Talking about death is considered morbid, but Indian actor Adil Hussain finds it fascinating. So why would he ever turn down the chance to channel those intriguing existentialist questions into a film that explores death in all its complicated glory?
Enter Hotel Salvation, the Hindi drama out in Vox Cinemas at the Mall of the Emirates as a part of the independent films initiative entitled DIFF 365@VOX, from May 4 onwards.
“Even before I read the script, I said ‘yes’ because death has been an interesting subject to me since 1996. Nobody had died in my family, but my fascination towards death deals with questions of who, where, when, what and why — the five Ws, as we call it. I wanted to extend that question to my life too about where I am going, who am I, why am I here etc,” said Hussain in an interview with Gulf News tabloid!.
In Hotel Salvation, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani, Hussain plays Rajiv whose ageing father insists on travelling to Varanasi believing that his death is near.
Varanasi is considered a holy city among Hindus and there’s a belief that dying there would act as a catalyst in attaining salvation or moksha, taking you to heaven quicker. The dynamics that play out between the son and the father during their stay at a hotel there forms the crux of the drama.
“The role that I play in the film is a culmination of all the sons in this world. He’s an archetype of all those sons who harbour affection as well as resentment towards their father, unresolved grudges but at the same time he cannot forget the fact that his father played a part in his birth,” said Hussain.
But it could be child’s play for an actor of Hussain’s grit. The student of philosophy who is familiar with the likes of Sigmund Freud and Jean-Paul Sartre has a career that’s a mixed bag of independent features and blockbusters such as the Sri Devi-led Hindi drama English Vinglish, the political thriller The Reluctant Fundamentalist and the empowering drama Parched. He’s comfortable playing a flawed patriarchal husband in English Vinglish as well as a sagacious priest in Parched. But Hotel Salvation presented a rare opportunity for the actor. It explored death without any frills or fanfare, by a twenty-something director whose first film premiered at the 70th Venice International Film Festival and went on to win the Orizzonti Prize for Best Short Film.
“The father starts with the acceptance of death and says he doesn’t have any remorse. He feels his time is up and he’s ready. But my character was not sure that he was ready. But towards the end of the film, he feels he can let go. He can let go of the tiniest strings that are attached to people. It’s such an interesting premise,” said Hussain, who adds that the film approaches death in a pragmatic manner without trivialising it. The film, which premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival last year, also underlines the resilience of the human spirit and how quickly it can adapt to new twists in life.
“Within 100 minutes of the film they start believing that death is a normal thing and that it will eventually happen to everyone and it is time to find a way to deal with that dignity and respect rather than fearing the inevitable,” said Hussain.
Balance
The 53-year-old National School of Drama graduate is equally pragmatic when it comes to shaping his career. With every independent feature, there’s a commercially viable Bollywood film thrown into the mix of hit and misses. In his case, art and economics intermingle. Barring playing a police officer in a Bollywood film since those roles are grossly underwritten, Hussain is game to experiment.
“I have to balance my earnings as well. For films that go across the globe or at festivals, the budgets are little. It doesn’t pay your bills, so I need to compensate and do other projects,” said Hussain, who will soon be seen in Rajinikanth’s ambitious venture, Robot 2.o.
With no dynasty or acting clan to back him, this native of Assam is the poster boy for self-made heroes.
“There are personality actors and character actors. Character actors are those who like to mould their personalities as per the role and its idiosyncrasies. I don’t believe in changing the character in a film according to my personality… my career catalogue may seem schizophrenic, but hopefully there’s an underlying understanding behind all of it,” the actor said, adding that he wants to explore every personality that’s out there.
“Every human being is capable of being a Hitler or a Jesus Christ depending on the propensities and the choices you make,” he said. But does he ever feel like a misfit in Bollywood, that’s largely star-driven?
“I don’t expect people to understand me. I fit in because of the precise reason that I said: I try to fit into a role that I am given. I don’t know if I am understood or not. I don’t have any complaints because I knowingly came into this field where stars dominate the industry but at the same time, I am so lucky because I get offered many roles,” said Hussain. While he isn’t grudging of the entertainment industry dictated by big stars, he hopes for a world which is filled with crackling script writers.
“The Bollywood film industry should spent a lot of time and money on scripts. Scripting is the weakest part in that industry. They are not spending time or putting in resources towards it,” said Hussain. But change is becoming a constant, albeit slowly, in Hindi cinema.
“I am extremely happy that people are watching some meaningful films. Films like Dangal and Madras Cafe deal with issues of war and women empowerment… I hope the films become deeper and more nuanced.”
Don’t miss it!
Hotel Salvation is out in Vox Cinemas, Mall Of The Emirates, Cinema 9, as a part of DIFF@365 initiative to promote independent cinema.
Did you know?
Director Shubhashish Bhutiani won the Special Jury/Special Mention (feature film) for direction of Hotel Salvation at the 64th Indian National Film Awards.
QUOTE/UNQUOTE
Hussain on his hit role in English Vinglish:
“I played this innocent, ignorant husband who doesn’t realise that he’s obnoxious. I grew up with people like that and I would have become one of them had I not met some amazing human beings in my life. I didn’t know any better. My women friends keep telling me that you have to look at such men with compassion because their conditioning of patriarchy is so deep-rooted.”
