Action Replay

One could describe it as an Asian warrior film meets classic cowboy. It presents an Asian perspective on the rich history and heritage of the American-Western. I play Ron,a seemingly innocuous town boozer. For me the film is a great fable. I like the Asian and American balance that Sngmoo Lee (it’s his American debut as a director) sketched out.

What made you consider acting?

It just fell in place for me. Since I was a kid I liked the form of melodramatic expression,which is also a very prominent part of acting. Stage happened,followed by cinema.

You received critical acclaim and stardom much later. What kept you going during your years of struggle?

It was my passion for cinema. I could have given up and become an artist. But I loved and still love cinema. I also know that to get something one has to work very hard. I like every phase of my life. I have done good cinema since the beginning and with every movie I learnt something.

Throughout your career,you have delivered an enviable body of work,does any particular character linger in your conscience or affect you as a person?

I have loved and cherished each character. Peter Sellers was a demented genius in the Life and Death of Peter Sellers,while Leon Trotsky (Frida) was pushed to political asylum and Marquis (Quills) is a crazy writer. I even love Captain Barbossa and he happens to be my favourite character from the Pirates series. Almost all the characters that I have played have been very interesting.

You have been part of several award-winning period dramas,how much of your history has been brushed up?

I love reading history and working in period movies has helped polish my knowledge — whether it was The King’s Speech or Elizabeth.

Post Elizabeth do you plan to work with any Indian director?

If I am offered a good script,then why not. In cinema there is no religious or regional divide,at the end of the day you are just part of the industry. Cinema has one language.

How does a man,with an unusual personality and looks like yours survive in a looks-driven world?

I will take that as a compliment. I guess I survived because of my knowledge of cinema,acting abilities and some very good film-makers,who thought that I had the potential. Cinema has all kinds of actors — those who look beautiful,act beautifully and are beautiful within.

Do you ever toy with the idea of playing a leading man with muscles or would you stick to the quirky/ well-written characters?

I have done the roles I wanted to play. It is not because of the way I look,it is something that I wanted.

What has been the turning point in your life as a professional?

It has to be the movie Shine. Playing David Helfgott made me understand myself as an actor and also projected what I am capable of. It was a brilliant experience playing a pianist who had a nervous breakdown.

Who is more important: the actor,director or scriptwriter?

It begins with a good script. If the story is not in place then the director can’t do much and the actor has nothing left for him. It is a stepwise interdependency.

Tell us about Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean. Did you ever realise the sheer magnitude of the film?

Barbossa was introduced in the series as the main antagonist of the first film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. He died in the climax,but I guess people liked him too much and got him back from the dead in the movie Dead Man’s Chest. In the third film,Barbossa is one of the nine pirate lords. In On Stranger Tides Barbossa and Captain Jack Sparrow will search for The Fountain of Youth.

How did you train for The King’s Speech. How much of hard work goes while preparing for a role?

An actor’s life is not a cakewalk. We work in all conditions,all weathers and all health conditions. For The King’s Speech I had to sit down with a voice therapist and understand how he has the patience for his job.