The phenomenally gifted Irrfan Khan has finally found his métier in the complex multiplex labyrinth. Post his newly-found success his price has gone up. “I didn’t have to ask for it. My fee was raised on its own. I’m currently shooting for a cellphone ad in Kerala with ‘Bob Goodmorning.’ Yeah, that’s what we call my ad director! I definitely need to be paid more. I have a family to look after. I’d never over-price myself. But I won’t short-change myself either.”

While everyone who’s anyone claims to have been at the Cannes Film Festival, Khan is our only actor who walked the red carpet with Angelina Jolie. His voice brims with pride. “A Mighty Heart was selected in the official section, not the marketing section, where most of our films go. I play the main male lead in the movie.”

Show-stealing performances in The Namesake and Life In A Metro have made Khan hot property. “The two performances worked because everything else worked. And I had the right co-stars in both films. I don’t know whether I can live up to the rising expectations. I’ve just signed Rakesh Roshan’s Krazy 4, Kumar Mangat’s Sunday and a guest appearance in Yashraj Films’ Nach Baliye. And after Metro, UTV again wants me to do a film.”
Following the The Namesake, Khan has a fan following in France. “They’re wondering who this guy is. Of course, I had an international success earlier in Asif Kapadia’s Warrior. But it came and went. There was no international follow-up for a long time. But The Namesake is a big hit worldwide especially in North America, though some of the box-office figures at home tell another story.”

Recalling The Namesake experience, Khan says, “I had to make more of an effort for that role than anything I’ve done recently. When I read the novel I realised that I had to play an unobtrusive, almost invisible man. It was very difficult to do. Also, I had to play a man approaching old age. That was very disturbing. The reminder that the body is prone to decay was very discomforting. I had to keep reminding my mind and body what lay in store for me. Just before I joined Mira’s unit, I had to warm up for 10 days.”

As for Anurag Basu’s Metro, people liked the totally matter-of-fact character. “I really identified with the man. We haven’t seen such a normal, ordinary regular guy in our films. Konkona and I had a great time doing the shoot. Did I feel awkward staring at her chest? Not at all. We trust each other enough as actors to get away with anything. Konkona inspired me.”

After the magnificent Maqbool, Khan was very keen to be in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara but was disappointed when it didn’t work out. “But in this film industry you can’t start getting possessive about the people you work with. There’s life beyond a film. Sure, Vishal worked with big stars this time. And why not? Everyone needs to have their priorities right. Vishal needed the budget that only the stars could afford for him,” he reasons.

Interestingly, the actor feels commercial Hindi cinema still shuns him. “It’s important to be commercially viable. Distributors should be willing to pay for my space. I still have very limited choice. Today, even Mani Ratnam makes projects with big stars. What’s the point of being known as a good actor when you need to be recognised as commercially saleable? I want a better deal. The Bhatts have taken non-stars and made them hits. I like working with them and also have the freedom to say no to them. I’m flooded with scripts. But they all disappoint me after two pages. I only get projects with a budget of two to three crores. They’re main leads but mostly cheap thrillers. I don’t mind doing a 50-lakh film as long as it inspires me.”

The accomplished artiste still has a long wish-list. “I long to work with directors like Sridhar Raghavan, Pradeep Sarkar and Rakeysh Mehra.” But he wants to do only lead roles. “I want another milestone like Maqbool, Warrior, Haasil and Namesake. It’s been a long journey. I’ve a long way to go. I’m happy with life. I’ve two kids, one is eight and the other is three. I’m enjoying watching them grow. No experience can match that.”