Entertainer Jimmy Jean-Louis, hailing from Haiti, has made his Indian cinema debut with this film, and remarkably, it’s a Malayalam production. Ibrahim Khadiri, the local who assists Najeeb, the Malayali immigrant worker, on his voyage through Saudi Arabia, and Jimmy, a Frenchman, appear in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s The Goat Life (Aadujeevitham).
For what reason did you decide to work on this specific, quite distinctive Indian film? You knew that Indian films went beyond Bollywood, right?
Every Indian film that I saw was a Bollywood film, as you are well aware. I was a little confused and had some questions when this assignment was presented to me. Following my receipt of the script, I did some investigation into the film’s producers. It was comparable to a national and perhaps regional superstar, I realized. Moreover, it was astonishing to learn that Najeeb was still alive and to read his incredible narrative. Immediately, I wanted to do it! Shooting at Timimoun, in the Sahara Desert, and Wadi Rum, in Jordan, was another very alluring aspect. It was an incredible experience. Naturally, I did not have the same length of trip on this picture as either Prithviraj or director Blessy did; for me, it was only a few months.
With regard to the character and the movie itself, what did you find most difficult?
Indian movies are from such a distinct culture that I found it difficult to understand what was going on, which is one aspect about which perhaps too much should be said. Most of the time, it wasn’t as obvious what was going to happen today, tomorrow, or next week; instead, it wasn’t scripted on paper. Actually, it was quite difficult since it was so fluid. I was able to set myself apart, though, and embrace the fact that making movies and doing business were not the same as mine. We had sandstorms, which are difficult to film in, so it was quite challenging. It’s manageable yet a little difficult in that setting because I had to physically carry Prithviraj throughout the movie. Arabic is a language I also had to learn.
Working with other foreign actors would have been an experience for you. Prithviraj is an actor; what do you think of him?
I approach an actor as an actor at this point because I’ve worked with a variety of actors in a variety of markets (France, the US). How do you respond, exactly, when someone says “action”? You can see an actor there, truly, and not just from the background noise. The professionalism and dedication he demonstrated really impressed me. Prithviraj was already performing at the peak of his game, so he didn’t really need to lose 31 kg for this part. It therefore speaks volumes about the performer’s ability to do that. You can tell right away that you’re working with someone who is not your average actor and is doing the job to be seen or to become famous because of the years he spent filming in the worst conditions in a desert. Given the abundance of actors in India, the film industry is a very competitive business. It is because some qualities enable one to go to the top if one manages to do so. Like Bradley Cooper or Harrison Ford, who are merely comparable actors from different regions, he was a top actor, in my opinion.
What do you say about the French dubbing and distribution of The Goat Life?
I believe that the film is universally relatable and ought to include subtitles or dubbing in every language. This film is something that any human being will enjoy. There are situations when understanding what is happening visually requires no language at all. The emotional connection is extremely simple to comprehend. Given its widespread distribution, I believe we should watch this film in as many markets and languages as possible.