EXCLUSIVE! Maxton Hall's Damian Hardung says he would 'love to do' a Bollywood film: The movie culture in India is so different; opens up about India and his idea of love

As Maxton Hall turns its young leads into global sensations, few have felt the shift as strongly as Damian Hardung — the German breakout who has suddenly found fans from Mumbai to Mexico City. Speaking to Bombay Times, he talks about his deepening connection with India, the “global crush” tag that follows him everywhere, and why holding onto his craft matters more than any spotlight.'India has always struck me as a place with a spiritual connection'Damian visited India as a child, but the memories remain vivid. “What stuck with me most are obviously the people and the culture, not to forget the food. Indian cuisine is just the best food there is. There’s this really nice friendliness, a welcoming culture. You can be anywhere — in a tuk-tuk or in a car — and suddenly you’re discussing world politics and spirituality. India has always struck me as a place where there is more of that spiritual connection that I sometimes miss in other places.” Ask him about his favourite dishes, and he answers instantly: “Dal Makhani and Chana Masala.” 'Maybe in my last life I was in India'His familiarity with India also comes from home. “I like Asian culture. I loved Indonesia, but also Indian culture. When I was 18, my mother went to India for like half a year just to live in the countryside. She just stayed in the mountains there and worked on a farm. She's taught me so much about it. Growing up, she cooked a lot of Indian cuisine. Maybe in my last life I was there,” he shares.'If it's fame and money that you're chasing, it'll never be enough'With fame has come another moniker — global crush — but Damian stays detached. “I’m just seeing it as another label people play around with. I’m not attached to it,” he tells us. As for the attention that fame brings, he is clear about what he doesn’t want. “I don't want to be self-indulgent and play that role of the fallen artist who got to be famous and now is struggling. That's the tale I don't want to retell because it's been told too many times. You are the master of your faith and the captain of your universe. So, there's definitely been decisions that brought me to the point in my life where I'm at right now, but I don't think fame is the answer. If it's fame and money that you're chasing, it'll never be enough.”'Always hated when the actor behind the role grows larger than the role itself'Despite the attention, he remains protective of his privacy. “It's important to have that space within you that belongs to you. Because in the end, I want to be an actor who is able to portray different characters from different backgrounds. If I put too much of myself out there, then people will have a hard time imagining me as being something else. I never want myself to stand between me and my craft. I've always hated that when the actor behind the role grows larger than the role itself. I always want to serve my role and not the other way around. The world should never serve me for my intentions,” he shares.‘True love is not about ownership’The idea of love explored in Maxton Hall season two is another aspect he values. “Having this idea of true love not as ownership of someone or not of being responsible for someone, but of loving someone so deeply that if their path doesn't align with your own path, that's fine for you as well. I think that idea of true love that runs deeper than satisfying your own wants and needs, but really wanting the good for the other person, is something that I truly value in showcasing in the second season," he explains. ‘The movie culture in India is so different’Ask him about acting in India someday, and he lights up instantly. “Would love to. I don't speak the language, unfortunately. But if there was ever like an international role for an English-speaking person, I would definitely consider it. When my mom was there, and my parents were there, they also told me that the culture of movie watching is just so different because apparently everyone in India was standing up in their seats, screaming at the screen, and throwing popcorn. They emotionally connect to the story. And I love that,” he concludes.