Keeping to his reputation of choosing select, meaningful films and working at his own pace, Jimmy would now be seen in another `true-to-life' film, Umar, meaning age. In this film directed by Karan Razdan, Jimmy plays the central character and accompanying him are "three old men", played by Prem Chopra, Kadar Khan and Satish Kaushik. While Sharnaz plays his love interest.
Brush with reality
The film that releases this Friday, is for Jimmy, a brush with every day reality and so will it be for many who go to watch it, he says. "The story of the film is based in London. I play an orphan graduate from Mumbai who goes to London on a scholarship. He is not only doing a part-time job there but also some community service.
It is here that he happens to meet the three old men, one Hindu (played by Prem Chopra) one Muslim (played by Kadar Khan) and one Sikh played by (Satish Kaushik). Somewhere he strikes a chord with them and finds in them, his family.
The old men start to think of him as their son, or rather the kind of son they aspire for and they join him `in his cause'. While helping him in this `cause', they start finding a meaning in their lives. And this `cause' is the suspense of the film," the actor summarises.
The film, Jimmy clarifies, has nothing to do with any community or religion. It is about life and its truth, which we ignore too often. For the first time, the film has the old age homes as a background. It subtly hints at the relationship of parents and children. How with great care parents rear their children and how these children start ignoring them when they grow old.
But "these things are not conveyed through any melodrama, preaching or high-end scenes. These are told in a very light-hearted manner. Take for instance, the three old men despite being unhappy, don't brood. They laugh at themselves and take life casually. " says Jimmy who says he has a line-up of eight releases this year.
In Deepak Tijori's Tom Dick and Harry, a film on three boys who are deaf, dumb and blind, Jimmy plays the mute guy. In Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya, which features Amitabh Bachchan, he plays a member of the royal familyand in Naseeruddin Shah's Yun Hota To Kya Hota, he plays "an interesting role" opposite Konkona Sen Sharma.
By Rana Siddiqui
Copyright © 2006, The Hindu
March 16, 2006
INDIA: Umar - Adding Meaning To Ageing
Adding meaning to ageing
Jimmy Shergill would provide some food for thought through his role in "Umar" releasing this week, feels Rana Siddiqui
NEW DELHI (The Hindu), March 16, 2006:
The artist in Jimmy Shergill never yearns for roles that make him a super star. Rather he prefers those parts that can establish him as an actor. His choice of Yahaan by Shoojit Sircar that won the Critic's Award at the Osian Film Festival, and around 14 nominations in the Screen Awards, is a case in point. His first Punjabi film Yara Naal Bahara opposite Juhi Babbar got, so far the grandest opening in Punjab.
Keeping to his reputation of choosing select, meaningful films and working at his own pace, Jimmy would now be seen in another `true-to-life' film, Umar, meaning age. In this film directed by Karan Razdan, Jimmy plays the central character and accompanying him are "three old men", played by Prem Chopra, Kadar Khan and Satish Kaushik. While Sharnaz plays his love interest.
Brush with reality
The film that releases this Friday, is for Jimmy, a brush with every day reality and so will it be for many who go to watch it, he says. "The story of the film is based in London. I play an orphan graduate from Mumbai who goes to London on a scholarship. He is not only doing a part-time job there but also some community service.
It is here that he happens to meet the three old men, one Hindu (played by Prem Chopra) one Muslim (played by Kadar Khan) and one Sikh played by (Satish Kaushik). Somewhere he strikes a chord with them and finds in them, his family.
The old men start to think of him as their son, or rather the kind of son they aspire for and they join him `in his cause'. While helping him in this `cause', they start finding a meaning in their lives. And this `cause' is the suspense of the film," the actor summarises.
The film, Jimmy clarifies, has nothing to do with any community or religion. It is about life and its truth, which we ignore too often. For the first time, the film has the old age homes as a background. It subtly hints at the relationship of parents and children. How with great care parents rear their children and how these children start ignoring them when they grow old.
But "these things are not conveyed through any melodrama, preaching or high-end scenes. These are told in a very light-hearted manner. Take for instance, the three old men despite being unhappy, don't brood. They laugh at themselves and take life casually. " says Jimmy who says he has a line-up of eight releases this year.
In Deepak Tijori's Tom Dick and Harry, a film on three boys who are deaf, dumb and blind, Jimmy plays the mute guy. In Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya, which features Amitabh Bachchan, he plays a member of the royal familyand in Naseeruddin Shah's Yun Hota To Kya Hota, he plays "an interesting role" opposite Konkona Sen Sharma.
By Rana Siddiqui
Copyright © 2006, The Hindu
Keeping to his reputation of choosing select, meaningful films and working at his own pace, Jimmy would now be seen in another `true-to-life' film, Umar, meaning age. In this film directed by Karan Razdan, Jimmy plays the central character and accompanying him are "three old men", played by Prem Chopra, Kadar Khan and Satish Kaushik. While Sharnaz plays his love interest.
Brush with reality
The film that releases this Friday, is for Jimmy, a brush with every day reality and so will it be for many who go to watch it, he says. "The story of the film is based in London. I play an orphan graduate from Mumbai who goes to London on a scholarship. He is not only doing a part-time job there but also some community service.
It is here that he happens to meet the three old men, one Hindu (played by Prem Chopra) one Muslim (played by Kadar Khan) and one Sikh played by (Satish Kaushik). Somewhere he strikes a chord with them and finds in them, his family.
The old men start to think of him as their son, or rather the kind of son they aspire for and they join him `in his cause'. While helping him in this `cause', they start finding a meaning in their lives. And this `cause' is the suspense of the film," the actor summarises.
The film, Jimmy clarifies, has nothing to do with any community or religion. It is about life and its truth, which we ignore too often. For the first time, the film has the old age homes as a background. It subtly hints at the relationship of parents and children. How with great care parents rear their children and how these children start ignoring them when they grow old.
But "these things are not conveyed through any melodrama, preaching or high-end scenes. These are told in a very light-hearted manner. Take for instance, the three old men despite being unhappy, don't brood. They laugh at themselves and take life casually. " says Jimmy who says he has a line-up of eight releases this year.
In Deepak Tijori's Tom Dick and Harry, a film on three boys who are deaf, dumb and blind, Jimmy plays the mute guy. In Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya, which features Amitabh Bachchan, he plays a member of the royal familyand in Naseeruddin Shah's Yun Hota To Kya Hota, he plays "an interesting role" opposite Konkona Sen Sharma.
By Rana Siddiqui
Copyright © 2006, The Hindu
