FAMILIAR WITH INDIAN CULTURE: MIKKELSEN

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen talks about his work and his association with India

Hollywood’s go-to villain, Mads Mikkelsen has played the lead antagonist in films such as Casino Royale (2006) and Doctor Strange (2016). He has also played the TV version of the cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter. The actor, who started out as a dancer and rose through the ranks to become one of the most popular faces in international cinema, talks to us about his journey so far. You started out as a dancer, so how did you find your passion for acting? I became a dancer by coincidence, and did it for nine years. Then I fell in love with drama as I started tilting towards the dramatic side of dancing. My parents weren’t artists, but we used to watch a lot of films. My father used to record radio theatre and we used to listen to that over and over again. The roles you play are diverse — a Bond villain to a cannibal to a teacher. How do you choose your roles? The stories are key here. If I find the story interesting, I will look at my part. If I find the part interesting, then I look at the director. If I can sense their vision that is a key signal for me to jump on a project. As an actor, I am the type who wants to explore different things. I do not like to limit myself; I fall in love with a lot. Does that mean we will see you in a Bollywood film soon? I am just waiting for an invitation. Right now, I have a moustache; I know that a lot of actors have moustaches in Bollywood films. So I guess I will be ready in a couple of weeks. I remember watching Indian films as a kid. Growing up I had an Indian friend named Adnan, and he was always watching Indian films, so I remember that vividly. Have you been to India?

Yes, I have been in Mumbai for a few weeks. We were shooting a Danish film there. I am very familiar with Indian culture so it was interesting for me to be there, but I would have loved to have a little bit of time in my own hand to explore the city. Your popular show completes five years. How do you look back at the journey? I look back at Hannibal (which airs on AXN) with a great deal of pride. Something that was really special and unique for the world of television. We got our way with a lot of things graphically and story-wise. They had four or five people in their mind and I was one of the people who auditioned for the role. The directors were divided on whether to make the character subtle or evil, and I convinced them that subtlety was what was needed.