News / Entertainment
Johnny Depp Starring in “Shantaram,” Called a “humble soul” by Director
Johnny Depp is slated to star in the movie adaptation of Gregory David Roberts’ best-selling book Shantaram. The movie depicts both the real-life events that surrounded Roberts’ criminal past as well as fictional characters Roberts included in his book.
Depp will play the lead character in the movie directed by the famed Mira Nair. Speaking about the 43-year-old father of two Nair said “For all the stratospheric box-office status he's a humble soul. He's generally inquisitive about the world.”
The two-time Oscar nominated Depp will once again take on the role of a complex character. Roberts past is mixed with despair and redemption while speaking volumes about humanity.
A convicted felon and heroin addict, Roberts broke out of a high-security prison in 1980 and eventually fled to Bombay, India. While living in the slums of India’s capital city Roberts set up a free medical clinic and used his skills to treat the poor. Not able to escape his past Roberts became entrenched in Bombay’s mafia underworld.
Roberts began dealing in illegal currencies and was eventually arrested in Germany for carrying a fake passport. Rather than run Roberts willingly went back to Australia were he served the remainder of his sentence.
It was while he was in prison that Roberts wrote Shantaram but twice his manuscripts were destroyed. Upon his release he wrote a third draft which became a best-seller.
Johnny Depp has appeared in a wide range of movies that have called upon his strengths to portray eccentric roles. "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "Benny & Joon," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Ed Wood," and "Finding Neverland" are among the films in which Depp has displayed his abilities to stretch the imagination.
“Vanity Fair,” “Monsoon Wedding,” and “Mississippi Masla” are among the films that Mira Nair has directed.
