Suraj Sharma and Director Jennifer E. Montgomery on True-Story Thriller ‘This Tempting Madness’ Ahead of IFFI Premiere

Ahead of the premiere of “This Tempting Madness” at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), director Jennifer E. Montgomery and actor Suraj Sharma spoke about shaping the psychological thriller’s real-life origins, its non-linear dive into memory and the casting process that ultimately centered on Simone Ashley’s performance. Montgomery described the story as “largely true,” while Sharma returning to IFFI more than a decade after “Life of Pi” opened it reflected on the script’s density and the collaborative spirit that drew him to the film. Inspired by a true incident, the story follows Mia, played by Simone Ashley (“Bridgerton”), who awakens from a coma after a near-fatal fall. Gravely injured and unable to fully recall her past, she learns that her husband is missing. As her fractured memories resurface, Mia becomes confused and overwhelmed by a surge of emotions. The cast also includes Austin Stowell (“NCIS: Origins”) and Zenobia Shroff (“The Marvels”). “It’s a wild story because the strangest parts are true,” says Montgomery, who co-wrote the script with Andrew M. Davis. “I would say it is largely true, though some pieces were pushed a little further for interpretation.” The three lead roles are played by actors of South Asian origin. Speaking about the casting, Montgomery says the process revolved around Simone Ashley. “We anchored the whole movie around her. Simone really took me by surprise. She was exciting and brought a fierce intensity to the role. She was fresh off ‘Bridgerton’ at the time, so we were thrilled to cast her. That gave us the opportunity to cast the rest of the family, which is how we found Suraj and Zenobia Shroff.” For Sharma, the appeal of lay in “the collaborative spirit of the team and the script. It’s extremely dense and complicated,” said Sharma, who plays Mia’s brother. On the themes, Montgomery says that as the title suggests, “This Tempting Madness” is “ambitious in its darkness, intensity, emotion, and structure. It’s non-linear because it deals with memory and memory is inherently non-linear.” The IFFI premiere aligns with Montgomery’s belief that great stories don’t have borders. “It was always important to us that the world see the movie,” she says, adding that she is preparing for an early 2026 release. Based in the U. S., Sharma said he hopes to do more work in India. His last Indian project was the 2023 Hindi film “Gulmohar.” “It has been tough straddling two industries, but a valuable learning experience. I hope I get good jobs in India too. I want to be one of those actors who gets to do both,” he says.
https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/suraj-sharma-jennifer-montgomery-this-tempting-madness-iffi-1236593375/

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