'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’: ‘A warts and all, dirt under the fingernails’ movie

In a recent interview, cast member Riz Ahmed shared some insights about what the Rebels feel in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” He also revealed the meaning of his character’s name in the film- Bodhi.

The main plot of the movie revolves around a group of Rebels going on a daring mission to steal the plans of the Death Star, powerful orbital battle station built by the Empire that is capable of destroying an entire planet in a single strike. The heroes will have to face insurmountable odds in order to achieve their goal in the film.

So, what motivates the Rebels to undertake such a dangerous mission? In an interview with Evening Standard, Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook) explained that the film is about the “real politics of the situation.” The actor said that he spoke to Iraqi interpreters who worked with the US Army, to prepare for his role. Apparently many of these men were promised US visas, which they never got. They had to either live in hiding or smuggle themselves to Europe in order to survive.

Such gritty details is said to be shaping “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” to be a different movie, when compared to the other films from the franchise.

“We weren’t being asked to present a glossy heightened version of the story. It’s a warts and all, dirt under the fingernails, portrayal that gets into the messiness of the story,” Ahmed said.

Talking about the name Bodhi, Ahmed explained that it is Sanskrit for “awakening.” The actor said that his character doesn’t belong on the battlefield, but finds himself fighting alongside soldiers, assassins and spies. This, he hopes will make his character relatable to the audience.

“He is bringing a lot of guilt to the table. I think he feels he has a lot of debts to settle. But that’s true for many of the characters in this film,” Ahmed said. Bodhi is a part of the team in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” that is tasked with stealing the plans for the Death Star.