THIS WEEK HAS BEEN CRAZY FOR ME; I’M OVERWHELMED: HARSHDEEP
One of the most iconic films to have come out of Hollywood is set to get its desi version. We ask who could play the warrior
Shreya Mukherjee & Yashika Mathur
Fans of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and the Kill Bill movies would soon see The Bride aka Black Mamba (played by Uma Thurman) in an Indian avatar.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) is one of the biggest cult films to have come out of Hollywood, and The Bride, an avenging warrior with an unbeatable sword, is one of the most iconic characters in film history. Now that Bollywood actor-producer Nikhil Dwivedi has acquired the rights to remake Kill Bill — the sequel, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, was released in 2004 — the question is: which female actor in Bollywood can truly do justice to that yellow suit, the Samurai sword, and the steely glare perfected by Uma Thurman?
A casting announcement hasn’t been made yet, but we spoke to Bollywood filmmakers and action directors about which actor(s) they think would suit the part.
Remo D’Souza, choreographer and director of Anybody Can Dance (2013), ABCD2 (2015) and Race 3
“I think Priyanka Chopra will be right for the part. She is fit and has the right attitude. Katrina Kaif would also be able to pull off the character, I think. It’s such a wonderful film and the transformation of The Bride, played by Uma Thurman, is amazing.” Sham Kaushal, action director, known for his work in films such as Black Friday (2004), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Kaminey (2009), Krrish 3 (2013), and PK (2014) “Actors these days are focused on their fitness and leave no stone unturned to get into the skin of the character. So I think, anyone who has the agility and mental strength can portray Uma Thurman’s role. The female actors and Aamir Khan learned kushti (wrestling) for Dangal (2016). Tom Cruise also learned how to fly a helicopter for Mission: Impossible – Fallout. So, anyone ready to undergo the training for such a part can play it well.”
Allan Amin, action director, who has worked on the stunts for Dishoom, Mirzya, Force 2 (all 2016), Sarkar 3 and Ittefaq (both 2017)
Singer Harshdeep Kaur’s soothing numbers such as Ik Onkar (Rang De Basanti, 2006), Kabira (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2013) and Dilbaro (Raazi, 2018) might be her signature, but she has never stuck to any one genre of music.
Among the busiest playback singers nowadays, Harshdeep has had five songs releasing in a span of just one week. She tells us, “I love being busy, and this week has been crazy for me. I’m overwhelmed and overjoyed. The feeling of a new song releasing... it’s something else.”
The 31-year-old has sung for Manmarziyaan, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, and Vicky Kaushal, and for Sonakshi Sinha’s Happy Phirr Bhaag Jaayegi.
In an industry like Bollywood, where competition is cut-throat, does the singer prefer to take it slow? Harshdeep says, “I’ve never been greedy about [getting] songs, and don’t focus on quantity. Even if I sing very few songs, they should have quality. I always keep this in mind, that even when I listen to my songs 20 years down the line, I should be able to say, ‘Achha kaam kiya.’”
But isn’t it tough to turn down offers? “There must be a solid reason to say ‘no’. I avoid singing songs if I feel its lyrics are derogatory or vulgar in any way. I always listen to the lyrics first, and they should be fit [for] the future generation. My songs should always be ones that the entire family can sit together and hear. That’s very important. Also, the composition of the song should suit my voice,” says Harshdeep.