First she kicked a football around in Bend It Like Beckham. Next she took Dr Neela Rasgotra (of ER fame) to several lists of hot TV doctors and now she is Meera Malik, CIA field agent in The Blacklist, which is on STAR World Premiere HD (every Tuesday at 10pm). An email chat with Parminder Nagra.

What attracted you to The Blacklist?

I saw the pilot and thought it was really exciting and when I was asked to audition I jumped at the chance. I was getting to play a strong character that has the capacity to grow into something really interesting. Also getting the opportunity to chase bad guys appealed to my inner child.

What relationship does your character (Meera Malik) have with the show’s protagonist Raymond “Red” Reddington (played by James Spader)?

Well at the moment Meera has been bought in by the FBI to oversee this case, but from the few scenes we have had I would say she is certainly not trusting of him but also finds him quite amusing.

I’d love to. Something with Aamir Khan would be great! — on doing a bollywood film

To play Meera Malik, was there any research you had to do?

The job happened so quickly that I didn’t have much chance but through talking to tech advisers on the show I’ve very quickly begun to pick up very useful information to put in my backpocket so to speak!

All the characters on the show are tech savvy. What about you?

I can work apps on my iPhone! I’m not bad on the computer but I wouldn’t say I’m a geek.

How far do you know the story in advance?

We don’t know too much in advance but I do like to be surprised. It’s nice to open a script and think: ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting that.’

As a regular on ER, you must have picked up some medical terms. Is there anything you want to learn while acting in The Blacklist?

Well, I’ve had to deal with guns on the show and how an officer of the law would ask questions that are different than the average person. Then layer that with CIA versus FBI. A lot of things are deliberate and it’s keeping that in mind when creating the character.

Los Angeles has been your home for some time, after England. Is it a good place to access Indian culture?

It’s not always easy and really you have to travel if you want to find something specific whereas in England it’s on your doorstep.

Has your Indian lineage ever affected your professional career?

It’s affected it in as much I feel like you can carve out a niche for yourself but it can also mean that you are passed over for some jobs. I like to think for me it has helped me for the most part and has allowed me to add an extra dimension to the character.

People still speak about Bend It Like Beckham. So, when was the last time you kicked a ball around?

Yes, that film is very fond in people’s hearts and still manages to gain a new audience year after year. The last time I kicked a ball around was a very long time ago.... I support England when they play.

Finally, any chance of seeing you in an Indian film?

I’d love to. Something with Aamir Khan would be great!

What do you like about Parminder Nagra? Tell t2@abp.in

Did you know...

Stuart Pearson Wright painted a portrait (above) of the actress in 2004 and it’s in the collection of London’s National Portrait Gallery.

Parminder Nagra received an honorary degree of doctor of law from the University of Leicester in 2007.

In 1991, at age 16, she landed a job as an usher at Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre, which allowed her to watch actors at work.

She visited Calcutta in 2003 to shoot for Channel 4’s critically-acclaimed two-part TV drama Second Generation.

Her favourite meal is chicken curry and roti.