THE Star Cast

Were you familiar with Boyle8217;s films?
I8217;d seen The Beach but only for Leonardo DiCaprio. And I was familiar with Trainspotting. And though I had the inkling that it8217;s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do a Hollywood film, trust me, I had no idea how big Danny Boyle is when I took up the project.

Then what made you sign on?
This film8217;s a first in many ways. It8217;s my first English film and it8217;s my first Hollywood project. Also, not many commercial Bollywood actors have been approached by Hollywood directors in the past8212;most have been 8216;arty8217;.

What is your role like?
I play Prem, the host and the producer of the game show, in the film. It8217;s a character in an urban setting and very believable8212;I could relate to him. When I read the script I realised Prem8217;s role has many layers. He also has shades of grey8212;he8217;s a tad insecure of the Dev Patel8217;s character despite the fact that he himself has risen from poverty.

Slumdog Millionaire has used Kaun Banega Crorepati as reference point. Did you use Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan as reference points too or did you reinvent the character?
I hardly had a reference point because playing host in only a part of my role. There8217;s a lot about Prem as a human being in the film and that of course could not have been derived. Even as a host, I have attempted my own style and Danny gave me enough freedom to do so.

The film8217;s made with primarily Indian cast and crew. What do you think works for the film and makes it award-worthy?
I think the simplicity of it. When I saw the film for the first time I realised that the story is very basic and the film is made with minimum extravaganza 8212; it8217;s a film you and I could8217;ve made. But a closer look reveals the fabulous technical skills involved: the background score, A R Rahman8217;s soundtrack, the editing, the lighting and the shooting locales.

What was Boyle like?
He knows how to get the best out of his team effortlessly. And he has a great directorial sense which is evident in the way Danny has conceived each scene. The film has many sub-plots but Danny has managed to seamlessly stitch them together, which speaks a lot about his directorial potential.

Freida Pinto
Three years ago, Freida Pinto was just another Literature and Film Appreciation student at St Xavier8217;s College, Mumbai, who eagerly attended screenings of Danny Boyle films like Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. Cut to today: the success of her debut film, Boyle8217;s Slumdog Millionaire, has transformed her into a star.

8220;I8217;m pinching myself. I find it hard to believe that this movie has become such a huge hit,8221; says Pinto, who wanted to be an actor since she was five. 8220;But the urge grew stronger when a film called Monster was once screened as part of our course,8221; she says happy about sharing screen-space with Anil Kapoor and Mahesh Manjrekar.

Pinto terms this film a unique experience. 8220;There are many films based on Mumbai, but this one is the most honest effort,8221; says the actress, who plays the stunning vixen who doubles as the hero Dev Patel8217;s love interest. 8220;Hat8217;s off to Danny for depicting the slums so well. There was no masking involved.8221;

Pinto, who plays the role of Latika in Slumdog, provides the inspiration for our hero, Jamal, to keep going despite a life of hardships that even include getting tortured after winning a game show. Two younger actors, Rubina and Tanvi play Latika at earlier ages, so she had to draw from their work. 8220;When I went into filming, I had already seen their parts,8221; says Pinto, who had most fun shooting at the CST station.

During her initial struggle period, it became evident to Pinto that millions of other Mumbaikars shared her ambition of becoming a Bollywood star. 8220;I had no preconceived notions about doing films. I wasn8217;t waiting for a big Bollywood break. I simply wanted to act,8221; she says.

With no godfathers to guide her, she did the most logical thing that came by. 8220;I got the chance to host an international travel show, which I took up without hesitation.8221; It was here that Pinto earned her audition for the lead role in Slumdog Millionaire. 8220;The casting director told me Danny Boyle was coming to India to shoot this film. I thought, why is Danny Boyle coming to India to shoot a film?8221;

The 24-year-old actor finally bagged the role after auditioning for almost six months. 8220;I would go in for an audition every month. Every time Danny would say, 8216;Fantastic, I will see you again8217;,8221; laughs Pinto.