Speaking with HT, Daniel Caltagirone discusses his collaboration with Vikram in Thangalaan. He also discusses his opinions on Tamil cinema and Indian culture.
With Pa Ranjith’s Thangalaan, Daniel Caltagirone is scheduled to make his Tamil film debut. The British actor gained notoriety for his parts in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie and the Oscar-winning picture The Pianist directed by Adrien Brody. He discusses his thoughts on Indian film, his collaborations with Vikram and Pa Ranjith, and more in an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times.
Daniel Caltagirone heaps praise on Pa Ranjith
Daniel responds, “I accepted a role without even reading the script because I had a long meeting with Pa Ranjith, the director,” when asked what was so special about the Thangalaan script that he chose to be in the movie. I observed both Vikram’s and his job after we met. The issue was that the original screenplay was written in Tamil, therefore I knew that translating it into English would completely ruin the story’s depth
But for the first time in my professional life, I decided to go headfirst into a project because I had complete trust in the director, who was gifted. I started my voyage by making things up as I went along using the scene summaries that Pa Ranjith gave me. His vision for this film persuaded me to undertake it. I believe that the English version would not do credit to the richness of Tamil, one of the oldest and most beautiful languages in the world, because there is sometimes a loss in translation when translating from one language to another. I thus placed my trust in Ranjith, knowing that he would fulfill all of his promises. I got interested in the project in this way.
Daniel Caltagirone on cliché English characters
The actor responds, “The story is set in the late 1800s-1890s, during the declining years of the colonial period,” when asked about his early research for Thangalaan, which is set against the backdrop of the colonial era. To keep the focus on the movie, I won’t tell who the real person is that inspired Clement’s portrayal. The figure was approached in a novel way, with the goal of creating a legendary and mystical image that was based in reality yet had fantasy aspects. I had to set aside my beliefs in order to give a performance that, while appearing out of place in a naturalistic setting, suited the movie’s universe better.
Additionally, he says, “Ranjith was consulted for research.” But he told me to forget about it all and concentrate on the real meaning of the narrative. Neither of us wanted to write a stereotypically English character. We wanted to give it depth and emotional complexity instead of the one-dimensional English character that is usually presented in Indian films because it was a parallel lead to Vikram. It was thrilling to be a part of this process since Ranjith had a novel and ground-breaking concept. He took a different tack when it came to playing English characters in Indian movies, trying to give them complex, meaningful parts.
Daniel Caltagirone on intense action scenes in Thangalaan
Daniel says, “My experience was that it was one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever done, but also one of the most special because it was for an extraordinary film,” while discussing his working experience in the Tamil film business as opposed to Hollywood. Bollywood is a common association with India, but the country is much more than that. I consider myself fortunate to be a part of the growing prominence that the Tamil cinema industry is receiving in India. The new scenario is amazing and quite visceral, especially when viewed from a purely Western viewpoint. I’ve never done anything like that before, and it was a challenging experience. Thankfully, Vikram, Parvathy, and Malavika were all diligent and encouraging co-stars.
He continues, “I think the movie will be amazing, and I hope people enjoy it as much as we did because we gave it our all.” I don’t think there are many differences between Tamil cinema and Western cinema. It was a novel experience for me to be a part of something greater than just a performance in Tamil cinema; the team truly felt like a family. In addition, the working procedures were different, and I was able to perform stunts and other things that I would not have been permitted to in the West. Despite the high physical and psychological demands of the shoot, we received excellent care and courteous treatment. It is on the verge of becoming the largest film industry in the world, if not already by the numbers.”
“The only thing missing is that the Indian film industry is more India-centric, unlike Hollywood, which is more international,” the actor continues. Nonetheless, Pa Ranjith has somewhat altered the dynamic by placing me as a parallel lead. The colonialism motif is still there, but maybe more Western actors will appear in Indian films because of my character and its relevance. Indian films will be unstoppable if it occurs. My only concern is that you could make the same error we made and give up control of our theater to streaming providers. It might degrade the caliber of your movies.
I adore India because everyone loves to go to the movies, and the theaters are always full. But instead of making movies for television, producers need to develop movies for the big screen. Shows belong on television. You will realize that Thangalaan is a movie that belongs on the large screen when you watch it.
Daniel Caltagirone lauds SS Rajamouli and RRR
Daniel responds, “I’ve been interacting with Vikram every day, and I still am,” when asked about his working relationship with Vikram as well as his favorite Indian actor and film. I have so much affection for him, and he has become a buddy. He’s a fantastic actor as well as a fantastic man. Though I may be prejudiced, I have to admit that Vikram—as well as Pasupathy in a different capacity—and of course Parvathy (Thiruvothu) and Malavika (Mohanan) are my favorite Indian actors. I’ve seen some Indian movies, but I’m not an expert. RRR is something I’ve seen, but it’s not the whole story. I believe that Ranjith and SS Rajamouli are two very distinct directors. but I still enjoy his movies immensely. Ranjith is more of a social commentator. The fact that RRR made a jump into the West says a lot about Indian films. Every time I watch an Indian film, it’s always the same incredible energy; it’s just infectious.”
