French actor Gerard Depardieu, who recently became a Russian citizen, has taken his next film location to the capital of Chechnya.
In a Russian thriller titled “Turquoise” where Depardieu stars with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, is set in Moscow and Grozny.
Depardieu plays a man whose son was killed and who comes to Russia to find the killers and have his revenge on them, according to the film’s synopsis published on the official website.
The night scenes that were being shot in Grozny have numerous gun fights and car chases, but the film crew and Depardieu himself look quite cheerful.
Depardieu had to lose 25 kilograms to be in great shape for the film, taking on exercising every morning and drinking mineral water all day long to be fitter throughout the shooting duration.
The actor first came to Chechnya to celebrate Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s birthday last year. He quit France after criticizing a planned 75-per cent tax on millionaires, and soon after received a hug and a passport from President Vladimir Putin and heaped praise on the Russian leader – earning criticism from opposition and rights campaigners.
After Depardieu was presented with his Russian passport, Kadyrov invited Depardieu to live in Chechnya.
The actor, known for starring in movies such as ‘Green Card’ and ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’, has already appeared in an advertising campaign for ketchup in Russia and a film about so-called mad monk Grigory Rasputin.