Rahul Khanna comes as a handsome, talented and an intelligent actor and has always done the kinds of film that has appealed to him instead of flowing with the tide. He made his debut with Deepa Mehta's ‘Earth’ and left a significant mark of his personality in the character he played. After that followed films like ‘Bawandar’, ‘Bollywood/Hollywood’, ‘Elaan’ and others where he had a credential part to play. Other than being associated with PETA, he is also gearing for his next film ‘Raqeeb’.

Excerpts from an Interview:

Why such a gap between your last release Elaan and Raqeeb?

I don't really know why this huge gap. I think it's just that I didn't find anything good. I mean, the gap wasn't out of choice. Nobody came up with something terribly exciting.

Is that because there is a lot of confusion about whether you are based in Mumbai or in USA?

Well, I don't know if that is the main reason but I do admit that some sort of confusion about where I reside, does persist. The general opinion in the industry is that I'm not here that much. So, I want to make it very clear that I'm very much in Mumbai and my focus is totally on Hindi cinema.

Does that mean that you're not looking out for English films any more?

My cinema choice has always been project to project. Language has never been from a criterion for selecting a script. I do anything that excites me. That said, I feel this is the most exciting time for Indian cinema. Films like Rang De Basanti and Omkara are absolutely exciting. A couple of years ago, nobody could have thought films like these would be made in India and they will do well.

Any recent films that you wished you were a part of?

I don't think like that. I enjoyed the Munnabhai series, Maqbool, Omkara and Main Hoon Na. I think these films symbolize the new wave in the industry and provide an exciting platform to do some vibrant work.

So is your forthcoming film Raqeeb also vibrant and exciting?

Well, it's an interesting film. It's a murder mystery. I'm always game for the classic Whodunit, the Agatha Christie kinds. Raqeeb's plot is very much like an Agatha Christie novel and is full of twists. I agreed to do it because it seemed like a fun film with a nice cast. Also it was quite a quick film and I enjoyed that.

Do you ever feel your career could have been on a different level if you were a little pushy?

I don't know what being pushy entails. I don't know what being aggressive entails. I go about my work as I think I should. I meet people, listen to what they have to say, give it my time and decide accordingly.

But you don't network?

I don't know what networking means. I don't go to parties if I don't know the person who is throwing the party. I prefer meeting people during the day.

Can we expect to ever see you and your brother Akshaye doing a film together?

Well, for that to happen it has to be a really special film. Otherwise Akshaye and me will probably end up killing each other by the end of the film.

But does Akshaye advice you since he is a senior in the profession?

Oh yeah all the time. He's my guide. He's very good with stuff like roads, directions and maps. Whenever I have to go to suburbs, he draws me a map with landmarks and all. He has a fantastic sense of direction and even knows which building is at which junction. Maybe that's why he drives himself.

Do you miss your MTV days?

No I don't miss them but I look back at them with great nostalgia and fondness. I enjoyed MTV till it lasted but it wasn't that stimulating anymore. My focus was always films; I just took up MTV because it seemed like a fun thing to do.

Did you feel bad on missing out on Deepa Mehta's Water since you guys had such a good time during 1947: Earth?

Actually I was offered Water but it didn't work out for a number of reasons. I do regret not doing it only because I missed out on an opportunity of working with Deepa again. She had the first screening of Water for me in Toronto and I just loved it. Deepa will always be special for me since she was the first director I worked with. I learnt a lot of my craft from her.