Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist is slated for May 10 release.
Highlights
- Filmmaker Mira Nair says she decided to adapt Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist, about post 9/11 world, for her son who is growing up and looking for a place to call home.
- The director, who has successfully in the past made movies on books like Vanity Fair and The Namesake, says her latest film was also inspired by her trip to Lahore in 2005.
- Hamid's book depicts the story of Pakistani-American Changez, a young man chasing corporate success on the Wall Street. But his world is changed post September 2011 tragedy in America where he finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his homeland.
- "I made this movie for my son, who is turning 21 and is looking for a place to call home. Post 9/11 so much has changed in New York that it does not give you that homely feeling which it did before. I wanted to make this story for him to lift the illusion that grass is greener on the other side. I wanted to show both the side intelligently," Nair said during the Penguin Books India Spring Fever festival.
- The 55-year-old director says her film, starring Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber and Bollywood veterans like Om Puri and Shabana Azmi, also tries to present a contemporary Pakistan which is something more than what newspaper headlines say.
- "My inspiration to make the movie came when I first visited Lahore in 2005. It was a fantastically moving experience and I wanted to make a contemporary take on Pakistan, which we never hear. All we read about Pakistan in the newspapers are the drones, the be-headings, assassinations.
- "May be that is true but the heart beat is never there. I read Mohsin's book and craved to make that dialogue between America. I know these both worlds and we have never heard our side of the story but only America's."
- Nair also spoke about her much loved but stalled adaptation of Shantaram, whose rights are with Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp.
- "Would love to make Shantaram... Everything is ready but the owner is Johnny Depp as he has the rights to the novel. So whenever he gets free from making 'Pirates of the Caribbean 17' and still has the interest in making the film we shall work.
- On being asked if Depp is coming to India, she said, "There is some truth to that story".
- Mira Nair currently has her hands full with the stage play of Monsoon Wedding.
- "We have recorded 7 songs, four more are left. It is exciting to make a musical. I won't be acting in it but just directing. I will start shooting in September and it will open in May 2014. I am excited to take on this new experience of directing. I am nervous but I love taking crazy risks."
- The Reluctant Fundamentalist will release on May 10. Nair is currently in India to celebrate the 25 years of her debut film Salaam Bombay, which is being re-released.
Filmmaker Mira Nair says shedecided to adapt Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid's novel
The Reluctant Fundamentalist, about post 9/11 world, for her sonwho is growing up and looking for a place to call home.
The director, who has successfully in the past mademovies on books like
Vanity Fair and
The Namesake, saysher latest film was also inspired by her trip to Lahore in2005.
Hamid's book depicts the story of Pakistani-AmericanChangez, a young man chasing corporate success on the WallStreet. But his world is changed post September 2011 tragedyin America where he finds himself embroiled in a conflictbetween his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduringcall of his homeland.
"I made this movie for my son, who is turning 21 and islooking for a place to call home. Post 9/11 so much haschanged in New York that it does not give you that homelyfeeling which it did before. I wanted to make this story forhim to lift the illusion that grass is greener on the otherside. I wanted to show both the side intelligently," Nair saidduring the Penguin Books India Spring Fever festival.
The 55-year-old director says her film, starring RizAhmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber and Bollywood veterans likeOm Puri and Shabana Azmi, also tries to present a contemporaryPakistan which is something more than what newspaper headlinessay.
"My inspiration to make the movie came when I firstvisited Lahore in 2005. It was a fantastically movingexperience and I wanted to make a contemporary take onPakistan, which we never hear. All we read about Pakistan inthe newspapers are the drones, the be-headings,assassinations.
"May be that is true but the heart beat is never there. Iread Mohsin's book and craved to make that dialogue betweenAmerica. I know these both worlds and we have never heard ourside of the story but only America's."
Nair also spoke about her much loved but stalledadaptation of Shantaram, whose rights are with Hollywoodsuperstar Johnny Depp.
"Would love to make Shantaram... Everything is ready butthe owner is Johnny Depp as he has the rights to the novel. Sowhenever he gets free from making 'Pirates of the Caribbean17' and still has the interest in making the film we shallwork.
On being asked if Depp is coming to India, she said,"There is some truth to that story".
Mira Nair currently has her hands full with the stage play of
Monsoon Wedding.
"We have recorded 7 songs, four more are left. It isexciting to make a musical. I won't be acting in it but justdirecting. I will start shooting in September and it will openin May 2014. I am excited to take on this new experience ofdirecting. I am nervous but I love taking crazy risks."
The Reluctant Fundamentalist will release on May 10. Nairis currently in India to celebrate the 25 years of her debutfilm
Salaam Bombay, which is being re-released.