For us, Indian movies were Big B running around in his glasses: Tom Hanks

By - IANS

OCTOBER 12,2016

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan "running around in his glasses and beating up bad guys" long stayed with Tom Hanks and defined the world of Indian cinema for him. The Oscar-winning actor says the vast expanse of Indian cinema and different storytelling techniques still remain a mystery for the West, with only Bollywood making inroads abroad."For a lot of years, Indian movies for us were Big B running around in his glasses and beating up bad guys or midgets and stuff like that. We didn39t quite understand what was going on. If everyone starts speaking the common language of cinema, it will start representing itself," Hanks told IANS in an interview here.The actor said "it is only a matter of time" till the varied Indian stories spin their way to the West."Like the cinema from Japan and China have impacted the entire cinematic narrative of the West like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon39 by Ang Lee. Those guys are working in American films now. The fact is that we have not just been able to see films outside of Bollywood for whatever reason, or outside Satyajit Ray39s films."But it is only a matter of time because people in the United States see everything...All you have to do is be available," he added.Hanks has worked with Indian star Irrfan Khan in his forthcoming Sony Pictures Entertainment39s film "Inferno". And he says he is open to attaching his star power to any Indian project, but would not do it "just to break into the marketplace".But Hanks will not be seen as a super spy climbing on the roof of Taj Mahal or doing stunts on helicopters he39d rather do a film on "stereotypes of public life in India".Be it acting, directing, producing or writing -- Hanks has explored different arenas of the creative field.He made his debut with a low-budget movie "He Knows You39re Alone" in 1979. Following that, Hanks became a part of TV series like "Bosom Buddies", "Taxi" and "Family Ties", and TV movie "Mazes and Monsters".He got noticed with Disney39s comedy "Splash", which became the sleeper hit of 1984. It was Hanks39 charm and upbeat attitude that got him instant stardom.Today, film buffs, irrespective of age group, know Hanks for movies like "You39ve Got Mail", "Sleepless in Seattle", "The Terminal" and "Forrest Gump", "Catch Me If You Can", "Cast Away", "Apollo 13", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Captain Phillips".After presenting a visual treat with "Sully" this year, Hanks will be back on the silver screen with Ron Howard39s "Inferno", which will open in India on October 14, two weeks before its US release.During a conversation with IANS here at an media event organised by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the 60-year-old said he would like to work in Bollywood -- but not "just to break into the marketplace, but as soon as Americans start making movies about the stereotypes of public life in India"."It doesn39t have to be super spies climbing on the roof of the Taj Mahal or jumping on helicopters to defeat the bad guys. It will be something next level and I look forward to it."The two-time Oscar-winning star, who is amazed by the bold filming technique in India, said: "The industry in India is sort of like the dream come true. They make a lot of movies, people go to a lot of movies, and there is insatiable appetite for it... I was always amazed at just how dense they were and how they cover more than one genre."