Second thoughts come naturally to actor Randeep Hooda. "Actually, Drena de Niro's film, tentatively tited Karma Confession & Holy isn't my first international assignment. Monsoon Wedding was. And we all know it remains, to this day, the most successful Indian film abroad. Hopefully, this one too will cause a ripple."
Randeep has been down with the flu. He's just surfacing. "I went to Rohtak and fell ill. Now, back in Mumbai, it's raining, which is probably why the flu is taking time to fly."
Randeep's first international film ("It isn't a Hollywood film but an independent production") is being co-produced by Robert de Niro's daughter and her company Rapture Films. "Drena 's also acting in it. Just the thought of meeting her dad makes me go weak in the knees. That's my biggest incentive for doing this film," he says. "Her dad and I studied the same method of acting, though he believes in changing appearances for character and I don't. Here, we can't afford to do so. I just want to go up to him and say, 'Bob, I've been watching your films since childhood.'"
The film is being shot in New York. "The main protagonists are Sushmita and I. It's about five or six relationships and their inherent problems, but Sush and I are the catalysts," he says. I ask if Randeep and Sush were a package deal. "Are you insulting me or her?" he shoots back. "Actually they approached me first. I couldn't do it that point of time because my dates were with Ram Gopal Varma for Shock. They then approached Sushmita. Now, Shock has gone out of my hands, so I was able to do the film. Sush and I aren't a package deal. But that we're cast together is a bonus for both of us. So fate is filled with strange coincidences. If Shock was on, I wouldn't have done this one."
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The cast comprises Americans, Indians and Indian-Americans. "It will represent the multi-culturalism in America. It will take me two days to acquire an American accent. I went to Australia and acquired a very sick accent. I've always been very observant from childhood."
Randeep is very proud of his performance with D. "I didn't get carried away. It's very important to keep your head on your shoulders, which is why I stay away from flatterers. In fact I generally stay by myself, period. I've got friends, but not those I interact with from day to day."
The actor wants to try out the whole spectrum of roles. "My mind is a seething playfield of ideas, thoughts and emotions. That is both confining and liberating. I can't restrict myself to one role or character. I did the gangster in D. I can't play the same role again at least, not for a while. That is why I'm looking forward to Drena's film."
The producer had made a shortlist of eligible actors from India. "I'm sure Monsoon Wedding swung the decision in my favour. After it, I got a lot of fan mail from audiences of all nationalities. They turned spiteful when I couldn't reply. I guess I'm learning to be more accessible. I'm still not comfortable with crowds, but I'll have to learn to cope with the demands on my attention."
Randeep intends to sign more international projects. "I want to experiment with genres and languages. There're so many aspects of me I want to share with the world. I don't want to be a serious actor! You think, comedy is a joke? I want to do a comedy film. It comes naturally to me. I've done a lot of comedy in theatre."
He's also on the verge of signing two Hindi films. And yes, he said no to Shyam Benegal's Carmen. "It was going to be shot in November and December in Rajasthan, and clashed with Shock. Carmen is Carmen, the ultimate musical! Who wouldn't want to do the legendary musical? I want to do roles with conflict. They're the only ones worth doing. I'm filled with theories on acting. Now I'm waiting to practice them."
Before leaving for the US, Randeep did one segment of Ram Gopal Varma's new 3-tiered horror tale Darna Zaroori Hai directed by Satya leading man Chakravarthy. "It really doesn't matter to me who directed it, or who starred opposite me. I did it for Ram Gopal Varma."
