22 March,2021 07:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Uma Ramasubramanian
A still from the film
Almost nine years after Life of Pi (2012), Adil Hussain finds himself playing father to Suraj Sharma in The Illegal. But the actor insists the similarities between the two roles end there. "In Life of Pi, my character was shown as a strict father, but at the same time, he allowed his son to practice a different religion. They were separated due to a storm, but in The Illegal, the emotional storm is internalised by the father as he allows his son to go and fulfil his dream," says Hussain, adding that it was a joy to reunite with Sharma after the Ang Lee-directed gem. Having known Sharma's family for years, the senior actor says he has witnessed his evolution as an artiste. "He is an honest actor. In spite of living in a malicious world, he has retained his innocence and gullibility, which is a rare gift an actor can have."
The Illegal, written and directed by Danish Renzu, highlights the untold tale of the American Dream that many chase. Through Sharma's student character who aspires to be a filmmaker in the US, the movie reflects the harsh realities of young migrants who journey to America in search of a better life, but struggle to make ends meet. "I identify with the protagonist. I came from Assam to Delhi; it is not as far away as India and America, but I faced a problem with the language." Though the Amazon Prime Video offering did not make the final cut at the Oscars 2021, Hussain is proud that it was part of the Best Picture longlist. "Oscars is one of the biggest avenues for movies. It's great for the film to be even shortlisted."
