Elnaaz Norouzi: Couldn’t tell Gerard Butler I had a crush on him

Elnaaz Norouzi; (right) Gerard Butler in the film

Kandahar isn't Elnaaz Norouzi's first international project. The Sacred Games actor previously featured in the Apple TV+ series, Tehran. But there was something about the set of the Gerard Butler-led spy drama that made Norouzi want to soak in its creative energy. She credits director Ric Roman Waugh for building an atmosphere where every artiste was given complete freedom. "[He] trusts what you are bringing to the table. Ric sir didn't direct me [every step of the way]. Once everything was prepared, he would say, ‘I am ready when you are ready to go.' It is so empowering to know that you are important because you are the one who has to perform," she recounts.

Also starring Ali Fazal, the upcoming thriller sees Butler as CIA operative Tom Harris, who is stuck in Afghanistan during a mission, while Norouzi plays an Iranian woman. Having shot for the movie in the past two years, she admits that there is a vast difference between the functioning of a Hollywood film set and its Hindi counterpart. "When the day starts, everyone is in a huge trailer, getting their hair and make-up done. It is like a family [working together], unlike in India, where everyone is in their own vanity van. [This practice] establishes closeness between the cast and crew."

The cherry on top was Butler who made everyone comfortable on the set. "Before I reached, I didn't know how he was. When I finally met him, [we struck up an] instant friendship. I couldn't tell him that I had a crush on him. That would have been embarrassing," she laughs.

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