Noted actor Adil Hussain talks with Subhash K Jha about his film Mukti Bhawan (Hotel Salvation), which he lists as one of his best, and what’s coming up next.
One of your best works Mukti Bhawan Is 8 years old now?
Mukti Bhawan is one of those movies I think which will never get old. For me, eight years, every time I see this movie, I feel it has a universal appeal. And it doesn’t age. The colour and the technique may get old after a hundred years. I don’t know.
How did he do that?
It’s almost like a miracle for me. It also played a very important role in my understanding of death which, I had a great fascination about what happens after death. And also the fact that it also established me internationally in the art house film world as a dependable actor across the globe. And it makes me feel very proud that I’m part of this amazing, beautiful, gentle storytelling. And I’m very, very glad that you’re asking that you’re asking me about it.
Where do you place Mukti Bhawan in your oeuvre?
I keep it in my top five, I would say. It’s in the top five of my films. Don’t ask me the rest of the four because that will upset a few of my friend directors. I think it is, yeah, in the top five for sure.
Doesn’t it anger you that the film didn’t get the commercial success it deserved?
I don’t get angry, but I get a bit sad. Like, oh, these are such wonderful films that people did not get to see. And so many people haven’t seen the films. These films, 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 of them, that, you know, I consider them… Which were really worthy of my work and time. And hopefully, I was worthy of the film as well. So, I feel sad that these films… But people are watching it. And not as many people as I would wish could have watched.
What are you working on next?
Yes. I just finished a film called The Secret of the Mountain Serpent. The film is produced and funded by the Venice Film Festival. Then, a film directed by Nidhi Saxena. I play the male lead. It’s a story based on folklore in the Garhwal district in Uttarakhand. And this is going to be premiered in Venice this year. It’s an independent film. Art house film. The other film which I’m about to do and go shoot is in the UK. Directed by Wanphrang Diengdoh, who directed a film called Lorni with me in the lead.
