Thaindian News

Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) Harvey Keitel, known for his roles in films like “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”, recently finished a two-month shoot in India for his first Indian film “Against Itself”. The film deals with religious violence and the American actor says he liked the concept so much that he agreed to work in it.

“It was the story that made me say yes to do this film. It is about dealing with rigidity of thought and cultivating open mindedness, which strikes an universal chord. There have always been wars on rigidity and the thinking, ‘do it my way or don’t do it’. This is a story that should be told again and again in every generation and across cultures,” Keitel told IANS.

The film, traces the relationship of a young boy in a boarding school and his secular, expatriate, American teacher in India who struggles against a tide of anti-Christian sentiment that threatens his students, his school and his life.

“Against Itself” is produced by Sanjay Singh who co-produced director Vikramaditya Motwane’s “Udaan”. It is written and directed by Kranti Kanade.

The 71-year-old had a great time shooting in India, especially in Panchgani.

“We had a young, energetic crew. Ayush (Khedekar, from ‘Slumdog Millionaire’) is a lovely boy and a good actor. I admire him a lot. The crew was incredible and everyone did a great job. It wasn’t very different from Hollywood. I’ve shot in many places around the world, so the climate was not really a challenge. It can also get really hot in America,” expressed Keitel.

“It was great shooting in Panchgani. Strawberries are my favourite and I must say the strawberries there were magnificent. I took strolls in the market and sometimes by myself. People go on journeys to experience and I was amazed to see that the cultures are so different. The weather was splendid and beauty of nature was amazing. I was glad the shooting was in Panchgani,” he added.

Keitel was approached by Sanjay Singh during a trip to Los Angeles last December.

“Harvey Keitel is a Hollywood legend. When I read the script, we were brainstorming about actors who could play this role — and all of us thought of Harvey. So we sent him the script, and to have him agree to do this film is a dream come true for us,” said Singh.