Why did you choose 24 after Slumdog Millionaire?

I didn’t choose 24, 24 chose me! I was pleasantly surprised when my agent in Los Angeles called me and said that the makers of 24 wanted me and no one else to play the role of Omar Hassan. It’s such a cult show, it’s been popular over seven seasons, the role is great. These guys were adamant on having me. What else could I want?

Did they tell you why they wanted only you to play Omar?

They had obviously watched Slumdog Millionaire. Plus, they are familiar with the kind of films I have done. Also, my looks apparently were perfect for the role.

What kind of research went into playing Omar Hassan?

You won’t believe the kind of research and the amount of reading up I have had to do for this character. Omar is the president of Kamistan, a Middle Eastern country that is similar to Iran. He’s an educated, liberal man who wants peace and is working very hard to foster friendly ties with the US. It’s not the kind of politics I am familiar with. So I read a lot of political literature about the Middle East, specifically Iran, I went on YouTube and studied the body language of a lot of political leaders, I went through a lot of political speeches. I simply stored up whatever relevant information I could lay my hands on. I read up on the UN, on US-Middle East ties, on the political scenario of Iran, on the socio-economic conditions… everything. When I was doing a negotiation scene in 24, I wanted the viewer to feel that I was understanding every word that I was speaking, that those were my words. I didn’t want Omar to sound like a caricature. I also changed my voice a little bit for the role and trained with a dialect coach for four hours a day. 24 is only my second English language project and I found the language a little difficult in the beginning (laughs)! So you see I really worked very, very hard on this role. In the past, I have done a fair bit of research for my roles in Eeshwar and Pukar, but man, 24 was something else altogether!

What was the experience like shooting for 24 with a foreign cast and crew? How different was it from Slumdog?

Slumdog may have been a Hollywood film, but it was a local project. All the faces were Indian, the film was shot in Mumbai and I could run home to my family whenever I wanted to. With 24, it was an all-American crew and I was the outsider. But you won’t believe the amount of comfort and respect that I was given on the sets. That is the thing with Americans, you know. You are good at your job, you get respect, no matter what part of the world you come from. They treated me very well.

How was it working with Kiefer Sutherland?

You know the most amazing thing about Kiefer is that he has been doing the same role and the same show for the last eight years and yet everyday of the shoot, he behaves like it’s his first day on the show. I really liked that.

Anil Kapoor in 24

You’ve got rave reviews in the US for 24…

In my 30-year career, I haven’t got such amazing reviews ever. Not for any of my Bollywood films, even for Pukar. It’s exciting and humbling. I am now waiting to see how India reacts to me in 24.

How emotional is it for you to have 24 premiere in India?

Right now, I am very very anxious. I will start getting emotional once the feedback starts coming in (laughs). Without sounding immodest, I want to say that no commercial Bollywood actor has done what I have managed to do in such a short time internationally. It’s a proud moment. After watching 24, I hope the Indian viewer is just as proud of me.

Are you happy with the kind of offers that have come your way in Hollywood after Slumdog?

I think I have been exceptionally lucky. I never expected this kind of reception internationally. I was happy with my success in Hindi films and I am still doing a lot of films here. Whatever I get in Hollywood is a sweet little bonus to my filmography. I truly feel blessed. All my friends in Bollywood say: “Arre Anil, tu toh chha gaya yaar!” What else could I want at this stage of my career?

From being a Bollywood veteran, how does it feel being treated like a new kid on the block in Hollywood?

Whatever anyone may say, I will honestly say that I just love it. My agent is pitching me as an international actor with a huge body of work behind me. All these guys in Hollywood know that I am not a nobody. They are aware of the kind of work I have done, they have checked up Wikipedia and Imdb and know about Anil Kapoor the Indian star. They see that I have done 100-plus films and they are shocked! Some have even asked me: “Did you start acting when you were five years old?” (Laughs out loud).

Is it true that you turned down Date Night but wanted to play Yusuf in Inception?

“Turned down” is too tacky an expression, very downmarket you know (laughs)! You can say I just passed it. Yeah, that’s what it is. I passed Date Night and Inception passed me! (Laughs out loud and long). Nolan saab (Christopher Nolan, the director of Inception) didn’t want me!

Indian actors in Hollywood have always been stereotyped in Asian roles. Do you see that changing anytime soon?

I really don’t know. I hope so. As far as I am concerned, if it is a central role like that of Omar, I really don’t have a problem. Role mein substance hona chahiye whether it’s an American, an Indian, a Greek character… kuch bhi ho.

How is Bollywood perceived internationally?

Oh, everyone just raves about Bollywood. They know that we are a bunch of talented people doing films that have a lot of substance. They know that we are constantly evolving as an industry. In that sense, I think Slumdog Millionaire just opened up doors not only for me, but for the whole of Bollywood. Internationally, it has fired everyone’s curiosity about Bollywood.

But you have been saying that you are tired of talking about Slumdog...

See, that’s how people misunderstand me. I am really proud of Slumdog, it’s made me an international face, it’s given me so much, I will always be grateful, but now I have it coming out of my ears. Honestly, I want to stop talking about Slumdog before someone stands up and says: “Yaar, yeh toh ek hi picture ke baare mein baat karte rehta hai.” Slumdog has been one of the biggest highlights of my career, but I want to move on. I want to talk about 24 now.

At this stage, what would Anil Kapoor choose — a lead in a Bolly film or a supporting role in a Holly film?

Holly lead… Holly supporting…Bolly lead… Bolly supporting… bring it on! I have always been a man who wants everything!