- March 2, 2021
AI mogul Hadelin de Ponteves debuts as an actor with a Punjabi film
After becoming one of the most celebrated names in the world of artificial intelligence and online education, Paris-based businessman Hadelin de Ponteves, 31, is set to take his love for Indian cinema to the next level. An ardent film aficionado, Hadelin is set to make his acting debut with the Punjabi film, Bai Ji Kuttange.
Ask him how he feels about his acting debut, and Hadelin says, “It feels amazing! It is like a dream come true. As a kind, I always wanted to act. So turning an actor is like diving again into my childhood, and chasing my core dreams. I feel so blessed that I get to do this in India, because somehow I’ve always felt a deep connection with this country.”
Though he’s French by origin, it’s surprising that he’s venturing into films with a Punjabi project. What made him choose that? “What made me choose a Punjabi film is the fact that my best friend, who’s like a brother, Darasing Khurana, is Punjabi. When he took me around Punjab, shared with me the exquisite Punjabi food, introduced me to tons of lovely people, and had me discover the beautiful Sikh religion, I was fascinated. I fell in love with the culture, so it totally resonated with me to choose a Punjabi film,” says Hadelin.
While this is his debut, Hadelin plans to continue exploring Indian cinema. Talking about his future plans, he says, “I enjoyed shooting for my first film and I would definitely do more movies. I want to explore this artistic endeavor as far as I can and strive to reach my highest potential. I will probably do other Punjabi movies, and maybe Bollywood ones if some good opportunities are introduced. I want to fully integrate the culture, which is why I’ve already enrolled for dance classes and other art classes. I also plan to constantly get acting training, so that I can not only reach my top potential, but also become a versatile actor that lives in different characters. I plan to stay in this beautiful country for a long time.”
Directed by Smeep Kang and produced by actor Upasana Singh, Bai Ji Kuttange is a family action comedy.