Neha Dhupia reveals '52 Blue' is her most 'de-glamorized' role
What's the story
Neha Dhupia's debut international film, 52 Blue, will open the 17th London Indian Film Festival with its European premiere at the British Film Institute Southbank on Thursday, July 9. Directed by Egyptian filmmaker Ali El Arabi, the film tells the story of Ashish (Yadav Shashidhar), a young man from Kerala who dreams of meeting his idol Lionel Messi at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Dhupia, who plays Ashish's mother, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India about her casting.
Casting insights
'I always hoped I'd get this chance': Dhupia
Dhupia said, "Ali visualized me as a woman from Kerala, completely living this rural life, completely de-glamorized and had a vision for me that I didn't have for myself." "After all these years, it's so difficult to break that. This is something I've been fighting for over 20 years, starting from my first film." "I always hoped I'd get this chance."
Filming challenges
'Stepping inside those marshy kind of spaces...'
The filming of 52 Blue was a unique experience for Dhupia, both physically and creatively. The production used blue light, which required early morning makeup calls at 1:30am and shooting until the afternoon. Much of the filming took place on water, with Dhupia and her co-stars on a small boat while the crew operated from a distance. She revealed, "Stepping inside those marshy kind of spaces was something I had never done."
Co-star collaboration
On working with Adil Hussain for the 1st time
Dhupia also shared her experience of working with Adil Hussain for the first time. She said, "He's so easy to work with - he knows it all, but at the same time he's not imposing; he gives you the option." "It was like going back to school and getting paid for it." Hussain encouraged her to approach the character on her own terms, without mirroring his choices. Meanwhile, Dhupia also has an upcoming project for Netflix in the pipeline.