India Calling

Why did you choose Teen Patti as your first Indian film?
There was a sudden curiousity and need to be reconnected with India when this film was offered to me. India is a tremendously important country to me. Its place in the world is changing right now and I want to be part of this change.

How was your experience on the set with an all Indian cast and crew?
Unfortunately,all my scenes were shot in the UK. So,I didn’t get a chance to film in India. But yes,most of our cast and crew were Indian. The way a western and Indian crew functions is quite different but the main difference was the speed. You’d be amazed at how fast Indians film.

Tell us about working with Amitabh Bachchan in Teen Patti.
The image that comes to mind is of two tennis players who have never met before. They are now playing together and have matched the rhythm of the game perfectly. I come from a Shakespearean background and people often ask me about my experience working with actors of different backgrounds. But as actors,we enjoy working with and learning from people with varied cultures and experiences.

Your name is still associated with Gandhiji,does that bother you since you’re going to be playing a slightly negative character in Teen Patti.
The fact that I’m associated with Mahatma Gandhi so affectionately till date is extraordinary. It’s something that I will always be thankful for. My character in Teen Patti is a mathematician and is British,which is so different from the image that Gandhi gave me. I have absolutely no idea what the outcome is going to be like.

We’ve been hearing rumours of Aishwarya Rai refusing to be part of your next film based on the story of the Taj Mahal.
As of now,we’ve got a script for the film but it’s still very new. We don’t even have a director as yet and we’re still bringing finance to the film. It’s all very much in the planning stages and it would be unfair on any individual to say if he or she is in it or not.