Eternals: International reviews rave about ‘endearing’, ‘scene-stealing’ Harish Patel

Eternals may have become the worst-reviewed film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but there is a silver lining for actor Harish Patel. The Indian actor, best known for playing Ibu Hatela in Hindi action movie Gunda, has got international reviewers raving about his performance. 

Harish plays Karun in Eternals, assistant/manager to Kumail Nanjiani’s Bollywood star/superhero, Kingo. He accompanies Kingo on his journey as he reunites with other Eternals. Karun is also tasked with filming Kingo’s superhero adventures for a documentary.

Slate’s review for the movie called Harish ‘endearing’. “After walking out on a (delightful) Bollywood dance sequence to join his mighty ex-co-workers, Kingo brings along his valet (the endearing Harish Patel) to shoot a puff-piece documentary about the Eternals,” it read. IGN’s review called him incomparably brilliant. “Karun (Harish Patel) — Kingo’s manager and the human we spend the most time with in the film — fits right in because they’re flawed in the exact same ways humanity is flawed. Also because he is incomparably brilliant and one of Eternals’ brightest spots, but that’s beside the point entirely,” it read. 

The Wrap called Harish ‘wonderful’. “For Kingo, it’s indulging Bollywood stardom with a valet (the wonderful Harish Patel) recording his every move,” reads an excerpt from the review. The Empire thought Harish was ‘scene-stealing’. “The definite standouts are Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo, an Eternal who takes on a second career as a Bollywood star; his ‘valet’ Karun, played by Harish Patel, who supplies a scene-stealing everyman befuddlement,” the review mentioned.

Also read: Eternals director Chloe Zhao teases Kumail Nanjiani’s dance scene in MCU movie

Eternals will release in India on November 5. The cast has been travelling to Los Angeles, London, France, Rome and other cities for special screenings. Harish, however, could not be a part of it as he was diagnosed with coronavirus recently.

Harish has previously said in interviews that he had a good time shooting with the film’s main cast. He even mentioned in an interview to Pinkvilla about his interaction with Salma Hayek. He said that he was about to leave after his audition, when a production assistant asked if he’d be willing to stick around for the table read. He told them that he wanted lunch, and they assured him that food would be provided. He told Pinkvilla in Hindi, “I was eating, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. ‘Hello’, she said, and I thought that she had a lovely voice. I turned around, and it was Salma Hayek. She congratulated me, I thanked her. I was staring at her, she was so beautiful. I found out later she was Salma Hayek.”