Though a film set 70 years ago, there’s a profound sense of relevance to Gurinder Chadha’s Viceroy’s House, and when we sat down with Gillian Anderson – who plays Edwina Mountbatten – she discussed the pertinency of the project at hand.
“Things haven’t changed,” she said. “But can we learn from our mistakes? And what is our moral responsibility to things like immigrants or refugees? It’s a big contemporary topic”.
Anderson also discusses the flaws of her character, and how in spite of her good intentions she remains a part of the problem – which led to the partition. She discusses how this may change the perception of the Mountbattens in India, and whether or not she spoke to relatives of the married couple, and whether it has helped, and informed her performance. Finally she discusses Official Secrets – a picture she was said to be in talks to star in – and whether or not it’s still got legs.
Synopsis
In 1947, British statesman Lord Mountbatten serves as India’s last Viceroy and is charged with handing India back to its people.
Viceroy’s House is released on March 3rd, and you can read our review here.
