EXCLUSIVE! Firstpost at IFFI 2025 | Suraj Sharma: ‘Nawazuddin Siddiqui is top of the list for me; I would love to…’

This Tempting Madness is an upcoming American psychological thriller film, directed by Jennifer E. Montgomery who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Davis. It stars Simone Ashley, Mojean Aria, Austin Stowell, Suraj Sharma, and Zenobia Shroff.

_This Tempting Madness_ is inspired by a true story. After a near-fatal fall, Mia (Simone Ashley) awakens from a coma grievously injured, her memory fractured, and her husband (Austin Stowell) missing. As fragments of her past resurface, love, guilt, and fear blur together until she can no longer tell what’s real. Haunted by doubt and desire, Mia’s search for the truth leads her to question not only her past, but herself.

Suraj Sharma plays the role of Mia’s (Simone Ashley) brother. In an EXCLUSIVE interview with Firstpost, he talks about his preparation for the role, how he wishes to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and more. Dressed top to toe in black, Life of Pi actor, Suraj Sharma caught up with Firstpost for a long chat on his films, life in general and more.

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 Edited excerpts from the interview:

It’s based on a true story. What’s your role and how have you prepared for it?

This guy is basically the heart of the story. He’s trying to save this girl who’s caught in a very bad situation. He’s trying to help his sister from what she might do to him. He’s frightened by the fact that she’s looking at him and does not recognise him.

Other than that, obviously, he talks about the cyclical nature of violence, the whole thing about people who suffer domestic abuse and yet cannot tell anyone. Nobody’s going to believe it. Nobody’s going to accept that this actually happened. So, in a way, the film is a way to bring about a conversation that essentially would make one believe that this is happening. That’s important.

Director of the film, Jennifer E. Montgomery knew the girl on whom the film This Tempting Madness is based. How did that help?

For Jennifer E. Montgomery, when this whole thing was actually happening, she was deeply involved with it. She knew the girl very well. She told me that on a daily basis all this was happening. So, yes, there’s pressure, but also at the same time, you have someone who actually got involved with the person, and she’s the one that is guiding you through this.

So, if ever you feel like ‘Oh this doesn’t seem right,’ there’s pressure but at the same time, there’s a sense of comfort from the fact that it’s good to have someone who knows what actually happened.

What is this connection that you have towards movies which are closely related to reality and what is your notion of being an immigrant and how much are they being accepted?

Interesting. The funny thing is I never thought of myself as an immigrant. It’s an identity that you are given. But we live in New York City. The thing is, my generation of immigrants is a little bit different than the previous one. But that previous one is the one from where the identity of the immigrant comes. Luckily, I grew up in a family that I am quite deeply rooted in.

I don’t feel like I have to be anything, but ‘me’ in order to be accepted somewhere or in anywhere in the world; to have to create something to fit the vision that someone else might have. As far as depth or story is considered, I love stories. I love people more than anything else really. I was lucky enough to have worked with people who were at the top of their game.

Their hunt for reality is what struck me. Truth is stranger than fiction is an absolute fact. We have seen so many lives go down. Sometimes it is more interesting than movies. When you get blessed with that kind of an access- when you have seen people struggle, when you have seen people succeed, give them a voice. Any story comes from life. Most of the things that we are making up, it’s coming from our experiences. It is not very hard to find reality.

Any Hindi films or Indian films that you are working on?

There were conversations regarding that. I was doing a TV show because of which my schedule was tight. But will let you know when the good time comes.

Is there any Indian actor that you really admire?

There are many, but the one who is on the top of the list right now is Nawazuddin Siddiqui. I would be absolutely thrilled to work with him. Working with certain people like Adil Hussain, I mean I really love him. I got to meet Simran from Gulmohar, Manoj Bajpayee, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharmila Tagore.