always been a fan of the
Forrest Gump, The Terminal and Sully actor but after working with him on
this screen adaptation of Dan Brown's 2013 novel, now loves him as a
human being too. “Tom's charming, inspiring and carries a warm heart.
He's the most generous actor I've met with an energy which makes
everyone around him comfortable. It was a great experience working with
someone who is so secure of himself as an actor,” he raved.Tom and his Oscar-winning director, Ron Howard, go back to 1989 and the comic thriller The ’Burbs while Inferno is only Irrfan’s first film with them. Yet going by the camaraderie the trio share, it seems they've known each other all their lives. He attributes this to 'innocent kid' Ron who carries his excitement to the sets and makes everyone feel a part of the collaboration. "He got everyone together a month before the shoot began and as we chatted new ties were forged. It was like Tom and Ron owned this house which we entered as guests. They welcomed us warmly and while enjoying their hospitality, we began to feel we owned the house too,” he marvelled.
Irrfan has a rival at home now in his 18-year-old son who accompanied Irrfan on the Budapest schedule and to Singapore and the dude in a hat had Tom confessing that Irrfan is cool but his son is cooler. Does Babil want to be an actor too? “That’s for him to decide, we don't discuss such things. Babil has a mind of his own and the freedom to choose what he wants to do,” he said.
Inferno, a sequel to The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, touches upon the threat of a biological plague created by a brilliant geneticist and Dante fanatic to cause sterility in one-third of humans thereby reducing the world’s population, citing the Doomsday Argument. Irrfan who read the novel when he was offered the film liked the fact that it juxtaposed a serious concern for our planet against a historical mystery thriller, making it central to the plot.
"The way the human race is multiplying is alarming and that we are not even aware of it bothers me even more. Ron's tried to make the complicated book simpler for audience," he revealed, pointing out that one of the film’s posters underlines that Inferno is not just a movie but a prophecy. "Even million dollar Hollywood franchises, reflect what is happening in the world and addresses scenarios which could become a nightmare for humanity.”
The film has opened to mixed reviews with the Guardian panning it (Say hello to the 10th circle of hell, their headline reads) and the Hollywood Reporter more generous (It’s moderately evolved fast food, more culturally nutritious than many other action films, but still highly calorific and packed wit tasty trans fats). Irrfan who reads reviews sometimes believes it’s one of best films in the Robert Langdom series with a great buzz around the world. He’s come a long way since Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay, how does he feel when he looks back on his journey? “I seldom look back, maybe when I retire... Every industry tries to stereotype you, the challenge for an actor is to chart his own path choosing with roles that excite him and is a surprise for audience too,” reasoned Irrfan who chose to play Harry ‘Provost’ Sims who heads a Consortium because the job was so unique it was hard to research and that made the character intriguing.
Working with Irrfan Khan was singularly unique-Ron Howard
8:11 AM
Inferno director Ron Howard on working with Irrfan Khan
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 12, 2016)
"With Tom [Hanks], there is a comfort factor since we have collaborated earlier, but working with Irrfan [Khan] was singularly unique,” says director Ron Howard, who’s gearing up for the release of his clue-solving, globe-trotting adventure, Inferno, based on Dan Brown’s bestseller. The film is the sequel to cinematic adaptations of Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels & Demons (2009) , both of which were helmed by him.
“I am not contractually obligated to keep making any of the Dan Brown and Robert Langdon [the protagonist] stuff. They just happened, but at the same time, they are not the same formula as so many thrillers that we see. They combine a set of ideas and offer interesting sets of characters like Irrfan’s. He brings his own style; it’s understated, but he’s saying a lot. He just dives into the character,” explains Howard.
Working with Irrfan was an eye-opener, the veteran filmmaker points out. The two bonded over films that are driven more by passion than economics. Irrfan also gave him an insight into Bollywood — the world of song, dance and melodrama.
Says Howard, “He familiarised me to the cinema he belongs to, the real and unreal, past and present, unlike Inferno, which is all about the present. The other thing is, it’s a great role for my friend, Tom.”
To this, Irrfan quickly responds, saying, “That’s why I say this film is by Tom Rondan — that’s Tom, Ron and Dan for you [laughs].”
What attracted Irrfan to the film was the Ron-Tom team. “I have been a fan of these two. Irrespective of the role Ron offered me, I would have been glad to be part of his film. In the past too, I have done films just because of the director. But, I am lucky to get a good part in Inferno. It’s a challenging book, which has a volatile problem in its belly. I hope it’s one of the best films in the trilogy,” says the actor.
Irrfan feels fortunate that Hollywood is slowly but surely opening up to Indian talent. “Filmmakers like Ron are looking for talent all over the world. But, now, it’s India’s turn,” he adds.
-----------------
When Irrfan started shooting for Inferno, he received a handwritten note from co-star Tom Hanks. It read, "This will be the most pleasant movie to make, I think, provided you and I have a few more scenes together! If not, we will just have to save the world as is."
Says Tom, "The worst thing about Inferno is that I am only in a couple of scenes with Irrfan. It was heart-breaking. I walked up to him and said, 'Irrfan, I am going to steal from you everything I possibly can. I am going to start speaking quietly in films. I am going to wear nice suits. I will draw out the last sound of every sentence that I say. By doing all this, I will be doing a very pale imitation of you'."
We should probably be looking at India's social mores to see how this society works-Tom Hanks
8:36 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; September 29, 2016)
How can you not be awestruck
when the gentleman you are about to interview happens to be the
legendary Tom Hanks! The 60-year-old, two-time Oscar winner
(Philadelphia, Forrest Gump), boasts of an exceptional body of work and
immense contribution to cinema. Yet, he is unfazed by fame. In an
elaborate video interview with Bombay Times, he speaks about India,
Bollywood, working with Irrfan and his thoughts on being Hollywood's 'quintessential good guy'.
In an illustrious career spanning three decades, one rarely saw you being dragged into controversies or scandals. How have you managed to stay Hollywood's 'quintessential good guy' in an industry that is known for its ruthlessness and superficiality?
Is that for me? Oh. (laughs) I think it's by the sheer power of obliviousness. I am so ignorant about the way things actually work. I just assume that everybody's hoping to have a good time and tell a decent story. Look, I guess there are people who get into the movie business for the money, power, influence or position. I just went into it because it's the most fun thing I can imagine. And even if I am working on something that is very emotional or intense, I still find it to be more enjoyable than playing golf (not to take anything away from golf). I think that I just don't realise all the stuff that is actually at stake. I am just oblivious to it all.
Does your real self influence the screen roles you pick? One rarely sees you playing the villain.
I am not interested in playing a good guy per se but I am certainly not interested in playing a bad guy just for the sake of playing a bad guy. I am attracted to movies that I watch or act in which I recognise the character's behaviour as being real. I'd like to play a guy with struggles - someone who's trying to do the right things or wrong things. Also, playing a guy, who on occasions, rationalises behaviour that could be considered underhand. I am always looking for roles that actually capture the way we truly live. Bad guys in motion pictures are just often evil guys who want to control the world. Those (kind of people) are few and far between.
You've never been to India but anything about the country that intrigues you the most?
I have heard this from several people as well. I'm intrigued by how such a dense and diverse population co-exists in India. I have rarely seen that. It certainly lies in the culture and theology. India has a great history of this huge mass of humanity that has figured out a way to occupy the same crowded spaces in its own particular way. The people I know that have gone to India, have all come back wearing Indian clothes, liking Indian food, talking about spirituality and telling me that I must go there. I would like to. We should probably be looking at India's social mores to see how this society works - maybe by following smaller rules that everybody understands and obeys. Somehow it all works together and makes India one of the most vibrant cultures in the world.
Any preconceived notions about Indian actors that were broken when you worked with Irrfan?
I heard that Irrfan Khan is the most popular actor in all of India. Is this true or not? (laughs). Bollywood has emerged into a very modern and vibrant film society. I must say, when I was told that Irrfan is going to be in this movie, I felt like it was working with the Indian version of Sir Laurence Olivier or Sean Connery or somebody who is a giant in his culture. So, we as actors had more in common because of that than the differences.
You just joked about the whole social media madness before. What are your views on it?
I don't care what anybody thinks. I like that social media is inclusive, but I don't need to find out what anybody had for dinner. Social media captures the truth about what's going on in the world but I think it's slowly being co-opted into commercial use. I don't think that's the best use of it. But I guess that's inevitable because it has such a wide reach. I post pictures of gloves that have been lost or people and signs that make me laugh. It's not exactly what will the change the world, but it reflects who I am.
Are you as analytical and curious in real life as your character, Robert Langdon, from Dan Brown's stories?
I'm even more curious in real life, probably not so analytical. I am just constantly curious and confused. As a matter of fact, I read a lot of history books and it drives my wife nuts. I believe any work of fiction has to be rooted in non-fiction. It has to somehow tell me about the era that it's set it in. I am always pondering about this concept about how a particular force of thought gets started? Going back to Dante's Inferno, I wonder why people think hell is the way it is. Be it history, art, theology and architecture... I am constantly inquisitive about how we got here and why do we behave the way we do. Also, saving the world is no easy task on a good day (laughs). Director Ron Howard and I don't have to make these movies. We are not contractually obligated to crank out Langdon mysteries. When they come along, they have a form or theme that is fascinating and gets us going. In Inferno, Langdon has these visions coursing through his head and he has to find out why. For an actor to play that, you can internalise what's going on with the character.
You've said if you were to direct Ron, you will make him go through hell. Why?
I would cover him in sticky gooey honey and make him shoot all day (laughs). He is a taskmaster. He shoots and shoots and shoots. We shot our scenes so many times that I wondered what he was shooting after a while. When I saw the film, I realised why.
You have such an amazing career graph with characters that have inspired generations. Who has influenced you the most?
It's the directors that I have worked with who had a strong influence on me. I've worked with Ron five times and Steven Spielberg four times, to name a few. They helped me understand cinema as an art form, not only as a young man who wanted to figure out his place in the world, but also as an artiste who wanted to expand his horizon.
You've spoken about how you prefer realistic roles over the ones that demand world dominance. Given how popular the superhero genre is in Hollywood today, do you see that changing?
Hollywood goes through certain kind of phases, depending on the economic aspects. Right now, because of the rich technology and CGI, super hero films are living up to the promise of comic books. But eventually, people will yearn to see themselves on screen. The tide will turn and the audiences will be attracted to movies and characters that reflect their daily lives. The ones that always remain with you are real human stories.
In an illustrious career spanning three decades, one rarely saw you being dragged into controversies or scandals. How have you managed to stay Hollywood's 'quintessential good guy' in an industry that is known for its ruthlessness and superficiality?
Is that for me? Oh. (laughs) I think it's by the sheer power of obliviousness. I am so ignorant about the way things actually work. I just assume that everybody's hoping to have a good time and tell a decent story. Look, I guess there are people who get into the movie business for the money, power, influence or position. I just went into it because it's the most fun thing I can imagine. And even if I am working on something that is very emotional or intense, I still find it to be more enjoyable than playing golf (not to take anything away from golf). I think that I just don't realise all the stuff that is actually at stake. I am just oblivious to it all.
Does your real self influence the screen roles you pick? One rarely sees you playing the villain.
I am not interested in playing a good guy per se but I am certainly not interested in playing a bad guy just for the sake of playing a bad guy. I am attracted to movies that I watch or act in which I recognise the character's behaviour as being real. I'd like to play a guy with struggles - someone who's trying to do the right things or wrong things. Also, playing a guy, who on occasions, rationalises behaviour that could be considered underhand. I am always looking for roles that actually capture the way we truly live. Bad guys in motion pictures are just often evil guys who want to control the world. Those (kind of people) are few and far between.
You've never been to India but anything about the country that intrigues you the most?
I have heard this from several people as well. I'm intrigued by how such a dense and diverse population co-exists in India. I have rarely seen that. It certainly lies in the culture and theology. India has a great history of this huge mass of humanity that has figured out a way to occupy the same crowded spaces in its own particular way. The people I know that have gone to India, have all come back wearing Indian clothes, liking Indian food, talking about spirituality and telling me that I must go there. I would like to. We should probably be looking at India's social mores to see how this society works - maybe by following smaller rules that everybody understands and obeys. Somehow it all works together and makes India one of the most vibrant cultures in the world.
Any preconceived notions about Indian actors that were broken when you worked with Irrfan?
I heard that Irrfan Khan is the most popular actor in all of India. Is this true or not? (laughs). Bollywood has emerged into a very modern and vibrant film society. I must say, when I was told that Irrfan is going to be in this movie, I felt like it was working with the Indian version of Sir Laurence Olivier or Sean Connery or somebody who is a giant in his culture. So, we as actors had more in common because of that than the differences.
You just joked about the whole social media madness before. What are your views on it?
I don't care what anybody thinks. I like that social media is inclusive, but I don't need to find out what anybody had for dinner. Social media captures the truth about what's going on in the world but I think it's slowly being co-opted into commercial use. I don't think that's the best use of it. But I guess that's inevitable because it has such a wide reach. I post pictures of gloves that have been lost or people and signs that make me laugh. It's not exactly what will the change the world, but it reflects who I am.
Are you as analytical and curious in real life as your character, Robert Langdon, from Dan Brown's stories?
I'm even more curious in real life, probably not so analytical. I am just constantly curious and confused. As a matter of fact, I read a lot of history books and it drives my wife nuts. I believe any work of fiction has to be rooted in non-fiction. It has to somehow tell me about the era that it's set it in. I am always pondering about this concept about how a particular force of thought gets started? Going back to Dante's Inferno, I wonder why people think hell is the way it is. Be it history, art, theology and architecture... I am constantly inquisitive about how we got here and why do we behave the way we do. Also, saving the world is no easy task on a good day (laughs). Director Ron Howard and I don't have to make these movies. We are not contractually obligated to crank out Langdon mysteries. When they come along, they have a form or theme that is fascinating and gets us going. In Inferno, Langdon has these visions coursing through his head and he has to find out why. For an actor to play that, you can internalise what's going on with the character.
You've said if you were to direct Ron, you will make him go through hell. Why?
I would cover him in sticky gooey honey and make him shoot all day (laughs). He is a taskmaster. He shoots and shoots and shoots. We shot our scenes so many times that I wondered what he was shooting after a while. When I saw the film, I realised why.
You have such an amazing career graph with characters that have inspired generations. Who has influenced you the most?
It's the directors that I have worked with who had a strong influence on me. I've worked with Ron five times and Steven Spielberg four times, to name a few. They helped me understand cinema as an art form, not only as a young man who wanted to figure out his place in the world, but also as an artiste who wanted to expand his horizon.
You've spoken about how you prefer realistic roles over the ones that demand world dominance. Given how popular the superhero genre is in Hollywood today, do you see that changing?
Hollywood goes through certain kind of phases, depending on the economic aspects. Right now, because of the rich technology and CGI, super hero films are living up to the promise of comic books. But eventually, people will yearn to see themselves on screen. The tide will turn and the audiences will be attracted to movies and characters that reflect their daily lives. The ones that always remain with you are real human stories.
Irrfan Khan’s son keeps him company at the red carpet event of Inferno
12:55 PM
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; June 16, 2016)
Beads of sweat rolled down Tom Hanks’ neck, Irrfan decided to keep it cool with a man bun while director Ron Howard wore a cap for cover as they kicked off promotions of their upcoming film in Singapore on Wednesday night. The sultry weather makes the country appear to be sitting on an inferno, which ironically matches the title of the film based on Dan Brown’s bestseller.
Fans flocked to the Art and Science Museum at the Marina Bay lit up by a giant ‘Inferno’ balloon as the stars walked the red carpet. Hanks, as expected, got the loudest applause as he stopped for selfies and autographs. “So what do you want me to do? Take a selfie? Here, let me do it for you,” he said, much to the delight of the crowd.
Talking about his Inferno experience, Hanks said, “We are all friends working together. What is special for me is that the places where we have shot are not just backgrounds; whether it was Rome or Florence, we went deep into the place’s history and that is what makes it extraordinary.”
Irrfan had his elder son, Baabil, accompany him on the red carpet. The youngster wore a hat and multiple beaded bracelets on his wrist. He helped fans take snapshots with his dad. The crowd kept referring to him as the Life Of Pi (2012) and Jurassic Park (2015) star. He stated, “This is a multi-layered thriller. There’s a fast paced mystery at one level and history on the other.” They later attended a charity event.
It's an honour that Ron Howard gives me a role that challenges me as an actor-Irrfan Khan
7:48 AM
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2015)
On July 4, it was a wrap for Irrfan Khan on his international project, Inferno.
The actor has been in Budapest for the last month-and-a-half shooting for the Ron Howard-directed thriller based on Don Brown's eponymous fourth novel in the Robert Langdon series.
Irrfan plays Harry
Sims, The Provost, who heads The Consortium. He helps Bertrand Zobrist, a
billionaire geneticist, in his mission to control population explosion
through an engineered plague. Zobrist has created the vector virus which
randomly activates to employ DNA modification to cause sterility in 1/3rd
of the human race. The Provost unknowingly becomes a party to a
bioterrorist attack.
It's a challenging role, significant to the plot, and Irrfan who was recently seen as Simon Masrani, owner of the dinosaur park, in Jurassic World, was happy to play it to perfection. But Mirror has learnt that Ron had earlier offered Irrfan the role of Christoph Bruder, head of the SRS, disease prevention and control team, who misreading his intentions, is hot on Langdon's heels.
"Mr Omar (Omar Sy) is playing the character now. It's an interesting role but I was more keen to play The Provost as it offered me a new dimension to explore on screen," says Irrfan.
Fortunately, Ron, who was really keen to have the internationally acclaimed Indian actor as part of his cast, mulled over his request for a while, and then agreed to his choice of role. And before he knew it, he was discussing world cinema, and his own films like The Lunchbox and Life of Pi, with Ron and Tom Hanks. "It's a real honour that an Academy Award-winning director like Ron not only takes me in his film but gives me a role that challenges me as an actor too," he smiles.
Interestingly, when Irrfan zeroed in on The Provost, he had not read the novel and was simply reacting to the story and the script. But on the sets, recently, he met Dan Brown and since by then he was more familiar with the books, they were able to converse on the intricacies of the plot.
The actor has been in Budapest for the last month-and-a-half shooting for the Ron Howard-directed thriller based on Don Brown's eponymous fourth novel in the Robert Langdon series.
Irrfan plays Harry
Sims, The Provost, who heads The Consortium. He helps Bertrand Zobrist, a
billionaire geneticist, in his mission to control population explosion
through an engineered plague. Zobrist has created the vector virus which
randomly activates to employ DNA modification to cause sterility in 1/3rd
of the human race. The Provost unknowingly becomes a party to a
bioterrorist attack. It's a challenging role, significant to the plot, and Irrfan who was recently seen as Simon Masrani, owner of the dinosaur park, in Jurassic World, was happy to play it to perfection. But Mirror has learnt that Ron had earlier offered Irrfan the role of Christoph Bruder, head of the SRS, disease prevention and control team, who misreading his intentions, is hot on Langdon's heels.
"Mr Omar (Omar Sy) is playing the character now. It's an interesting role but I was more keen to play The Provost as it offered me a new dimension to explore on screen," says Irrfan.
Fortunately, Ron, who was really keen to have the internationally acclaimed Indian actor as part of his cast, mulled over his request for a while, and then agreed to his choice of role. And before he knew it, he was discussing world cinema, and his own films like The Lunchbox and Life of Pi, with Ron and Tom Hanks. "It's a real honour that an Academy Award-winning director like Ron not only takes me in his film but gives me a role that challenges me as an actor too," he smiles.
Interestingly, when Irrfan zeroed in on The Provost, he had not read the novel and was simply reacting to the story and the script. But on the sets, recently, he met Dan Brown and since by then he was more familiar with the books, they were able to converse on the intricacies of the plot.
Tom Hanks & I discuss everything, from our hair to cinema-Irrfan Khan
8:07 AM
Irrfan
Khan on his camaraderie with the Hollywood star in Budapest, his first
visit to the dino park in '93, and his lack of interest in playing
Sarabjit in the biopic
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 19, 2015) He is in Budapest filming the American thriller, Inferno, based on a 2013 Dan Brown novel by the same name. And even on the phone, the camaraderie between him, his co-star Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard is evident.
"Tom is down-to-earth, light-hearted and communicative. He is a huge star but will go to restaurants with his co-stars and is always joking around on the sets. He's everybody's friend. We discuss everything, from our hair to cinema. We both have curly hair and love it when it is straightened out," Irrfan laughs with childish glee.
Ron who's not a big-time, pretentious Hollywood filmmaker despite an Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind, adds to the fun. The trio, along with the first AD, the cinematographer and half the unit recently watched Irrfan's big summer release, Jurassic World, in Budapest. And to his delight, everyone behaved like kids.
"Tom was laughing and clapping. It was fantastic to see him. Balle Balle! And Ron whose daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, plays the park's manager, Claire Dearing, found it engaging till the end despite the fact that everyone knows what will happen next," he says.
Irrfan gives credit for this to his director Colin Trevorrow who was very clear about what and who he wanted. He wanted Irrfan to play Simon Masrani, the owner of the park, and waited for the actor who was juggling another film, to make up his mind. Then he gave Irrfan exactly what he had promised: a significant role that extends through the first half before he crashes out.
"I liked Simon's flamboyance and moral ambiguity. He's a businessman, he wants to make the park bigger, and tells the scientist he wants more teeth. The man takes him literally without anticipating the repercussion of his creation," he points out, recalling that his first acquaintance with dinosaurs was in '93 when he saw Jurassic Park with a few friends at Sterling theatre. He has vivid memories of the opening helicopter shot, the shaking of the glass and his first sighting of the dinosaurs but hasn't seen The Lost World: Jurassic Park 2 or Jurassic Park III because "I didn't feel like it as it would be just repetition."
But he was drawn to the fourth instalment because he knew it was being re-packaged for the new generation. "I wanted to do something for kids having seen their reaction to Life of Pi and The Lunchbox. And who could say no to a Steven Spielberg production," he reasons.
He couldn't watch the film with his sons, Babil and Ayaan, because he has been away shooting. They saw it on their own, sitting in the second row and it was no fun. "My older son who is playing football in Portugal will be joining me in Budapest soon and that will be fun," he smiles. Irrfan is new to the Tom Hanks-spearheaded series (The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons preceded Inferno) but he's lovin' it. "It's hard work. If you have to climb up the stairs you're doing that all day and it can get really exhausting physically. But the atmosphere on the sets is light and it's interesting to find clues in symbols from history," he points out.
His mood darkens when you broach a subject closer to home. Buzz is, he has signed up for the Sarabjit Singh biopic with Aishwarya Rai.
"That's totally false. I don't know where these stories come from and grab headlines. It's very annoying because I have no idea what the film is about and no interest in playing Sarabjit. I'm happy playing Harry 'The Provost' Sims, head of The Consortium who is helping Bertrand Zobrist, a Transhumanist scientist to save the world's overpopulation problem. That's my mission today," he says before ringing off.
Hollywood doesn't forgive mistakes-Irrfan Khan
8:01 AM
Irrfan Khan turned down lead roles to avoid repetition, choosing instead to experiment with Harry Sims, The Provost of Ron Howard's Inferno
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 19, 2015)
Mirror (January 24) was the first to report that Irrfan Khan had been approached for the screen adaptation of the Dan Brown novel, Inferno, being directed by Ron Howard, the Oscar winning director of A Beautiful Mind. It is the third installment in the Robert Langdon series with Tom Hanks returning as the Harvard symbologist. The problem then was that the makers wanted Irrfan's dates from April 1 but he had committed the whole month to promote Piku which opens on April 30.
"They want three chunks of dates and if we can adjust the first schedule, I should be able to do the film," Irrfan had said, pointing out that he'd already turned down a meaty role in Ridley Scott's The Martians because Shoojit Sircar's schedule was sealed.
Fortunately for him, this time, the Hollywood studio asked him exactly when in April he had to be back in India for Piku and worked their schedule around that.
It wasn't only dates that they accomodated. "Ron who's the father of my Jurassic World co-star, Dallas Bryce Howard, had offered me another role. But after going through the script, I told him that I was keen to play Harry Simms, 'The Provost'. Ron took his time but eventually gave his nod," says Irrfan. Besides Hanks and him, the film features Felicity Jones, Omar Sy and Sidse Babett Knudsen.
Quiz him on the novel and he says he's yet to start reading the series. "I will now. And when we begin the prep in April, we'll discuss the look, costumes and character-detail," he says, looking forward to returning to the quaint Italian city of Florence. "The Mayor presented me with the key to Florence when I was there for a festival recently. It was my first visit to Italy. I found the locals to be a lot like us Indians in their interactions with children. May be it's our warm blood," he smiles.
Jurassic World, lining up for a June 12 release, revolves around a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, created on the request of the Masrani Global Corporation headed by Irrfan's character, Simon Masrani, who's also the park's owner. The creature breaks loose and creates havoc.
Dan Brown's novel revolves around a deadly virus created by a mad genius to solve the world's population problem. Don't these futuristic visions engineered by humans terrify him?
"Life and death is not in our hands. And what we see on screen is what you already know from our readings. What scares me is the possibility that we can be turned into zombies, the idea that corporates can turn science into a moneymaking machine, the prospect that a time will come when our planet will not be able to support any more people and then those who control the world could actually resport to such terrifying options," he shudders.
Prod him on Harry Sims and he refuses to divulge any details about either his character or the project.
But with these big-ticket movies in his repertoire, is his Hollywood career on an all-time high? Irrfan admits that he's been getting a lot of attention in the West.
"But I have to be careful with what I choose. Hollywood doesn't forgive mistakes. I have been getting lead roles like the ones I played in The Namesake and the TV drama In Treatment, but I chose not to repeat myself. I'd rather experiment with strong parallel roles which get me more traction," he reasons.
Was he disappointed that The Lunchbox didn't pick up a BAFTA? "Being nominated was an award in itself," he says. Meanwhile, the Jazbaa shoot has been fantastic. "This is the first time I'm working with Aishwarya (Bachchan) and I love it. She's warm and caring," he smiles.
--------------------------
DNA (February 19, 2015)
Tom Hanks will be joined by Irrfan Khan and a fresh
cast as he returns to play Robert Langdon for the screen adaptation of
Dan Brown’s Inferno.
Ron Howard is in the director’s chair and will produce the film along with Brian Glazer. Inferno, slated for release on October 14, 2016, begins principal photography this April-end.
This film continues the Harvard symbologist’s adventures on screen: When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (played by Theory of Everything’s Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories and prevent a madman from releasing a global plague connected to Dante’s Inferno. Closely trailing him will be a shadowy organisation that acts as a no-questions-asked facilitator for all things vile and dark. Irrfan plays Harry Sims aka The Provost, the leader of this organisation. The filmmakers are also in talks with several other internationally recognised actors for major roles.
Said Howard, “Felicity, Irrfan and Omar Sy (of The Intouchables) among others have all broken through with recognition here in America as well as their home countries — they are phenomenal talents and we can’t wait to get started.”
If all goes well, Irrfan Khan will share screen space with Tom Hanks in Inferno
8:02 AM
The actor could work with the Hollywood star if dates can be sorted
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 24, 2015)
Irrfan Khan turned down Ridley Scott's The Martian, co-starring Matt Damon last year. "It was a lengthy, pivotal role but I had already committed the dates to Shoojit Sircar for Piku," he points out, without any regret.
And the actor may lose out on another Hollywood biggie because of the same film. This one is being directed by Ron Howard, who bagged the Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, and co-stars Tom Hanks. Irrfan refuses to divulge details, but buzz is, it's Inferno, the third installment in the Robert Langdon series, based on Dan Brown's novel of the same name. Tom plays Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon again in the film which rolls in Italy in April.
"They want my dates from April 1 but I've committed the whole month for promotions for Piku whose release date - April 30 - was conveyed to me the day Shoojit came for the narration. I said 'no' but now we're working on the dates. They want three chunks and if we can adjust the first schedule, I should be able to do the film," says Irrfan.
So, has he met Hanks yet? "No, but I know him through his work. Forrest Gump in which he played an autistic athlete whose girlfriend urges him to 'run' and he does with leg braces on, going on to become a marathon star. It is an unforgettable performance but it would be unfair to restrict his talent to his roles when it's something that comes from within," he points out.
Irrfan himself is not just an internationally acclaimed actor today but also the producer of The Lunchbox. He recalls that years ago he started working on a film he wanted to make for himself. After three years, just when director Leena Yadav and he were to start the recce, they learnt that a director called Shoojit Sircar was making a film on the same subject. His project was shelved. Shoojit's film, Shoebite, entangled in a legal tussle, is yet to release.
More recently, Irrfan was hooked by the idea of making a sports period film, only to learn that Shoojit had once again stolen a march on him. Intrigued, he started watching his films and liked Yahaan for the "freshness of its storytelling". Vicky Donor was "something special" and with Madras Cafe, he fell in love with his work.
The two met during the National Awards ceremony and soon after Shoojit came to him with Piku, a film through which he met a lot of new people. Besides Shoojit, there was his co-writer Juhi Chaturvedi, whose charming, playful style of writing, with its philosophical insights and inexplicable mysterious quality, has him mesmerized. And Moushumi Chatterjee who bowled him over with her smile, infectious energy and mooh phat ways.
Then there is Amitabh Bachchan, whose films he has been watching since he was a child. "Sholay, Deewar, Majboor, Chupke Chupke, Amar Akbar Antony, Do Anjaane, Muqaddar Ka Sikander... After that I stopped watching films for a while. Half my friends had turned into him. I didnt want to be Mr Bachchan, I just wanted to play his screen avatars. Once, during a family row, I twitched my jaw the way he did on screen and was embarrassed," he recalls.
Bachchan plays Deepika Padukone's dad in the film and the father-daughter relationship has a 'lifelike quality to it. It is not really a love story but for Irrfan's character it is one. "It's about two people who never imagine they'll fall in love but are drawn to each other. Sometimes they feel the pull, sometimes they don't. The emotions are delicate... madhur...natural," he smiles.
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