Amara Karan is back on the big screen this week as she takes on the role of Vina in new British comedy/drama All In Good Time.
I caught up with the actress to talk about the new movie, working with filmmaker Nigel Cole and what lies ahead.
- You are about to star in All In Good Time so can you tell me a little bit about the movie?
Well it’s about a newly married couple who have various obstacles and troubles trying to consummate their marriage (laughs).
- You take on the role of Vina in the movie so what was it about this character and the script that drew you to the movie?
Well I had actually seen the stage play Rafta Rafta at the National, directed by Nicholas Hytner, and it was sensational. I was so thrilled when I heard that it was being turned into a film and I was delighted when I heard that Nigel Cole was directing as I am a huge fan of his work.
He is the perfect director for this story because it needs someone who is very good at bringing out the comedy but also giving the depth and the tragedy that the situation requires to really make it a film that is excellent - I think that he has done an amazing job at really pulling out those beats in the film.
I was given the script and invited to audition and it was just a dream really as it a beautifully written script and a wonderful story so it was just a winner.
- Vina & Atul start off as newlyweds at the beginning of the film so how do we see them develop throughout and how do we see their relationship develop?
They are a very optimistic couple as they have found the loves of their lives in each other and it feels like they believe that this marriage will solve a lot of the problems and issues that they have with their own families.
I think they are both trying to run away from their families but they are forced to face up to their issues and it all bleeds into their relationship. It’s a wonderful psychological portrait as well of these characters.
You can relate to the story on different levels, you can enjoy it as a comedy but you can also see the tragedy of the situation and how awkward and embarrassing it is. It is very difficult to share these hugely personal issues with anybody, your friend or family or anyone as it is mortifying really.
- The movie is about a very tight knit family so how great is it for you as an actress to be able to explore those dynamics?
It’s a gift because there is so much intimacy between the characters that you have to get into the psychological journey of the characters.
This role is exactly what I have been waiting for and it’s the character driven stuff that I love; the relationships between the characters and the how they evolve is the film as it is a very character driven story.
It is a huge challenge to carry that journey and make it interesting for ninety minutes or however long it is and that is the kind of challenge that you need to get stuck into.
- You have mentioned Nigel Cole already so how did you find working with him?
It was wonderful as he is so smart and he is really quite exceptionally gifted as he is able to work with actors and really get the best performances out of them.
He listens to actors and collaborates with them whilst having a clear vision for what the film needs. He is very sensitive in making conditions on set easy for everybody to work very relaxed.
He is very relaxed and he makes you feel at home and he makes you feel that you are accepted and you are fine, you don’t have to prove yourself you can just relax and be.
That is such a difficult skill and something you can’t be taught or read in a book and I really do think that it’s one of the ingredients that make a really exceptional director.
I learnt a lot from working with Nigel about being an actor, making films, about life and all sorts of things really.
- Meera Syal and Harish Patel are just two of the other actors on the cast list; they were also in the stage show, so how did you find working with them?
Well I should mention that Shaheen Khan, who plays my mother, was also in the stage show as was Simon Nagra who plays Atul’s boss so a lot of the actors knew the play very well.
Meera and Harish were fantastic the whole cast were brilliant as they were so generous and so good. They knew their stuff, they were fun, and they were moving it was just incredible.
- As well as film you have worked in TV with the likes of Kidnap and Ransom so how have you found working in the two mediums?
That’s a very good question actually but I think it is more about the story and the people that you are working with.
There are differences between the mediums, sometimes they are budgetary differences, but really the main differences are the material you are working on, the character you are working on, the directors and actor you are working with.
It’s the same with stage, I have done a lot of work with the RSC, and it comes down to those elements as well. It has been lovely to have had a very varied career and you learn something when you have every experience and you work with wonderfully talented people - it’s all there to be had I guess.
- You have worked on some great projects recently so where you would like you careers to go - is film your main focus?
I do love film and I have had some of the most exceptionally amazing experiences making films and have met have some wonderful people.
I guess your experiences colour what you would like to do, not that I haven’t had good experiences in TV and theatre, with film it all really clicked and been amazing so that I guess is where my heart is.
- Finally what's next for you?
Well I have another film on June 8th called A Fantastic Fear of Everything and it stars Simon Pegg as a writer who has a fantastic fear of everything.
He is researching serial killers and he gets into the mind of a serial killer and develops a complex that everyone is trying to kill him.
So it’s a comedy but it’s very dark, I’m calling it a psychological comedy, it’s a story about how he has to face his demons and his fears, including his fears of laundrettes (laughs). So I am really excited about that too.
All In Good Time is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw