The Producer

Usually,actors who turn producers do it for helming films with themselves. Is Illuminati,your company,going to be any different? Also,since you have at your disposal quite a talent pool — your mother,sister and Kareena,would the banner then produce films with them?
People make films for their children,so why not for people you are fond of or related to? But a producer should try and be faithful to the film. The director has to take a call on the actors and that’s the way it should be. We would work with different actors and directors. At the moment there are two films with me (Love Aaj Kal and Agent Vinod). If I don’t suit the part I would happily step aside for someone who does.

Is another project with director Imtiaz Ali on the anvil?
Yes,he’s still working on the story though. There is Sriram Raghavan’s Agent Vinod before that. It will have the tone of James Bond films but with a realistic touch.

You have said it before but once again: Love Aaj Kal…
On one level it’s a very touching love story and a look at relationships as they are today. It’s about two people under very modern pressures who are brave enough to negotiate their relationship in a fairly uncharted way. They discover each other after parting ways and being with other people. The circumstances in which they find themselves are new and identifiable. Imtiaz has that touch that absorbs the audience.

Almost everybody on the team said you gave gyan on life,relationships and everything in between.
Giving gyan is just an attempt at understanding things better. I am just listening to what it sounds like to articulate my thoughts. I think a lot! I don’t quite fancy the strong,silent type… Do you?

Not quite. What’s your next film Qurbaan about?
Qurbaan is a politically relevant film about international terrorism. Rensil D’ Silva (Rang De Basanti) is directing it. The film shows the difference between fundamental terrorist and modern Islam. It makes a comment on people who kill other people—people who don’t belong to any god. It’s a very entertaining thriller with some as wonderful Sufi music.

Has there been a shift in your choice of movies and therefore the roles you are playing?
Well,for a while with Yash Raj and Kal Ho Na Ho,I was in some way playing the metrosexual man. I had perhaps fallen into a niche,perhaps more classy. For instance,none of those films would require me to do a raunchy song. With Race,I have cut out of that—it was a film for the masses.

Considering your background in sports,why not a film about it?
I have always thought that my father’s story would be perfect—the dashing prince who dreamed to play for India and was counted among the greatest batsmen. He lost an eye as he preferred to keep playing for the country to win. And then he went on to marry a beautiful actress,the darling of the nation. I would love to be able to turn that into a film,but he has forbidden it.