Satyajit Ray, Mira Nair, Anupam Kher. The one statuette which links the three is the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. No, Kher hasn’t won the coveted prize in world cinema like Ray and Nair did for Aparajito and Monsoon Wedding. But Ang Lee’s steamy espionage thriller Lust, Caution in which Kher stars as an Indian jeweller, has won the Lion at this year’s festival.

“It’s a great honour,” Kher told t2 from London, where he is shooting for Karan Razdan’s take on Mr Bean’s Holiday — Mr Bhatti Ki Chhutti. “I got a message from a friend on Monday evening saying that Lust, Caution has won the Golden Lion. I immediately called Mr Lee who couldn’t talk at that time because he had already travelled to Toronto with the film. He called back. Being the extremely magnanimous person that he is, he said: ‘Mr Kher, this Golden Lion is for you also.’ It is truly a fantastic feeling.”

This is Ang Lee’s second Golden Lion in three years. He won it for Brokeback Mountain two years ago. And just like Brokeback Mountain, Lust, Caution too is adapted from a short story. The 1950 eponymous tale by Chinese author Eileen Chang is set in Shanghai in the World War II-era and revolves around a group of young Chinese men using a woman to lure and kill a powerful collaborator. Wang Hui-Ling, who co-wrote Lee’s Eat Drink Man Woman and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, has done the screenplay.

Tony Leung and Tang Wei in Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution

The film stars Chinese star Tony Leung Chiu Wai — who has appeared in almost every Wong Kar-Wai film including In the Mood for Love, Happy Together and Chungking Express — in the lead alongside Tang Wei. The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival and is looking at September for an American release.

Although small, Kher’s role in Lust, Caution is significant. “I wouldn’t say that I have a lengthy role in the film,” he admits. “It’s more of a special appearance but three scenes in such an international film is, I believe, a major achievement. Just the fact that I got the opportunity of working with someone like Ang Lee is a big thing. The film will always be very close to my heart.”

Having seen Kher’s work in Indian films, Lee cast him as the Indian jeweller in Shanghai who has a shop called Chandni Chowk. “When I went to Shanghai, there was this huge set, unlike anything I have seen before,” recalls Kher. “I specially loved the jewellery shop... It was beautiful.”

Kher’s interaction with Lee was “fascinating”, with the Chinese director learning about the way the Indian film industry works. “It’s amazing the kind of respect he has for our cinema,” says Kher. “He is very interested in the way we operate and bring out so many movies every year.”

It all ended on a profound note with Kher gifting Lee with illustrated copies of the Ramayana and Mahabharata in English translations before bidding adieu. “I wanted to gift him a piece of India and what better than our greatest epics,” says Kher.

Kher is unsure when and how big the Indian release of Lust, Caution will be. “I haven’t seen the completed film myself and I really want to see it,” he says, sounding most excited. “I believe the Chinese release will happen first before it goes to other parts of the world. I really hope it comes to India sooner than later.”

With Lust, Caution emerging as an awards night favourite, it could make its way to India sooner than later. But when Calcutta will get to see it is another matter altogether.