Harvey Keitel To Play A Teacher In Indian Film Against Itself

Harvey Keitel has never been an actor that worked inside the box. His long and storied career is a hodgepodge of different genres and budgets. Other actors of his ilk might have been accused of selling out for taking some of the roles he did, but with Keitel there’s always a sense the seventy-one year old is just doing whatever the hell he wants. And why shouldn’t he? After crushing in everything from Taxi Driver to Pulp Fiction to Bad Lieutenant, he’s certainly earned the right to sit on this ass and collect paychecks, but if this new part is any indication, he has no plans on fading away silently.

According to THR, Keitel has just boarded his first Indian film. Titled Against Itself, it’s the story of an American teacher plying his trade in India who puts himself in harms way to protect his students from anti-Gandhian forces. The film will be shot in English and directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. Speaking about the role in a statement, the actor said, “The film deals with religious intolerance that’s one of the core issues of contemporary society. And I believe that art can sometimes more effectively deliver a message, than politics.”

Shooting begins in March. Here’s hoping it gets a release in the States at some point.