The Indo-British film A Game of Two Halves delves into the themes of identity crisis, racial dissonance, and acceptance of one’s self. Set against the vibrant and contrasting backdrop of Hyderabad and London, the film chronicles the transformative journey of Sanjay, played by Saaj Raja -- a 32-year-old British actor known for films like Marvel’s Eternals and Foreigner’s Pride -- through the lens of sports. A soccer drama, the film – which stars Indian actors like Harish Khanna, Swaroopa Ghosh, Rajiv Kumar Aneja, Pawan Chopra, and Sachin Chaudhary – is set to hit cinemas in India, the UK, and the US on February 23.
A Game of Two Halves is directed by British Asian filmmaker Khayam Khan, who was born in Hyderabad, but moved to the UK around 40 years back. In a recent chat with TMS, the filmmaker opened up about the multicultural settings of his first feature film. Here are some excerpts of the conversation:
How has your dual cultural background influenced your filmmaking style and storytelling? Has any individual had a significant impact on your approach to filmmaking?
I grew up on Sholay and Deewar. Later, directors like David Lean, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee had an influence on me. Therefore my filmmaking and storytelling styles have been my own fusion of British and Indian visions, but through osmosis, with cultural influences from the rest.
Your upcoming film tells the story of a young British student who discovers his true self on the dusty fields of Hyderabad. How did the multicultural settings of the UK and India influence the storytelling and visual elements of the film?
Both cultures are rich and varied, but in terms of storytelling and the visual look of the film, I wanted to base it around Sanjay’s (played by Saaj Raja) persona. In the UK he is shallow, wanting to be in the right crowd and is experiencing thoughts like ‘what’s in it for me.’ I wanted to portray the UK in muted colours, cold and lonely. In India, Sanjay’s character finds humanity, purpose and meaning. Therefore, I have portrayed it in vibrant colours.
Of all the cities in India, what made you pick Hyderabad? In the UK, where did all the film shooting take place?
I chose Hyderabad because I grew up there. In UK, the shooting took place in a college in Lingfield (Surrey) and my mother’s home in London.
How did you approach the casting? Which was the most difficult character to cast?
My approach is all about understanding the script, the characters and the story. I then visualize the look, feel and almost the smell and taste of each shot. The character that was the hardest to cast was Khadeem. I needed someone that could carry the values and heart of the film as well as have the acting chops to carry it off. In Harish Khanna, we found the ideal Khadeem, who is working towards building a school for underprivileged kids. When Khadeem met Sanjay, he got the perfect support system to carry forward his dream.
What inspired you to explore the themes of identity crisis and racial dissonance through soccer?
Back in India, I grew up listening to football matches of two teams -- Manchester United and Liverpool. My brother was a Man U fan, so I had to support Liverpool. Sports teaches us the value of hard work, teamwork and bouncing back from adversity. Soccer, being a team sport, also enabled me to explore the themes of belonging, despite race, gender or religion. It gave me the opportunity to have an ending that was uplifting and joyous.
The film touches on social issues. How do you balance storytelling and advocacy in your directorial approach?
The reason I set up Ksquared Films (the production house) was to give a voice to people and stories that are not often heard. So, social advocacy is about picking the right story.
What’s next?
There are a couple of ideas that I’m working on. One of them is to film Arthur Miller’s play Death of a salesman but set it in modern day Mumbai.