Q: You’ve been awfully quiet lately?

I’ve signed five films back-to-back. And I’m shooting till April 2006. After that I’ll get busy writing my second directorial venture. I’m embarrassed to say this?But the funding is in place. But no script yet. My first directorial venture, Everybody Says I’m Fine, was ready on 9/11, 2001. My acting appetite took over thereafter. The five films on the floors are part of the process of satiation.

Q: Can we talk about some of them?

The Whisperers is clearly a genre-specific film. It’s a psychological thriller. Working with Manoj Bajpai was clearly one of the most intense and rewarding experience of my life. He knows his chops. What’s interesting about this project is that I’ve written, but not directed it. Rajiv Virani has. I had to rewrite almost everyday, keeping in mind the changing chemistry between the characters played by Manoj and me. We play two extremely wealthy guys. It’s in English. Whisperers was home for me with Rajiv and Manoj. If I had to change a prop I didn’t have to ask. If Rajiv had to rewrite he didn’t have to ask me.

Q: Is it another film about male bonding?

Not the least! It’s about the world, power, money and politics and how they affect these two men. We shot entirely in the night. I’d rewrite from five to seven in the evening after rehearsing with Manoj. I’d like to think we’re good friends. We seem to be fighting all the time. We were constantly making fun of each other. It was a genuine bonhomie. It was unpretentious and real. We don’t socialise. But we’ve met a couple of times socially.

Q: Do you enjoy the reputation of being an actor who does English language films that are seen in the multiplexes?

I think one has to see Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Kaalpurush to smash that myth. I don’t see what else one can do. As long as I don’t get to do senseless masala films filled with innuendos, I’m happy to live with the multiplex label.

Q: Speaking of which, you were offered Indra Kumar’s Masti.

Those are unconfirmed reports.

Q: These are not unconfirmed reports.

Well, I was offered Masti. But at that point of time I had already done another three-hero film, Jhankar Beats. For me repetition is death.

Q: How was it working with Mallika Sherawat in Saket Chowdhary’s Pyar Ke Side Effects?

Mallika and I come from different worlds and schools. But that has never been an obstacle in working with anyone. We shared a very comfortable chemistry. What was really wonderful was the cast. The film is narrated from my point of view. Actors like Ranvir Shorey who plays my best friend, Aamir Bashir who plays my brother-in-law, Sharat Saxena who’s my father-in-law provided a very strong supporting cast. Mallika plays a very strong Jatni. It’s one of the few scripts I’ve read which has wit as opposed to just broad comedy. I had a ball shooting this film because of the director. Saket was fun. You could be doing the best script in the world and have a shitty time. Saket is intelligent, funny and easygoing.

Q: And you’ve just completed a second Bengali film?

Yes, it’s a small film. It’s got Raima Sen, Rituparna Sengupta and Rajit Kapur. We’re halfway through. The Bengali here is more literate and urban than in Buddhadeb Dasgputa’s Kaalpurush where the Bengali was more lower middleclass. The director is Tony Raichowdhary. His real name is Aniruddha.