Celebrated filmmaker Mira Nair recently revealed Tom Cruise prohibits eye contact on his film sets.
During a conversation with veteran Indian actress Shabana Azmi at the New York Indian Film Festival, the filmmaker spoke of Tom Cruise’s alleged ‘do not look me in the eye condition’ in his contract.
“Tom Cruise has in his contract that you cannot meet his eyes. You’re not allowed to look at him in the eyes,” she said.
When Azmi asked the Monsoon Wedding maker why, she added, “I don’t know! But it’s in the contract, I’m telling you. Serious. Maybe he believes that his juice will be robbed by people perhaps, let’s conserve it for the screen. I don’t know. But this is real.” Shabana Azmi, confused by it, continued how can one act opposite Tom Cruise if they are not allowed to look him in the eye?
Mira explained, “The actors and directors can (look at him). But not aam log. I’m telling you.”
The filmmaker added that the rule must have changed and she has to be cautious about what she reveals. ''I shouldn’t be talking so much about somebody I’ve only just seen and not been able to see… But in any case, it is true,'' Mira Nair concluded. She also shared her two cents about the matter by stating, ''An actor’s resource base has to be life. When you’re alive to everything that is happening around you, that is the fuel, that is the experience.''
