J Brandon Hill
The bad boy of Bollywood who has worked in over 20 films like Bunty Aur Babli, Desi Boyz, Agent Vinod, Dum Maaro Dum, Double Dhamaal, Raaz 2, Yaariyan and others, is back with his next film The Dark Secrets of Tonhi. He talks to SANGEETA YADAV about his role & how he landed in Bollywood
‘I’m used only for India-bashing’
Did you always dream of a Bollywood careerIJ
I was actively involved in theatre in America before coming to India in 2004. I had always wanted to visit India as a tourist. I had no plans to start a career here. One day, as I was walking on the streets of Colaba in Mumbai, I bumped into the director of Bunty aur Babli. He introduced himself and asked me to be a part of his upcoming film. I was stunned. I had no clue about how the film industry worked but I did know that deals were not done like this. But I went for the audition and to my utter surprise, I was selected for a cameo in the initial rounds. The director said he was fascinated with my beard and that I was a perfect fit for the role of a foreigner.
How has your journey panned outIJ
It’s been a roller-coaster ride full of surprises and rewards. It has been a great learning experience. From being a theatre actor to an actor in the film industry, it’s the biggest transition in my life.
Your thoughts on Mumbai.
Although there is so much new in this metropolis, still there is an old world charm to it. For me, Mumbai is like New York — it will take just one minute for you to either like or dislike it. There is no lingering feeling here.
How did working with biggies in Bollywood goIJ
When I met Abhishek Bachchan, he never made me feel that he is a superstar. He helped me a lot with his advice and friendly calls. When I was shooting for Crook with Emraan Hashmi, he always took time out to help me with dialogue delivery. He is a very down-to-earth person. We have done four films together but never shared screen space. I would love to work with him again and again.
Did you attend any acting workshop before foraying into the Bollywood industryIJ
No I didn’t. I am a spontaneous actor. Even when I started doing theatre, I didn’t feel the need to learn acting. The only thing I have ever done to hone up my skills is to read a book authored by Michal Chin on film-making. I find theatre a greater challenge than the big screen.
How comfortable are you with the Hindi languageIJ
Hindi will be a lifelong battle for me. I have taken up Hindi learning classes in Mussourie but there is still a long way to go. I am fine with the basics but the nitty grities are difficult. I need someone who can communicate with me in Hindi on a regular basis so that I get due practice.
The problem is that when people realise I’m a foreigner, they start speaking to me in English. I met a guy in Mussourie who started rattling off broken English that didn’t make sense. I don’t understand why people in India have this urge to impress people by speaking in English. Hindi is a beautiful language and they should be proud of their mother tongue. I would love to learn different languages in this country.
Do you ever feel stereotyped as a bad man of BollywoodIJ
It’s fun to be a bad guy on screen. I used to get roles which required me to talk rubbish about Indians and my sole job used to be to kill Indians. Most times, this would be enough for the viewers to hate me. But I would like to act in a romantic comedy one day.
Tell us about The Dark Secrets of TonhiIJ
I’m play the lead as an American doctor who comes to India to find out the reason why children from a remote village in Chhattisgarh were dying without any serious ailment. He is shocked to know that the tribe feels it is the witch Tonhi who is behind these untimely death.