Jason Schwartzman Recalls Working With ‘Real Legend' Irrfan: ‘It's So Sad...'
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Jason Schwartzman gets emotional talking about his The Darjeeling Limited co-star Irrfan. He further recalls catching a show of Quantum Of Solace at a theatre in India.
Jason Schwartzman's association with India dates back to the mid-2000s. A large portion of Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited were shot in Rajasthan's Jodhpur and Udaipur. The film starring Jason, Owen Wilson and Adrian Brody also had prominent Indian influences. For instance, most of the album had film score music composed by late auteur Satyajit Ray. Wes, in fact, had said that it was the legend's works like Charulata, among others, that made him want to come to India.
Interestingly, The Darjeeling Limited also had Irrfan in a cameo appearance. Speaking to News18 exclusively, Jason says he vividly and fondly remembers Irrfan. Jason, in fact, gets emotional as he talks about the late actor, grieving his loss even today. 'I don't watch a lot of [Indian] movies. I won't say that I'm totally well-versed and aware [with Indian actors]. In The Darjeeling Limited, I got to work with a real legend. It's so sad that he passed away. Just to see the way he was… never mind! If I talk about him, I'll get too sad," he tells us.
The other thing he remembers from his India trip is the love Indians hold in their heart for movies. During the shoot, Jason along with the team of The Darjeeling Limited went to catch a show of Quantum Of Solace on the big screen. 'There's so much love for movies and cinema in India. One of the best experiences that I've had in my life was going to watch a new James Bond film [in India] when it had come out. The whole group went to watch it. It was like heaven! I saw a bunch of non-James Bond films as well," Jason recalls.
Jason is now gearing up for the release of HBO's Mountainhead created by Jesse Armstrong of Succession fame. Talking about it, he says, 'In my opinion, there are definitely parts that are physical and funny and bonkers that I didn't see in Succession. I always use this analogy about a band. If you like a band or a musician and they release something new and you listen to it, you know that it's their style and only they could've written it and yet, there's a new quality."
The Asteroid City and The Grand Budapest Hotel actor continues, 'Maybe they used a new instrument or they worked with a new producer or they've a new guitar player. And this new flavour adds so much to the shelf of what they do. Mountainhead is clearly a Jesse Armstrong piece in style but it's also him with all of us." Mountainhead also stars Steve Carell, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef.
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May 31, 2025, 05:05 IST
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