Smeep Kang challenged me to explore different acting ideas: Hadelin de Ponteves

One of the most established names in the world of artificial intelligence, Paris-based businessman Hadelin de Ponteves is excited about exploring a new territory, Indian cinema! The 31-year-old is professionally trained in acting and is now looking forward to showcasing his skills on the screen. Hadelin will make his film debut with director Smeep Kang’s upcoming Punjabi film, Bai Ji Kuttange.

Talking about the experience working with Smeep Kang, Hadelin says, “It’s been beyond amazing. At the end of the first part of the shooting, I went to say goodbye to the director and said, ‘Sir, thank you for two things. First, for giving me confidence during the shoot, and secondly, for challenging me to explore different acting ideas on some of the scenes.’ Before and after shooting a scene, we always met with the director, and each time he would provide great guidance along with being reassuring. That’s what gave me the confidence to give my best, and even when I did, the director was still challenging me to try things differently in order to make the scenes funnier. I know how important it is for the actor to communicate well with the director, and I couldn’t have asked for a better interaction. Also, as a non-Indian, I felt truly welcomed by the director and team members from the very beginning, which made my experience amazing right from the start.”

Along with having a great time with the director, Hadelin also enjoyed being on the set. Sharing the experience, he says, “That was a wonderful experience. First, the team is absolutely amazing. Every single person on the set was kind and highly professional. At first, I was impressed by all the material required to shoot the scenes — so many lighting equipment, big cameras, accessories, and more than 30 team members, etc. I will always remember my first scene, which was quite technical, because it was shot in a car driving on the highway. So the team actually stuck the camera on the windows of the car. I will always remember the feeling I had when I first heard the director say, ‘Action’. I realised that I was living my childhood dream.”

After such a great experience, Hadelin wants to do more films and hone his skills. “Shooting for the film was one of the best experiences of my life, and I will definitely do more movies. I want to explore this artistic endeavour 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 started to take some 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. I plan to stay in this beautiful country for a long time,” says Hadelin, as he goes on to explain the connection he has with India.

“My best friend is Punjabi and he introduced me to a lot of people in the industry,” he says, adding that he also has several business connections in the country (he’s a pioneer of online education). “I have the most connections here, because most of my students are Indian. Among my 1.2 million students, India is ranked number one, with more than 3,00,000 students,” says Hadelin.