Maureen Bharoocha isn’t your typical filmmaker. Growing up in a blend of Irish Catholic and Indian-Pakistani-Burmese cultures in sunny California, her background is far from ordinary. This multi-hyphenated identity shaped her into a filmmaker drawn to themes of uniqueness, faith, and finding one’s place in the world.
I find myself attracted to stories about identity crises and characters struggling to carve their place or voice.
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Bharoocha explains during our Zoom call, her lively demeanour brightening up London’s gloomy winter weather. I playfully remark that enjoying sunshine in Santa Barbara must be a treat, especially during this time of year, and she enthusiastically agrees.
Absolutely! It’s 66 degrees right now, and I feel incredibly fortunate.
Admittedly, being British, I’m clueless about what 66 degrees means in Celsius, but I mentally remind myself to look it up later.
My multifaceted storytelling, especially on my dad’s side, with it being Indian, Pakistani, and Burmese, was always trying to uncover what the truth was. Our family is originally three to four generations of Gujaratis living in Burma but because of the revolution in the country, and through years of migration, my dad eventually found himself in Pakistan before moving to the States in the 70s.
Let’s rewind to my introduction of Bharoocha’s work with “Abajee,” her directorial debut short film that landed on YouTube after featuring at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Shot on the streets of Karachi with what seemed like a relic Nokia 3300-turned-camera — with family for a cast and crew — it told the tale of a boy and his ill-fated rooster.
My dad would tell us all these stories and I’d think, where is Karachi? One story about him having a rooster as a kid particularly stood out, where he was so naive to think that if he’d just take his rooster to a cockfight, it’ll win. But instead it literally, instantly, died.
But “Abajee” wasn’t just about poultry antics; in just 15 minutes, it captured the vibrant chaos of life in Karachi — from relentless traffic and makeshift food stalls to the Azaan in the background. The attention to detail was spot-on, making me eager to see what Maureen’s next project, “The Prank,” had in store.
Premiering at South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in 2022 and now scheduled for a nationwide release in the US, “The Prank” is a comedy-thriller that follows high school best friends Ben (Connor Kalopsis) and Tanner (Ramona Young of “Never Have I Ever” fame). Their mission? To get back at their mean teacher, Mrs. Wheeler (played by Academy Award/EGOT winner Rita Moreno), who threatens to fail the whole class over a suspected cheating incident.
But it’s not just unfair, it could also ruin Ben’s chances for a scholarship. Tanner, relishing the injustice, concocts a plan for revenge. Years ago, a troubled student named Wayne disappeared, believed to have died from addiction. Tanner decides to spread a theory, using deepfake and Photoshop, that Mrs. Wheeler was somehow involved. Their goal? To make her suffer through a viral social media storm until it blows over.
However, things quickly spiral out of control as the prank takes an unexpected turn.
When I first received the script written by Becca and Zach White, it was just so nice and fun to read; something not centred on weddings and marriages.
I jokingly remarked about whether the abundance of wedding scripts had to do with Bharoocha’s heritage, to which she laughed and pondered.
Could be. I’m half South Asian, and weddings are ingrained in our culture, so people may have thought, why not! But it really isn’t my thing.
Moreno, famous for her Oscar-winning role in “West Side Story,” is just as strong at 92 as she was at 32. As Mrs. Wheeler, she faces Tanner’s rumours with a confident indifference almost as if the scandal is beneath her.
I had been wanting to work with Rita Moreno forever and that was my first idea of reading the script. I was like, you know what? She hasn’t done anything like this. Actors always wish to do roles they’ve never done and I thought it’d be great to approach her.
Rita was also coming over from the remake of “West Side” which is a huge set, so for her to be this excited for our indie film was such a heartwarming moment.
Originally, Moreno was to play a home economics teacher with two male leads but Bharoocha felt it was too cliché. Instead, Moreno’s character gained a science background, and Young was chosen for the main role opposite Kalopsis after a chemistry read. Bharoocha felt the change added diversity instead of stereotyping female teachers playing typical roles.
I thought it’d be great if Mrs. Wheeler was more in STEM or chemistry but after reading the script, it made more sense to give her a physics background.
The film’s most amusing, recurring joke highlights how everyone, from the school to the neighbours and even local reporters, shared a disdain for Mrs. Wheeler. Their biased reporting, fueled by the wildfire spread of rumours, exposes a humorous lack of journalistic integrity, mirroring social media’s current landscape.
We’ve all had those teachers who were tough on us. In seventh grade, I had my own version of Mrs. Wheeler who, for some unknown reason, seemed to hate me.
“Did she genuinely hate you, or is that just your interpretation?” I asked, chuckling.
No, I’m not joking, she really did seem to hate me!
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The director mentioned that while the film doesn’t introduce any “life-changing,” social themes, it may offer insights into the changing world of social media. I asked Bharoocha if she believes “The Prank” will impact independent cinema, to which she linked the genre mashup with her personal identity.
I think it’s taking two things that sometimes, on the surface, don’t seem to coalesce. But, that’s why I love taking aspects that are unexpected and making them work.
While I did say that it won’t change your life. But [on another note], I think people can go with their partner, friends or family, and just sit in a cinema, have fun, laugh, have some thrills. And right now, in this landscape of doom and gloom, we need more films with humour and light-hearted fun than ever before.
“The Prank” hits cinemas across the US on March 15th, 2024.
