The Thane of Bombay

An alumnus of the stage, 38-year-old actor Irrfan Khan establishes his big-screen credentials with his star turn as the title character in Maqbool . Khan spoke to TIME's South Asia bureau chief, Alex Perry.

TIME: Maqbool is new territory for Bollywood, isn't it?
Khan: This is new, yes. Usually in Bollywood we just film dialogue, which is not really exploring film as a medium. But I'm lucky to be part of a period in which a new generation is coming up with fresh ideas and I get to do things that interest me.

TIME: Somehow I...