Hollywood director Chuck Russell, renowned for his films like The Mask and The Scorpion King, has expressed a keen interest in directing another Indian film after his 2019 venture, Junglee. With a desire to work with Bollywood legends Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, Russell reminisced about his previous experience with Indian cinema and shared his admiration for recent Indian films.
Chuck Russell, who ventured into Hindi cinema with the 2019 film Junglee, featuring Vidyut Jammwal and Akshay Oberoi, revealed his eagerness to work with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. “I’ve been wanting to work with Aamir Khan before. He knows it, I’ve visited him. And Shah Rukh Khan. I got to work with Akshay (Oberoi) and my cast in Junglee was terrific,” Russell stated during an interview with PTI at Film Bazaar 2024, which coincides with the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Discussing his appreciation for Indian talent and culture, Russell mentioned, “I like working with different cultures and talent that is new to me. So, all of India is new to me. I’m going to learn something new working with Indian actors.”
When asked about the most recent Indian film he enjoyed, Russell praised the film RRR, calling it “really cool.” The director’s comments came during a masterclass at Film Bazaar, where he delved into his experiences and aspirations.
Reflecting on his Hollywood career, Russell shared memories from the set of The Mask, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in July. The 1994 superhero comedy, which starred Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz, was adapted from a popular American comic. Russell fondly recalled filming the iconic Cuban Pete dance number, despite Jim Carrey battling the flu. “Jim was sick, he had the flu, he was throwing up. But he powered through like a true professional,” Russell reminisced.
Turning to his roots in horror, Russell discussed his recent return to the genre with the film Witchboard. Known for his directorial debut with A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and the cult classic The Blob, Russell highlighted the similarities between comedy and horror. “In a good story, it’s about the setups, suspense and a good pay off. In comedy, we’re getting a laugh, in horror, we are getting a scream,” he explained.
Russell noted the current popularity of horror films, attributing it to the turbulent state of the world. “We’re reading horrible stories on the internet and newspapers. Many of them are true, many of them are not. You see a horror film, you forget it all, you face all your fears,” he said. For Russell, horror provides a cathartic experience, offering a temporary escape from real-world troubles.
Expressing his passion for the genre, Russell mentioned that Witchboard allowed him to explore elements he hadn’t in his previous horror projects. While unsure if it would be his last horror film, he emphasized the importance of the genre in providing thrills and escapism for audiences.
