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His upcoming film Mukti Bhawan received a standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival apart from being invited to reputed ones like Busan International Film Festival, Dubai, Sweden, Berlinale and Vesoul Film Festival. Mukti Bhawan is the story of a reluctant son who must take his father to Varanasi, where the latter wants to die and attain salvation. In an exclusive interview with Koimoi, lead actor Adil Hussain opens up on his experience of being a part of it…
It’s an archetypical role of all the fathers and sons of the world put together. The son and father are put in a dire situation where death is inevitable and the father emotionally blackmails the son to go with him to an alien place where people go to die. In that compact, compressed, condensed situation how two people— a father and his son, who naturally have differences, grudges against each other, introspect their relationship. The film has an ideal classic plot based in a lower-middle-class milieu— their ideas, thoughts and dreams. My character is full of conflicts. He doesn’t want to accompany his dad but is dutiful towards him and also has a soft corner for him.
Absolutely! It’s bizarre! At first, he refused to believe it, thinking his father was joking and then he understood that he was actually serious! This is the most bizarre request any son can ever get unless you are oriented like that— someone who believes in moksha, who worships regularly and considers it as normal to take his father to die in a holy city like Kashi. It is all the more difficult for a man belonging to the lower-middle-class, who works as an insurance clerk.
Death has always been one of my most important subjects of investigation ever since I was 32. I have read about death from different cultures— native South American, Buddhist, Indian etc. So, when the request came from one of my friends and the producer, and when I heard about the premise I instantly agreed without even reading the script. When I read the script, I was even more convinced that my intuition was correct, I behaved like a woman. (Laughs)
I don’t have any idea actually (Laughs). There is no chance of me facing it now because my father has passed away already. I would probably have pursued my father that ‘please dad give up this idea and stay at home. I’ll make sure that you get moksha’ (Laughs). If he would still be adamant then I’d probably assign someone to do the job saying, ‘go with this crazy man, he’ll get moksha by dying in Varanasi and it cannot happen here.’ Then I’d probably visit him once in a while because I can’t leave my work.
Was I? I didn’t see the film yet but I remember doing it! (Laughs)
This kind! Any day! It gave me so much opportunity, such avenues, doors and windows to access myself. Films like Commando 2, Force 2 or Robot 2 give me the resources to do this kind of films. I am grateful to them for looking after my financial need. Then I can devote time while earning way less for films like Mukti Bhawan or theatre.
I have shot one more film there. It was a British film called Feast of Varanasi. The city has always been very special for me because, in spite of all the dirt and filth and chaos, I still feel good there because of its vibration. It is considered to be the most ancient city of the world and not just one of the most. When I go there I feel at home. To be there and shoot, it’s a blessing.
A paranormal thriller film called Dobara will be releasing soon. Lisa Ray and I play husband and wife in the film. It’s a remake of a Hollywood paranormal thriller called Oculus. I am also there in Love Sonia, which is a very intense movie. Danny Denzongpa is making Rabindranath Tagore’s Kabuliwala in Hindi, where I play Mini’s father. I recently finished shooting for a Bengali movie, Maati in Kolkata. I am also doing a Norwegian film called What Will People Say. So I’ve got quite a lot of releases this year and all very good films. Not to forget, Robot 2 is coming in Diwali!
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