JEFF GOLDBLUM: I AM A STUDENT OF YOGA, BUT NOT A YOGI
There’s a string that ties Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum with Indian culture — yoga. And he confesses that it is further strengthened by his inclination towards Indian culture and spirituality. “I was exposed to
Indian culture through the film, The River ( 1951), and then because of Wes Anderson (American filmmaker), who went to India and made a film,” Goldblum tells us while referring to the film, The Darjeeling Limited (2007).
On the video call, he goes on to show paintings of gurus Paramahansa Yogananda and Muktananda at his home, reflecting his admiration for Indian culture. He adds, “I have been a devotee. The painting of Yogananda on the wall has been done by my sister. So, I have read a lot about Indian culture and I’ve been very interested in it.”
An ardent yoga practitioner, the 69-year-old says, “I am not a yogi.
UI’m a student of yoga and I do meditation. My studentship has only led me to more humility.”
But that’s not it, Indian food has also found a place in the legend’s heart. “I am crazy about Indian food. I love it to pieces. I eat too much of it when I have it because it is the most delicious food on earth,” says the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) actor.
With over 117 screen credits to his name, Goldblum has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, after partnering with celebrated filmmakers such as Steven
S-based Indian digital content creator Ruhee Dosani, who has one million followers on Instagram, is currently in India. In a tête-à-tête, she talks about her love for content creation and how she is enjoying her busy schedule in Mumbai these days. Excerpts:
You began your content creation journey during the pandemic. What led you to take the route?
The pandemic made us all creators from home, because most of us tried the viral dances or recipes. In the same way, I’d meet my friends and just dance my heart out. When
Spielberg, Anderson and David Cronenberg. He attained the tag of a cult hero with the role of Dr Ian Malcolm in 1993’s Jurassic Park. And he spent the first wave of the pandemic revisiting the character with Jurassic World: Dominion. In fact, the upcoming film is special for many reasons, as it wraps up the Jurassic World story and reunites him with his friends, actors Laura Dern and Sam Neill.
“It was delicious to return to Jurassic World. We got to spend a rollicking good time together. When it comes to shooting amid the pandemic, my challenge was to stay healthy. But it was a great experience. We all went to England, my wife and kids were also with me,” says the actor, revealing that the entire team stayed together and shot for the project for three months.
“We got a chance to be together, and turn lemons into lemonade. We worked on weekends as well. It was cosy and collaborative in a way that it wouldn’t have been otherwise,” he concludes. my Independence Day video d was reposted by Diljit Dosanjh (singer-actor), it made people land on my page. When I spoke to my family in India, they were extremely happy to see my content.
What does the word ‘viral’ mean to you?
I believe in creating content that is the opposite of viral. I like creating content through my ideas and surroundings, and Bollywood inspires me to create more. I don’t post [content] so that it goes viral; I post it for people to enjoy.
Was your love for Bollywood a reason for you to shift your base to Mumbai?
I grew up watching ’90s and 2000s Bollywood films wiith my brother. Every weekend, we would be in front of our TV, watching movies. So, when I shifted to the US, I never lost touch with my Indian roots or Bollywood. Nowadays, my day in India begins at 6am and ends at 2am. This has been my schedule for the past one month and I wish it stays the same because I love what I do.
In the current times, how difficult is it to constantly carve your space or be talked about?
Staying relevant is not a permanent thing in the content creation world, because every creator is trying their best. All we can do is help each other grow.