By Mikaela Viqueira
Manali, India, May 25 (EFE).- Spanish actor Miguel Herrán has immersed himself in the heart of northern India for his most recent leading role.
From the Himalayas, the actor who is best known for his role as Río in Netflix blockbuster Money Heist, told EFE how his experience in the remote Himalayas has grounded him and helped him appreciate what he has.
Herrán, who is in India filming Salvador Calvo’s new movie Valle de Sombras (Valley of Shadows), is a legend in the Asian country and cradle of Bollywood where people revere movies and their on-screen stars.
SHOOTING IN THE HIMALAYAS
Despite the multiple challenges posed by filming in the mountains, Herrán said working in India has allowed him to get to know a new culture and explore one of the most welcoming places in the Indian Himalayas.
“Whenever you go to another place it is more complicated because everything gets out of your usual control: you are not in your country, you are not in your area, you are not with your people… But I like it. I think that, although it is more difficult and requires more effort, it is worth it,” Herrán told EFE.
Morphing into Quique, the protagonist of Valle de Sombras, has allowed him to visit breathtaking landscapes such as the majestic Kullu Valley or the Buddhist monastery of Kee Gompa, places he never imagined traveling to.
But he also witnessed the discrimination of children from the Dalit community, previously known as untouchable, and the rife poverty in the country, both of which have been experiences that he said “puts your feet on the ground a bit and makes you realize what we have and what is really important.”
“I believe that the important thing is the family”, the 27-year-old actor adds.
QUIQUE’S GUILT
Guilt is a central theme in Herrán’s latest film where his character, Quique, takes a decision that will change his life forever.
“Although it is a decision that at first starts very well and that he believes is a good one, something terrible ends up happening that makes Quique, in this instance, remain isolated in a remote town and he comes to terms with himself,” Herrán explained.
In addition to being in the midst of a great dilemma, Quique embarks on a journey of forgiveness with himself.
“No matter how much happens to you and no matter how hard it is, life continues. And that is often hard for us to understand,” Herrán said of his character’s hardship.
MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
When asked what his most surreal moment since arriving in India was, Herrán told EFE how when he arrived in the northern state of Ladakh a man showed up at the hotel where he was staying with his three daughters in tow to propose that he marry one of them.
“I am surprised at how well-known he is here. Ladakh is in a remote place” and people still knew who he was, the producer of La Terraza Films, Javier Ugarte, told EFE.
NETFLIX BLOCKBUSTER
Money Heist took India by storm and became the most-watched Netflix series in India, according to the streaming company.
The popularity of the adrenalin-fuelled crime thriller “is much more amazing than I expected,” the actor added.
“People have seen Money Heist and people are true fans of Money Heist,” Herrán mused.
“It has always surprised me,” the actor said of traveling to far-flung places and getting recognized. “I always say: ‘no, let’s see, it won’t be that bad, surely they don’t watch it there’.”
But the cast has been met by hoards of fans wherever they go, except in Thailand, where Herrán says nobody recognized them when they traveled to the Southeast Asian country to shoot parts of the third season.
“Just one, please. Just one photo,” pleaded a fan, getting on set between each take while the team asked him to try later once the actor had finished filming. EFE
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