Pierce Brosnan Birthday Special: Did You Know Former James Bond Star Had Acted With Shashi Kapoor in a Movie?
The Deceivers was produced by the late Ismail Merchant and came out in 1986. The film, also featuring Neena Gupta and Kanwaljit Singh, was set in the 19th century British-ruled India and was about how an officer infiltrates the dangerous Thuggee cult to bring it down.
Pierce Brosnan may no longer be James Bond, but he remains closely associated with the 007 tag by fans worldwide. The star of films like GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day may have long stopped stirring his martinis, but he continues to impress in other movie appearances. Notably, his portrayal of Doctor Fate in Black Adam was easily the best part of the film. The Irish actor made his onscreen debut as an extra in films like The Long Good Friday and The Mirror Crack'd in 1980. Thanks to his leading role in the popular series Remington Steele, Brosnan became a household name, which also marked his re-entry into films as a lead, starting with the 1986 film Nomads. Two years later, did you know he starred in a film with the great Shashi Kapoor? Pierce Brosnan Gives His Seal of Approval to Aaron Taylor-Johnson As the Next James Bond.
The late Indian legend was one of the favourite actors in James Ivory-Ismail Merchant collaborations, starring in gems like Shakespeare Wallah, The Householder, Heat and Dust, In Custody and Side Streets. There is also The Deceivers, produced by Ismail Merchant but directed by Nicholas Meyer. Centred around the infamous Thuggee cult of India, The Deceivers was adapted from a novel of the same name, written by John Masters. The film featured Pierce Brosnan in the lead role, with Shashi Kapoor in an important supporting role.
Set in the 19th century, when India was under British rule, Brosnan plays a British officer named William Savage in The Deceivers, assigned to bring down the murderous Thuggee cult. With the help of a captured Thugee, Brosnan disguises himself as a Thugee (which basically meant he brown-faced himself) and infiltrates the outfit to bring them down. Essentially, Savage went Donnie Brasco before Donnie Brasco.
Before Brosnan, actors like the late Christopher Reeve, Superman himself, and the late Treat Williams were also considered for the lead role. Pierce Brosnan All Set to Be Seen in Simon Barry's 'A Spy's Guide to Survival'.
Watch the Trailer of The Deceivers:
Shashi Kapoor played an Indian royal named Raja Chandra Singh in the film. The late Saeed Jaffrey had an important role as the captured Thugee who befriends Savage. Other Indian actors in the cast include Salim Ghouse, Neena Gupta, Rajesh Vivek, and Kanwaljit Singh.
During the production of the movie, Merchant and co-producer Tim Van Rellim were arrested (and later released) for allegedly depicting India and Hindu culture in a bad light. The scenes that caused trouble involved the depiction of Sati, featuring Neena Gupta's character, and the portrayal of the Goddess Kali.
Despite all the troubles during production, The Deceivers bombed at the box office and was poorly received by critics. However, in a 2005 interview, Brosnan called The Deceivers his "best movie".
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2024 10:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).