Ang Lee’s critically acclaimed 2012 film ‘Life of Pi’ was just as technically proficient as visually impressive. The movie saw Sooraj Sharma make his acting debut alongside Irrfan Khan, Tabu, and Adil Hussain. The movie centres around the titular Pi who suffers a disaster at sea and embarks on an adventure.
Filmmaker Lee has always admired Irrfan and has been quite vocal of his acting prowess. In author Aseem Chhabra’s book on the beloved late actor, titled ‘Irrfan Khan’, Lee reveals that he had always wanted to collaborate with the acting legend. He says, “There were only a handful of actors to pick from in India, and he was the ultimate candidate. I wanted to direct an international film, but I also chose him because of his acting ability. It’s not like I was presented with a list of five options.”
He also praised Irrfan’s acting in the film. “When it comes to actors, I want to see the results. I don’t care how they do it. They can keep whatever experience they used to emulate their onscreen emotions to themselves. But that was the effect I was going for; it was what the speech intended for me. That’s something I appreciate. Many people all over the world find it very inspiring. His monologue was a filmmaker’s dream. He deserved to be nominated. He deserved to win an award for that speech,” Lee said.
