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FILM INTERVIEW: VIMAY VERMANI & NOUREEN DEWULF

Canada’s ‘Breakaway’ Combines Hockey, Indian Immigrant Experience

By: Parimal M. Rohit

November 28, 2011

Cricket may be able to bring Bollywood to a halt, but director Robert Lieberman certainly hopes crickets are not being heard in theaters screening Breakway as it makes its way to Hollywood in early 2012. A heartfelt ethnic sports movie starring Vinay Vermani, Noureen DeWulf, Russell Peters, Anupam Kher, Rob Lowe, and Camilla Belle, Breakaway hopes to be to hockey what Bend It Like Beckham was to soccer.

Whether or not Breakaway joins the lexicon of Bend It Like Beckham or even Slumdog Millionaire as the gold standard of crossover cinema, the sports comedy film also known as Speedy Singhs is sure to at least get people talking about where the film ranks among the most influential Western productions featuring a predominantly Indian cast.

That discussion is partially on hold until the film -- which debuted at Toronto Film Fest and has been running in Canadian theaters for two months now -- opens across the United States in January. In the meantime, Mr. Vermani and Ms. DeWulf spent a little time with Parimal M. Rohit, sharing some thoughts of the film and whether hockey has a chance in the United States.

Noureen DeWulf

Parimal M. Rohit: Noureen, tell us about your role in Breakaway. You portray a sports reporter in Toronto?

Noureen DeWulf: I play Reena, who is the cousin of the main character, Rajveer. In this film, I play a sports reporter; she covers hockey. I marry Russell Peters in the movie. We kind of provide some comedy in the film. We have our own wedding storyline. Every Indian movie needs a wedding in it!

PMR: You’re married to a hockey player in real life (Buffalo Sabers' goalkeeper and Olympic Silver Medalist Ryan Miller). Did he give you any pointers for this film?

NDW: Well, it’s funny because I called him and I said, "I booked a hockey movie!" He was like, "You are kidding me!" And I said, "No, I’m going to be on the ice 12 hours a day!"

PMR: How did you get this role?

NDW: I actually was sent the script from Russell (Peters), and I do a lot of comedy. He asked me if I liked the part, and I said I absolutely adore it. I flew to Toronto and met with the director. I told him how I would play (Reena). I think (Mr. Lieberman) liked my character, and he hired me.

Vimay Vermani

PMR: Akshay Kumar was on board as an executive producer and also makes a cameo in the film. Does he have aspirations to join Anil Kapoor in transitioning into Hollywood? Would you join him?

Vimay Vermani: I know, if the right opportunity presents itself, we will work together. But right now, I think being Indian is real exciting, especially in North America. There are plenty of opportunities.

PMR: How did you become so close with Akshay as a friend?

VV: He has a very close association with Canada, shot many movies there in the past. We met about 20 years ago and we’ve just become very close family. I met him when I was a little boy. He’s a great, great friend.

PMR: Has Akshay influenced you as an actor?

VV: No doubt. I call him the most hard-working man in the business. He’s still such a big star, and he’s one of the most disciplined actors there are today. I’ve learned a lot from him.

PMR: Let’s talk about Breakaway. How cool is it to have a film featuring Indians and hockey?

VV: Field hockey is the national sport of India; ice hockey is the national sport of Canada. Indians in Canada love ice hockey. It’s in our blood. In Canada, (more than) 50 NHL games are broadcast in Punjabi. It has a huge following. A lot of young Sikh boys are starting to play ice hockey, a lot of Indian boys are starting to play ice hockey. I’ve grown up on it, being Canadian. There were some racial barriers in the game, which this film addresses.

PMR: Does Breakaway talk about the Indian/Punjabi experience? Or does it foretell what could possibly be?

VV: I think it’s a little bit of both. I think you said it just right. It addresses some of the issues that young Punjabi youth have and, in our way, we try to shed light on that -- how to always don’t let things change you, but you have the power to change those things. My character, Rajveer Singh, changes himself for his desire to play hockey when he realizes he didn’t have to change. He had the gumption all along.

PMR: What has to change for hockey to become a bigger sport in America?

VV: [Laughs] Awww man! A lot of people are trying to figure that out. Hockey is a very exciting sport, it’s a fun sport. I don’t know, maybe some more fighting or something.

Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Hari Om Entertainments' 'Breakaway' is now playing in limited release.