‘Eternals’ Filmmaker Chloé Zhao Talks About Excitement Of Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo Doing A Bollywood Dance Number
You have to agree when I say that Bollywood is unlike any other film industry out there. Similar to maybe the other Indian film industries but compared to film industries around the world, Bollywood is sure to stand out. And I believe that it is not just because of the storylines, concepts, actors, etc. (even though they do play an important role). I believe that the biggest difference between Bollywood movies and other movies is our dance numbers. We are a bit musical, aren’t we? Honestly, I love that about us since it shows so much of our culture and who we are as people. And I’m not the only one who likes that about us. Marvel’s Eternals filmmaker Chloé Zhao talks about Bollywood and the dance number that they directed for Kingo, the character played by Kumail Nanjiani in the film.
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While talking to film critic Anupama Chopra about directing Marvel’s Eternals, the Oscar-winning filmmaker opened up about how exciting it was to direct a Bollywood dance number and have Kumail Nanjiani play a Bollywood actor. She spoke about how exciting it was to let the whole world see Bollywood and celebrate the beauty of their dance numbers.
Chloé Zhao said that the reason behind a Bollywood dance number in Eternals is because Marvel had worked on a treatment for the film with screenwriter Kaz Firpo. She revealed that Kaz Firpo and his cousin Ryan had a connection to India and the fact that they had worked here, so they decided to ditch the Hollywood actor person that Nanjiani’s Kingo would’ve initially had, and went for the Bollywood star persona!
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The Nomadland filmmaker further added, “When I came into the process, there was a treatment and in the treatment, there are always stories and parts that take place in Mumbai. Kingo (played by Kumail Nanjiani) is a Bollywood star in the present day and I thought that was so interesting because we knew Kingo is going to be a character that embraced the side of humanity that loves pop culture, that loves storytelling, that showmanship.”
As per the reports, Chloé Zhao further explained, “Kingo represents a certain part of humanity.… We really wanted one of the Eternals to fall in love with that. When I first read the treatment that Marvel had worked on, we thought of setting it in Hollywood, but it was so much more fun to be able to set it in Bollywood and then to be able to do a dance number. It was just so exciting, to let the whole world see and celebrate the beauty of that.”
Also Read: Here’s Why Marvel’s Eternals, Directed By Chloé Zhao, Is A Pretty Big Deal For Women In Comic Book Movies
Truth be told, now that I know that Chloé Zhao has added a Bollywood dance number to Eternals, I’m more than excited to watch it. I don’t know about you people but I feel incredibly proud that there is a representation of Bollywood and Indian culture in a cinematic universe as big as Marvel and played by such a talented actor as Kumail Nanjiani!
