How do actors lean into their ethnicity while still presenting a multifaceted character who rejects a stereotype? It’s becoming a more common occurrence when actors like Poorva Wachh are involved and allowed to explore the depth their roles can offer in the hands of such extraordinary talent. Poorva’s manifestation of Indian voice-over actor Harry Chandra in the upcoming Shubham Sanjay Shevade film The Big Rant is already being discussed by industry insiders as remarkable.
This director-actor duo has worked together on the previous award-winning and industry lauded films, confirming that Poorva is that rare actor who is talented, committed, and effortless to work with…a director’s dream.
The Big Rant is a very different kind of Hollywood story about a non-Caucasian actor. Wachh plays Harry Chandra in this film, a man of Indian heritage who struggles to become a successful voice-over actor in the Hollywood film industry. A humble person of minimal ego, Harry is far from the self-promotional actor who thrives on attention. As he navigates a series of vocations in the entertainment industry throughout many years, we see the reality of what it’s like to be a professional in Hollywood.
There are an obvious exploration and catharsis for both audience and actor in a film like this. Poorva notes, “From where he starts to where he ends up, this journey of Harry’s was fascinating for me. He goes through so much struggle and so many conflicts in his life but he finally gets what he wants. I feel happy for him. I’m sure the audience will feel incredibly satisfied by following Harry’s journey and they will empathize with him.
Harry Chandra is the kind of character you cheer for. The audience feels his triumphs and his struggles, whether they can relate to the specifics or not. There’s a bit of Harry in everyone, that person who dreams and doesn’t necessarily find that life is easy for them.”
One person whom Harry deals with comes in the form of Andrew Zelig, portrayed by Keith Szarabajka. Known for his work in such films as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (twice Oscar awarded), the Ben Affleck directed Argo (winner of three Oscars including Best Motion Picture of the Year), and triple Oscar nominee Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Szarabajka, and Poorva face off in the film’s opening scene where the former establishes himself as a motivating force in the story.
Quick to give credit to his fellow cast and crew for creating such an exceptional film, Poorva confirms that he is personally excited about the release and the public’s reception of it.
He confesses, “I am looking forward to watching the movie with the public. There are so many great performances by actors like Bob McLane, Sarah Brooke, and others. I know it is going to be pretty exciting because the story itself is very intriguing. It deals with time travel and the genre is a mystery/drama/dark comedy, so it is a perfect combination of everything that makes Harry and The Big Rant so unique. I can’t wait for them to send it to film festivals and then release it in theaters and online platforms. I am eagerly waiting for that. Just recently heard the theme music which was composed by Gabrielle Helfer and it amazed me.”
The expected release date of The Big Rant is late August or early September 2020.
Writer: Cecil McCoy