Action is just another form of dialogue: Andy Long

German-born action director of Vietnamese origin Andy Long Nguyen has built an international career choreographing stunts — from Hollywood films like Kung Fu Warrior (2017) and Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022) to Indian projects such as Shivaay (2016), Sanak (2021), and most recently the Telugu mythological sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD.

“As a teenager watching Indian films dubbed in German, I never imagined that one day I would get to design the action for the legendary Mr Bachchan. The experience was surreal,” he says. In a conversation with Hyderabad Times, he opens up about his early struggles, the influence of Jackie Chan, creating action that feels like dialogue, and his upcoming collaboration with Rashmika Mandanna in Mysaa.‘I went from filming short clips to global film sets’Andy traces his fascination for action back to his childhood.

“The biggest influence that made me record ‘action’ was my obsession with Jackie Chan films. I always wanted to move like him, imitate the stunts, fight and jump the way he does,” he says. That passion pushed him to film short clips and share them online in the early 2000s.His career took a decisive turn in 2011 when he joined Jackie Chan’s stunt team. “It was the toughest but also the best on-set education I could have ever gotten.

Jackie Chan made films for everyone to enjoy, he reduced the violence so even kids could watch and still be entertained. That philosophy continues to inspire how I approach action,” he recalls.

‘Working in Kalki 2898 AD was challenging’Kalki 2898 AD gave Andy the opportunity to work on a scale unlike anything he had attempted before. “It was my first mythological sci-fi action film with gods, immortals, giants, robots and spaceships. It was challenging and amazing at the same time,” he recalls. On working with Nag Ashwin, he says, “Nag had a very unique way of guiding the team without relying on storyboards or references. He gave very few instructions, yet managed to align everyone towards his vision. That was very impressive.” But his biggest takeaway from the set was working with Amitabh Bachchan. “Despite my concerns about his age, he moved better than many people half his age.”

‘Rashmika will have to undergo a lot of physical stunt training for Mysaa’Long’s next big project in Telugu cinema is Mysaa, starring Rashmika Mandanna. “We were supposed to collaborate earlier, so I’m glad it’s finally happening. Rashmika will have to undergo a lot of physical stunt training for her character, and it will be a completely new experience and challenge for her,” he says.

‘Action must grow out of the story, not stand apart from it’For Andy, fight choreography isn’t only about physical spectacle — it is storytelling.

“I prefer to create the action in a way which serves the story and takes the character to another level. It is very important for me to study the script and the characters and help the director to make the action reasonable; to find out what skills make sense, why they get into a fight, and what their goal is,” he explains. He describes action as being inseparable from narrative.

“Action is just another form of dialogue and should blend in perfectly with every other scene. The emotion behind a fight matters just as much as the choreography.”"Hyderabad was my first work destination in India, and it left a lasting impression. The cuisine is unforgettable, and Golconda Fort feels like a ready-made movie set, just waiting for an action-adventure."- Divya Shree