You started you career with Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay, 20 years ago. How does it feel playing the lead role in a Mira Nair film all over again?
When I was about to shoot for Salaam Bombay they decided that the framing was
not right. I was supposed to play the role with little kids. Because of my height as compared to the kids, the framing was looking odd. So they cut the role off in the last moment. I was really hurt when they cut my role from Salaam Bombay. I cried a lot because we did the workshop for two months with the street kids, and I just came out of school. She picked me up from the school performance and just after that I got this role. So for me it was great! But when the role was cut it was a huge disappointment for me. But when she offered me the role for The Namesake, she said I owed you a role. After so many years Mira told me that I owe you a role and this is it. So I am offering you Ashoke.I was really hurt when they cut my role from Salaam Bombay. I cried a lot.
How did your casting in the film happen? Did Mira Nair remember you from your Salaam Bombay days?
No I think she must be aware of my work. She must be watching it because she is a very well aware woman and she sees whatever is happening. So I think she must have been updated with my work.
Wasn't Abhishek Bachchan supposed to play the role earlier?
Not this role. He was supposed to do another person’s role. Mira didn’t think of anybody else for my role.
So you were the first choice?
Yes.
The Namesake is based on Jhumpa Lahiri's award winning novel. Have you read the novel?
I’ve read the novel. Incidentally, that was the time when I was reading the novel and I was offered this role at the same time. Then I was curious to know how she has adapted the book because it’s a very tough thing to adapt a book. Especially this one… The Namesake.
It’s a very tough thing to adapt a book. Especially this one… The Namesake.
So how easy was it for you to get into the character?
It was not an easy thing in the sense... I haven’t done such a role before.
You were reading that novel and you knew about the role…
Yes, but even in the novel the character is not well defined. You cannot really know him as he doesn’t have much space even in the novel. He is very volatile kind of person, he doesn’t express too much. The film is shot in New York and as you said you actually had some problems in speaking English and Bengali accent. Was it difficult?
I never thought that this man will be speaking in a Bengali accent. So Mira told me, no I need Bengali accent. So to require and accent which is not your own it can look very false. It can look very put-on kind of a thing, and I was very-very worried about it. I was petrified, I thought that the accent I put on will look like a caricature of Bengali people. Then I worked hard and by God’s grace it turned out to be okay. The Bengali people are okay with it. They say “Aren’t you Bengali? We thought you are Bengali”. I said Okay bach gaye!
And how was it being paired opposite Tabu?
Excellent, we have great chemistry and we know each other. We have a certain comfort zone because of knowing each other and I really respect her as an actress. She hasn’t got an opportunity I guess. She has not been given comedy roles and I think she has a great sense of humour, nobody knows that as there is a comic person. She is excellent.
How was it working with Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart?
She is a tremendous woman. She has a history and the kind of work she has been doing is great. But I think the press has not been in Angelina’s world, they have never been in cordial terms. So she doesn’t have very good relationship with press. But she is a very strong and intelligent woman and she is tremendous actor, a very good actor and as a person she is very strong.
How was it working with director Wes Anderson in The Darjeeling Limited?
Wes Anderson. He has completed the film and I loved working with him and I still have to see how it shapes up. I love his films.
Your character in the film…
I am playing a father of a kid who changes a life of these people who come here for this unique experience, some spiritual experience they want again how debate this person and how he changes there prescription about India and about there own journey.
And what about your character in Dubai Return?
It’s the person who is not in sync with himself, or with time. He is a person who takes himself too seriously and nobody takes him seriously. So that’s his tragedy and he thinks he has something in him but he doesn’t have anything. He is too naïve.
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