Ali Fazal has been getting a lot of appreciation on Twitter, after the first trailer of Death on the Nile has dropped on YouTube. Directed by Kenneth Branagh who also plays the role of detective Hercule Poirot, Death on the Nile is a sequel to the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express. Both the films are adaptations of author Agatha Christie's novels by the same name. And both aren't the only ones that have been inspired by her works! Also, one version has two popular Indian faces! Death on the Nile Trailer: Gal Gadot, Ali Fazal, Armie Hammer Are Poirot's Murder Suspects in New Agatha Christie Adaptation.

There have been quite a few adaptations of Death on the Nile in the past, both on big screen and on Television. Most popular one of the 1978 version that was directed by John Guillermin. It had even won the Academy Award for the Best Costume Design at the 51st Academy Awards.

Like with the new version, even the 1978 adaptation had a star-studded cast with Peter Ustinov playing Poirot, and  Angela Lansbury, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, David Niven, George Kennedy and Jack Warden in the supporting cast. Not to mention, a young Maggie Smith, known popularly among the current generation for her role of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films.

Without revealing much about the premise for the sake of those who haven't seen the 1978 film or read the book, the cast also has two Indian actors in it. And quite popular ones at that!

One of the actors is the famous legend, the late IS Johar, known for his comic roles and leading parts in many Hindi and Punjabi films, especially the Johar-Mehmood franchise where he starred along with the late Mehmood. He had also appeared in international films like the iconic Lawrence of Arabia and North West Frontier. IS Johar is also Karan Johar's uncle, the elder frother of his late father, Yash Johar.

In Guillermin's Death on the Nile, Johar plays Mr Chaudhary, the Indian manager of the cruise ship on the river Nile, where all the major characters converge for the plot to proceed. His was a light-hearted character with slightly racist overtones that would have been overlooked in the era.

IS Johar in Death on the Nile (1978)

The other Indian actor is the late Saeed Jaffrey, who has been a well-known face in both Indian and international cinema. In Bollywood, he has appeared in films like Shatranj Ke Khilari, Masoom, Chashme Buddoor, Mashaal, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai etc. Internationally, he was seen in movies such as The Man Who Would Be King, Gandhi, A Passage to India, Gandhi, My Beautiful Laundrette and of course, Death on the Nile.

In Death on the Nile, he had a smaller supporting role of an housekeeping employee in the cruise boat, who later stumbles upon a murder.

Saeed Jaffrey in Death on the Nile (1978)

As far as we know, Ali Fazal is not playing either of the characters in the upcoming remake. Instead, going by the name of his character - Andrew Katchadourian, it looks like Fazal will be stepping into the shoes of the late George Kennedy who played the role of Andrew Pennington in the 1978 film. Also being one of the suspects in the film's murder mystery. Death on the Nile: More Than ‘Blink-and-Miss’, Let a Hercule Poirot Fan Tell You What Ali Fazal Is Doing in Gal Gadot’s Mystery Thriller (SPOILER ALERT)

Apart from Fazal and Branagh, Death on the Nile also stars Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright. The movie is expected to release on October 23 in the States.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2020 06:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).