Pierce Brosnan,

Film-maker Mohit Ramchandani has been recently in the news for having cast Pierce Brosnan and his son, Sean, in his film titled Bonded. The film follows a Mexican teenager named Jesus who, after the death of his mother, is sold by his father and smuggled into America, where hes forced to work as a bonded slave labourer in a Los Angeles sweatshop. While imprisoned there, he befriends a young woman named Elena. But when she is claimed by a sex trafficker, Jesus makes a daring escape in order to rescue her. Excerpts from an interview with Ramchandani on his film, Indian connection and more:

Could you talk about your Indian connection?
I was born in Mumbai and grew up in Hong Kong and London. I would visit India almost every summer and winter since I have a lot of family there. My parents were quite traditional and that meant my experience at home was as if I grew up in India. Id say that my real connection to India is to the vast knowledge and wisdom about the inner arts that has come from our country. Today people are impressed by Indias economy and explosion of wealth. But I am more impressed by the Bhagavad Gita, yoga and meditation.

What prompted you to join the film industry?
I had few friends while growing up and movies were a way for me to escape what I perceived to be a difficult childhood. I still remember my first experience at the movies when my parents took me to see E.T.. I was so overwhelmed by the story, the visuals and the score, I knew right then I would be part of this tradition although it wasnt until I was 14 and saw Rocky that I was sure Id give my life to it. Rocky taught me never to give up, Braveheart taught me never to compromise on my values and The Matrix taught me that I can do anything. Film is a powerful medium that can affect global consciousness and it became obvious what I had to do. Due to the pressures of family and society, I still got my degree from The London School of Economics and worked for a year as an investment banker. The misery of that job forced me to follow through with film-making.

As an Indian, have you ever faced any sort of racial profiling in Hollywood?
No. I think that the idea of racial profiling is no longer a factor in the industry, it may have been in the past but not anymore. We live in a country where the best rapper is White (Eminem), the best golfer is an African American (Tiger Woods) and our President Barack Hussein Obama is also part-African American. The days of racial profiling are long gone (except maybe in the deep south). There is just too much money to be made these days, its all about talent and product.

Is it true that Sean Brosnan was your friend when you grew up in London?
Yes, Ive known Sean for 10 years. Hes like a younger brother to me. We actually met when his brother, Christopher, invited me to Seans 16th birthday party in London. It was me, Sean, Chris, their father and about 100 girls. I knew then that we would get along.

Though you are not willing to talk about Bonded as yet, is the films screenplay based on true incidents?
Id say that it was partially inspired by certain events I read about including a case, where 72 Thai immigrants were held in an apartment complex in El Monte, California. They were never allowed to leave and were forced to work 18 hours a day seven days a week for almost no money (which they could only spend inside the complex and buy items like toothpaste from their captors at exorbitant prices). This event prompted me to do some research and I found that even though California was the seventh largest economy in the world, 10 per cent of its revenue (about $25 billion) essentially comes from slave labour in the garment industry. Most of these 160,000 workers are illegal immigrants from Latin America.

Whats it about Pierce Brosnan that appeals to the director in you?
Pierce is an extremely versatile and charismatic actor. He is mainly associated with the character of James Bond (I still think he is the best Bond on par with Connery) though I actually think that his best work has been in his recent dramatic performances such as The Ghost Writer and The Matador. Hes also someone that everyone loves. Ive never heard anyone say anything negative about Pierce. Hes also one of the nicest and most professional people I have ever met. Hes been supportive of my career and I am very grateful for that.

Why is it that Hollywood studios havent yet warmed up to the idea of hiring Bollywood film-makers to direct movies for them?
I think it boils down to different sensibilities and methods of storytelling. Bollywood film-makers are exceptionally talented at what they do and the execution of their craft is flawless, however, I truly believe that the craft is very different in the US. Western cinema appeals to the whole world because it follows the principles of storytelling that are universal and uses archetypes and themes that are embedded in the collective consciousness, it is why movies like Star Wars, Titanic and Jaws transcend language barriers. Indian cinema is much more specific to the society and to the culture.

Most Indian-origin directors based abroad are keen on making films about the trials and tribulations of NRIs. Have you been fascinated with such themes or do you find them too boring?
I dont find them boring at all as being an NRI, I can relate to some degree. I just dont find the need to tell those stories, they are not the type of movies I enjoy most or am motivated to make. Id much rather see War of the Worlds or Schindlers List than the Namesake or Bride & Prejudice. I find life and death scenarios much more appealing than melodrama. If we had a small town attacked by aliens and an NRI saved the day or if an NRI helped bridge the peace in the Middle East, Id be fascinated by that.

Any interest in directing Hindi films?
I dont watch a lot of Hindi movies. I am still a fan of Amitabh Bachchan. I think he is currently under-utilized as an actor and the depth of his presence and talent far exceeds the type of material he is offered. I find Indian movies a little too safe and am personally not a fan of the musical unless it is imperative in telling the story. I dont think they are bad, they are just not my cup of tea as I find that even the recent wave of edgier cinema, films like Dev.D are still a little soft in the story department. Although I do love Dil Chahta Hai, Don and Rock On!! because they were produced by my cousin, Ritesh Sidhwani! Id love to direct a Hindi film like Shekhar Kapurs Bandit Queen or Asif Kapadias The Warrior. But I cant see myself doing a film where in the middle of an epic battle the army breaks into song and dance, not in this lifetime.

Whats the perception of Indian movies like in the West? Is it still solely about films that have routine song-and-dance sequences or is there any awareness of the middle-of-the-line cinema?
Hindi movies are still seen as musical fantasy and the Western audience definitely has a hard time relating to it. Films like Black Friday are not at all on the radar. Hindi cinema will have a hard time crossing over the way Hong Kong cinema did because martial arts was always a genre in its own right. I really dont see the campy song and dance numbers breaking through, even a film like Lagaan, which was nominated for an Oscar, did very little crossover business in the States. I think the challenge for Indian film-makers will be to find a fresh and new way to tell their stories if they really want to attract a global audience.