Jewel Fools bring Hollywood and Bollywood together in new comedy

By Connor Sadler, September 24 2014 —

What could possibly go wrong when three slackers hatch a plot to steal back a priceless diamond ring from a criminal organization?

That’s the premise of Jewel Fools, the latest movie from local film studio Rendering Glint Films.

At first the comedy seems fairly simple, with a ragtag group of heroes trying to take down the bad guys. But Jewel Fools shakes the genre by taking a more intelligent approach to comedy.

“There are many unexpected twists and turns in the story,” says co-director Jashan Makan. “The humour in Jewel Fools is very dark and dry, in the light of films such as In Bruges and Bollywood films like Delhi Belly.”

Calgary local Makan thought a mix of genres, known in Bollywood films as Masala, would make the movie more distinctive.

“We thought it would be a unique idea to take the elements of a Masala film and use it in a Hollywood style of film,” Makan says. “The main foundation of Jewel Fools is Bollywood, but it is almost 100 per cent English.

Despite being a comedy, Jewel Fools touches on heartfelt topics. At its core the film’s about an average 20-something who has to face his worst enemy. Similar to real life, it shows that when everything goes sideways, there are still some laughs to be had.

“We explore themes of love, friendship, karma and perseverance,” Makan says. “Even though you may be going through times of extreme hardship, your friends will always be there for you.”