Actor from Bahrain takes the lead in the short film ‘Obligatory’
By Raji Unnikrishnan
Actor Kaj Adnan from Bahrain has taken on the lead role in the much-anticipated short film ‘Obligatory,’ set to captivate audiences with its compelling narrative set in 1970s Greece. Directed by Eli Staub and written by Angelo Pitsillis, the film promises to showcase the exceptional talents of its cast and crew, including the dedicated efforts of producers Sofia Bajwa and Yuwan Ye. This cinematic work, filmed in Los Angeles, California, marks a significant milestone for Bahrain’s presence in the global film industry.
In an interview with Bahrain This Week, Kaj shared his ‘Obligatory’ journey. The plot revolves around Elias, a young prison guard who is assigned to execute his former university professor, putting him in a bitter internal conflict.
“When I first saw the breakdown, I knew I wanted to audition for the role, and I fell in love with the character as I read the script because I knew it’s going to be a challenge for me to put myself in Elias’ shoes and imagine that I’m about to kill my professor,” said Kaj.
“I prepared for the role by researching the time that this event happened. I watched all the videos to understand everything. I also worked on my Greek-English accent by watching YouTube videos.”
Kaj, who graduated from the Modern Knowledge Schools in Juffair, has a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from the University of Bahrain. Subsequently, he moved to Los Angeles and did acting for the film conservatory programme at New York Film Academy. Currently, he is part of the MAD acting studios in LA.
Shooting the last scene of Obligatory was the hardest, reflected Kaj, fondly remembering the experience of shaving his head for the character.
“The last scene of the film, the execution scene, was shot on the second day. I was still getting into the character and meeting everyone on set. It was the hardest scene to shoot, in my opinion. Also, something that I will never forget is the first day when I had to shave my head for the role, and the director Eli shaved it for me. He also shaved his head in solidarity with me.”
The production of the film took approximately six months, including the process of story writing, location scouting, and actor auditions. The pre-production preparations lasted a month, involving camera setups, costume design, and set construction, before commencing with actual filming, followed by editing, music scoring, and other post-production details.
Kaj credited the team for bringing out the best in him. He said he “truly trusted the team” to bring authenticity. “All I did was focus on the betrayal of the character. Working with Eli was the best experience. He really understands actors and knows how to direct them to feel the right emotion. He gave me a lot of room to play, but something that I really loved about him is that he really appreciated subtle acting.”
Kaj hoped that the audience would feel what his character Elias was going through. “This story is not fictional, but it’s something that happened and is still happening in the real world,” he reminded.
“I really hope this shows that Middle Eastern actors can lead films and have more opportunities that are written for us.”
The 25-year-old is originally Lebanese, born and raised in Saudi Arabia before moving to Bahrain when he was 11. He is a social media sensation and has amassed a large following through his accounts on various social media platforms, with fans from around the world. He has achieved significant success in previous roles during his time in California. He believes that his presence in California has contributed to developing his artistic skills and enriching his cinematic experiences.
“Being immersed in the vibrant artistic environment has enabled me to deliver outstanding performances,” he added.
Obligatory is expected to embark on a tour of film festivals worldwide, allowing the audience to witness this exceptional cinematic work.