In your latest film, Mr Malcolm’s List, you are cast with no regard to skin colour or race, as was your Slumdog ex, Dev Patel, in The Personal History of David Copperfield. Colour-blind casting is great, obviously, but why does it seem to have only affected period dramas, or do we not notice it elsewhere? TopTramp
Period dramas are the one area it was completely unheard of. If you look at, say, Star Wars [Rogue One: A Star Wars Story], Riz Ahmed’s character did not have to be painted as south Asian or Muslim. He just existed in that world. I’ve been in big budget movies such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Immortals and even that Woody Allen movie [2010’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger] where the ethnicity of my skin was not why I was cast. Period movies were the strictest in casting white people and that was the biggest barrier. So, it does seem that period films and dramas, such as Bridgerton, are where these massive breakthroughs are happening. I’m hoping it will translate across the board and we’ll also hear stories from south Asia and other less represented parts of the world.
How come you’ve never embraced Bollywood? MrSOBaldrick
It’s not that I’ve not embraced Bollywood. Slumdog Millionaire was an international film, but still set in India with an all-Indian cast. It just happened to propel me into the international film and TV business. I got really busy and did nine films in two and a half years. I just went with the flow, but I’m very proud of the Indian films and TV shows I’ve been part of. I may not have done anything in Bollywood, but will certainly always be participating in stories about my culture.
What is the most bizarre thing you’ve been asked to model? TurangaLeela2
It’s bizarre, shameful and very icky that products like [skin-lightening cream] Glow & Lovely and Fair and Handsome are still touted as beauty ideals for south Asian women and men. I was asked to audition, but the scripts were so shady and demeaning. It’s sad that these huge multinational companies play into people’s insecurities. When I modelled for Wrigley’s chewing gum, the ad was very sexist, but that’s beside the point. I used to do the entertainment at children’s birthday parties, and for one party I was asked to dress as a Teletubby, so that’s pretty bizarre – dancing in a sweaty Teletubby suit in India. Which Teletubby? The yellow one. Laa-Laa.
Did getting knocked back for a part as a Bond girl [in Spectre] affect your confidence, or was it a blessing in disguise? TurangaLeela2 and Hooplehead1967
The whole Bond thing was a rumour. I wasn’t even approached. I was so young, so I’m glad I never played a Bond girl. There’s a certain idea of what a Bond girl has to do, and I just don’t think I’d be able to do that. It was flattering to hear the rumours, but in no way did it shatter my confidence.
When did you last put your pole-dancing skills from that Bruno Mars video to good use? TurangaLeela2
I must admit they did use a body double for the more difficult parts, but I trained for at least a month just to be confident dancing in high heels and very skimpy lingerie. But I’m not sure I’ve used my skills much since!
What are your memories of playing the title role in Michael Winterbottom’s 2011 film Trishna, based on Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles? VerulamiumParkRanger
Riz Ahmed – who I believe is Britain’s darling – was an amazing, well-researched co-star, so we should definitely give him props there. I really enjoyed seeing Rajasthan in a different light, because every time I’d travelled to Rajasthan – even though I’m Indian – it was always through a tourist lens.
His [Winterbottom’s] film-making style is almost guerrilla-like. You improvise all day, which leaves you depleted. Normally you come prepared with your lines, but we were preparing on the spot. He knows the kind of film he wants to make, so you have to give him the trust that he’s hired the right people for the job. So confidence really matters.
What can you tell us about your forthcoming series where you portray the British second world war resistance agent Noor Inayat Khan?
Scrying
It’s called Spy Princess. It’s a wonderful story, but we wanted to do it justice. You get one chance to tell a story, so you’ve got tell it really, really well. She was a very different warrior, and her story redefines what it is to be heroic. We think of heroes as Marvel characters, but this woman did not fight on the frontline like Wonder Woman, yet she contributed massively to the end of the war. So we are excited to tell her story.
Where can you get a decent curry in LA? MrSOBaldrick
It’s very hard unless you go to Artesia, dubbed Little India, where you get really good panipuri and south Indian street food. I’m south Indian, so for south Indian: Mayura in Culver City. For fusion, Dishoom-esque food, Badmaash, who have two or three spots in LA. The third is Pijja Palace on Sunset Boulevard, like if your Punjabi grandma has to say “pizza”. There are lots of south Asian stores in Los Angeles – India Sweets & Spices has been around for ever – so yes, you can absolutely create Indian food over here. However, if the question is: do you cook Indian food? The answer is: I don’t!
Since Slumdog, you must have imagined a part you’ve always wanted to play: a situation, life, or setting you’ve wanted to explore as an actor? SeventhSister
I hear the amount of training needed for a superhero movie and think: “Wow, that’s a lot of hard work.” I’d be up for it, but I would actually prefer doing something based on … here’s an example. I love Million Dollar Baby, for which Hilary Swank learned a whole skillset to play a boxer. So I think that would be very fun.
By its very nature, fame throws you in at the deep end. How do you cope? eamonmcc
Fame can be deceptive. You never know when it will creep up on you and start encroaching on the parts of your life you’ve worked so hard to keep peace with. But at the same time, it brings opportunity. The way I deal with fame is to take everything with a grain of salt, not to get lost in the compliments, and not to feel trashed and defeated by the negativity.
No one is superhuman; anyone would feel the pinch when the film you work so hard on bombs, and someone says: it bombed because she was miscast, or whatever. It’s also important to remember: that’s someone else’s opinion. You can’t live your life based on what other people think of you. That’s how I deal with fame, but it’s easier said than done.
• Mr Malcom’s List is out now on DVD and Blu-ray
