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Journalism of Courage
Frieda Pinto talks about Miral that was screened at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival and her future projects.
After winning accolades for her impressive performance as Latika in Danny Boyles Slumdog Millionaire,Indian-born Frieda Pinto essayed the title role in Julian Schanabels Miral a roadside flower.
Frieda says that it was a satisfying experience to play the Miral as it is a simple yet beautiful human story. She feels that the film should be seen by people across the globe. I was given this opportunity to be a part of a film that was promoting peace. In a world where there is so much conflict around,there has to be something that gives hope to people. And Miral is all about that, she says,adding that while the unit was working on the film,they were told that it wasnt going to be an easy project. It was going to be challenging. But that is what life is all about. You have to stand,take up a challenge and try and do the best you can in the given circumstances. And that was Miral for me, smiles the young actress,who knew that the film would be mired in controversy even before she signed it.
She admits that Miral has got a mixed response wherever it has been screened. But I feel that you cannot do much about a film where people get so much involved in politics that one cant detach himself from it.
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It is a topic that is definitely going to come up. You cannot win the politics but you can win with a human story. Which is why when we were filming,we decided to keep politics out of it and concentrate more on the human angle because that was really more important. Thats something which is missing in todays world. Yes,there have been controversies but we are still going strong, she affirms.
Freida did extensive research to play the role of a Palestinian young girl convincingly. She went to Israel a month and a half before the shoot began. She visited a lot of refugee camps and met people. She even went to the orphanage where Rula grew up. She walked around the old city of Jerusalem and stayed with a Palestinian family to master the Arabic accent. Moreover,she kept learning about Rulas life as the author was with her during her endeavour. Talking about Rula,Freida,says that they share the same energy and conviction and believe in what is the best for the world,in general. They also share the view that everybody should be educated as it leads the way to a good life. Miral is entirely about Rula. Being with her during the shoot,I realised that she is very inspirational and never scared to speak her mind. What is great is that she does it with great dignity and not aggressively, beams the actress who seems to have found a good friend in Rula.
It was easy for the 24-year-old Freida to play a 17-year-old in Miral. She revisited those days when she was a teenager herself and found it easy to relate to her character. The child in me has not really died. I think the defiance that Miral has at 16-17 years is pretty much similar to what I had when I was of that age. But of course,then it was a different subject. Though I was not fighting with my father about politics,it was definitely about other things. I would even reprimand people on the streets. At that time,I never knew that there was another way of doing it instead of yelling at them. It could be done nicely too and that is what I learnt over a period of time. When you are younger,you do all these kind of naive things, smiles the actress who hates to talk about her personal life but is full of spirit when it comes to work.
Frieda,who was in Abu Dhabi for the screening of Miral,was happy with the kind of response that the film garnered. However,she says it is team work that matters the most. The film has been getting the kind of response that we have been hoping to get. We want people to come out in the open and react to it,whether it is for or against it,doesnt really matter. We want people to have an opinion,be able to voice it without picking up a gun. With a medium like cinema,people should be encouraged to talk about their feelings about certain issues. However,Miral may not have done well but it has not disappointed any of us,states Freida,who is busy working on Immortals,a fantasy-action-drama film,directed by Tarsem Singh. The Indian actress plays Phaedra,an oracle,and shares screen space with Henry Cavill and Mickey Rourke. It will be released in 3D.
Things seem to be looking up for the petite actress who has quite a few films in her kitty. She will be seen in Rise of the Apes,a sci-fi film directed by Rupert Wyatt that will hit the screens next year. She is also part of The Black Thirst,directed by acclaimed French filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Her latest film,You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,opened in America recently. Written and directed by noted actor and director Woody Allen,the film also stars Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins and has Freida playing a musicologist. Though she doesnt know how the movie is faring at the box-office,she states working with Allen was a wonderful experience.
Woody doesnt express too much but we would understand what he was trying to say. He lets you play around with the script and scenes as he doesnt want it to look rehearsed. He is clear about what he wants yet he gives a free hand to his actors thus raising their confidence levels, she states proudly.
One might wonder that we will see Freida in many Hindi projects but quiz her about it and she says nonchalantly,Whenever they happen.
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