Why did you relocate to the UK?
It was a five-year plan that I decided to do between 2005 – 2010 and as I grew up in Mumbai I wanted to do work outside of the country and I was also lucky enough to do Hollywood projects as well. Personally I don’t think UK gave me the amount of work that I would have liked. In Bombay it’s very fanatic and fast paced when it comes to work but in the UK I found I got put into categories. My accent is limited, so I can’t play a scouser, hence my roles are more diminished. It’s tough but I didn’t moan about it. 

   
Is UK what you expected it to be?
Working with a variety of nationalities over the years was great and I loved every single experience but I find that the UK is privileged but full of wingers. I mean, get over it guys, there’s more to life then the weather. The NHS is the bee’s knees, so why moan about it? I come from a place where you accept things as they are and deal with.  

You’ve done a range of projects…
I’ve grown up on stage and have done corporate work, radio, documentary, TV and of course feature films   

How did you find it playing a man who is having an affair in Everywhere and Nowhere?
I needed a lot on convincing that people like the characters in the film do exist and I just couldn’t figure my character out! I trusted it and just went with it. I’m a practising Muslim myself and was brought up in India in a very liberal environment but when I read the script I rolled my eyes in the first five pages as I though that people like that didn’t exist. I then read through the rest of it and still wasn’t too hammered but saw a twist to my character and it rang home. After I met the director Menhaj Huda I was browsing through his DVD collection and saw Kidulthood and realised that he did that, so I knew that his vision for the film would be good. I thought I wasn’t even going to get the part as I didn’t hear back from them after I gave my audition!

Can you relate to your character?
I have never met someone like my character and if I did it would really upset me.  
My father married four times and I have uncles in the UK who have double standards like my character so I can identify with the hypocrisy and loveless marriage. My character scared me as I’m in a new marriage myself and playing him and seeing people I know in that hole is not nice. For me an actor is no different to a cricketer, you are all playing for the same team and essentially everyone knows their craft. It’s all about respect and appreciation.

How rebellious were you?
I was extremely rebellious! I was stroppy, spoilt and always had my own but then you get over it.

You were in ‘A Mighty Heart’ with Angelina Jolie. What was that like?
For this it didn’t really involve an audition process, it was more so that you needed to look the character. Filmmaking was very different as there were no rehearsals – it had to be very real and they shot everything as it happened. Once I understood the style of working I found there was no better way to work. I did my research with the character and started to believe that I was that person. I had to portray him as a hero so I had the time of my life. It was an amazing highlight of my career and I wish it had lasted longer. I still get goose pimples even thinking about it.

What next for you?
I have Don 2 with Shahrukh and we shot 40 days in Berlin. We did a big car chase, which is very stylish and a lot of the work was done at night. My other film is called Aazaan, which is also releasing soon. We are also doing a reality cooking session where we bring the cricket pitch into the kitchen – 8 cricketers from India and Pakistan’s cricket team to cook against each other.

Everywhere and Nowhere will be available to buy on DVD on 3 October 2011 from Icon Home Entertainment