"The Guru" Interviews: Heather Graham and Jimi Mistry
By Kit Bowen, Hollywood.com Staff
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Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Heather Graham and Jimi Mistry in "The Guru" |
For actors Jimi Mistry and Heather Graham, that's easy.
Graham, whose varied credits include Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Boogie Nights teams up with British actor Mistry, best known for his role in the indie East Is East, to play two mismatched, would-be lovers in the new romantic comedy The Guru.
The film, which marries full-blown Bollywood musical numbers with a little inspiration from the movie musical Grease, centers on Ramu Gupta (Mistry), a young Indian dance teacher who arrives in New York City in pursuit of fame and fortune--only to wind up on the set of a porn movie, where he gets some much-needed guidance on porn "acting" from co-star Sharonna (Graham). However, good fortune can come from curious places. At a party held by a ditzy socialite (Marisa Tomei) one night, Ramu is mistaken for a spiritual healer, and after parrotting back Sharonna's seemingly profound insights to the rapt guests, suddenly becomes an overnight celebrity sex guru. Ramu soon finds that he must choose between his newfound notoriety and his love for a woman who accepts him as he is--unconditionally.
Hollywood.com talked with Graham and Mistry about their special connection, what "Bollywood" really is and their best sexual advice.
The two of you seem to have an immediate rapport. Did you hit it off from the beginning?
Graham: We hated it each other right away.
Mistry: I took one look at her and I actually threatened to walk out.
Graham: I remember when I first read with you, Jimi. I think we had to kiss in our first audition, didn't we?
Mistry: Yep, the first time we met, we kissed.
Graham: Everyone one knew they wanted Jimi but there was this other guy from India, a former Mr. Universe, who was up for that part. Remember?
Mistry: Mr. India. That was his name. Big guy, lots of muscles.
Graham: But then Jimi got the part.
There's that sweet, unassuming scene between the two of you when you're singing the Billy Joel song "Just The Way You Are" to each other. You guys really sell it.
Mistry: You know, it's amazing. I've been traveling around with this film for a while, in Europe and now America. Europeans always fare differently than Americans but everyone has said they love that scene. Which is great, because it's a great scene.
Graham: It's a classic song, one you never get tired of listening to. It's got a beautiful sentiment behind it. When I read the script that was one of the scenes that grabbed me the most. I really wanted to do it.
The Guru is already a hit in England. Maybe its that it does something a little different with the romantic comedy genre, sort of twists the usual fare.
Graham: I like that it follows in some ways the traditional romantic comedy format but in other ways, it's totally different. I like that it's a movie I've never seen before.
Mistry: You think you know what's going on, then we sing and dance and it's like, "Whoa!" During the filming, some were calling the movie a bit clichéd, but Daisy said, "This is the whole point!" We keep taking you out of what's going on to say we are in on the joke and then go back in again. That's what is so good about the movie.
One of the themes of The Guru is how America's elite tends to glom onto the latest "thing," in this case a guru. Think the rich are a little confused?
Graham: They are but I think the intent to glom onto a new thing comes from a good place. Wanting to grow or learn more or be happier comes from a good place. It's just funny that other people want to take advantage of that emptiness. They come in and say, "I can fill it." But at the same time, what [Jimi's character Ramu] is saying to these people is not so bad. It helps them. So I guess it's working in this case.
Mistry: The film is definitely commenting on a certain section of American society who have preconceived ideas about people who are not from America. I love America and Americans but there are those people out there who say, "Oh, he's from India. He eats all those hot curries and things." They don't have a perception of what's going on east of New York.
Graham: This movie also shows that people aren't what they seem and how frustrating it is to come here from another country, wanting the same opportunities and thinking you are going to get them, but you really don't.
Photo(s) by Hollywood.com- © 2003- Universal Pictures- All Rights Reserved