In Othello (Abel, 2003)

In Othello

“In Othello”
INDIA / 2003 / 103 MIN / ENGLISH

CREDITS Cast: Barry John, Khandkar Adil Hussain, Sheeba Chadha, Dilip Shankar, Vivek Mansuhkani, Roysten Abel
Cinematography: Ranjan Palit
Editing: Beena Paul
Music: Arjun Sen
Screenplay: Roysten Abel
Producer: Amit Bhatia
Directed by: Roysten Abel

SYNOPSIS A multicultural theater company in today’s New Delhi is staging a production of Shakespeare’s Othello. The director takes a bold step by casting an inexperienced small town actor as Othello. The new actor falls in love with the leading lady, who is also the director’s love-interest, and the two men become bitter rivals. Things become even more complicated as the actors’ theatrical personae start to seep into their lives outside the theater.

THE FILMMAKER An actor’s director, Roysten Abel takes the uncertainties of improvisation to extract raw and dramatically intense performances from his actors. An alumnus of the India’s National School of Drama, he has a long standing repertoire of contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays that have been performed internationally. In “In Othello,” the convergence of influences from Indian Kathakali performance styles creates a powerful and vibrant mix with traditional Shakespeare.