I knew people are familiar with Fauda in India, but not to this extent
This is his maiden visit to India, actor Tsahi Halevi tells us as we catch up for a chat. His stint in the global hit show Fauda has also got him desi fans. “My trip was quite short, but it was interesting to hear thoughts about it. I knew Fauda is quite familiar here, but not to this extent. It has had a big impact. The day I reached Mumbai, I went to the Taj Mahal Hotel to see what happened in 2008, then to Leopold Café. I was stopped by people who wanted to take photos. It was surprising,” says the 47-year-old.
Does he attribute this to the OTT boom, which particularly happened during the pandemic? Halevi agrees and says, “The show came out in 2015 when OTT platforms started purchasing international content. Now they not only purchase, but also produce. I suppose this supports so much international content.”
He adds, “During the pandemic, we were stuck at home, and what could we do than just watch a series. There was a big demand for content. This is also why I want a coproduction between Israel and India, which has such a vast industry. In Israel, there is a lot of good storytelling, it will be interesting to explore it.”
This is why the actorproducer-singer met with Indian celebs such as actor Anupam Kher and directors Imtiaz Ali, and Vivek Agnihotri. Halevi also managed to watch The Kashmir Files. What does he feel about the way Israel is depicted in international cinema, akin to the way India is depicted in films such as Slumdog Millionaire (2008)?
“The most knowledge we get about Israel is what comes from the news. It doesn’t give you the full picture, as news is always black or white. The way we see India in films, that is not India, it is just a small piece of the puzzle. The same goes for Israel. Mostly it touches upon a certain issue. If anyone wants to know what happens, visit Israel, speak to people to get so much info, as I did in India,” he says.