Barack Obama in My Name Is Khan

How did you bag the role of MNIK?
Apparently, Karan (Johar) was familiar with my parody of Obama on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. On the sets, I’d heard that Forest Whitaker had expressed a desire to do this role. But the schedule of another film had spilled over and that’s when Karan went back to casting me.

Did you know about Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol when you were offered this role?
I wasn’t familiar with Karan, SRK or Kajol. It was a fantastic experience for me on so many levels. As a director, Karan was a joy to work with because he knew exactly what he wanted, and yet was open to my ideas. He created an environment that allowed all of us to be free in our creative process. SRK was absolutely wonderful! He has an eye like a hawk and keeps tracks of every detail. He’s a talented actor, he’s approachable, knows what he wants as well,and it was also very clear that all three were quite passionate about their roles. Kajol absolutely took my breath away. She’s stunningly beautiful, talented and a joy to work with. The writer, Shibani (Bathija), was also present at all times. When I first read the script, I was so deeply moved and taken by its numerous messages about the importance of our humanity, and most importantly, it speaks about the power of love! The MNIK team has been very professional.

What was your reaction to SRK’s Newark airport incident that made international headlines?
I was very disappointed with what SRK experienced at the airport. We’re living in times where the levels of fear can sometimes spill over into paranoia. Here’s a man who is an international superstar, being detained for an excessive amount of time at an airport in the United States. It had to be very upsetting for him. Imagine Oprah (Winfrey) being detained at an airport in India for a long time, during a kind of interrogation.

Have you been to India? Do you come down for the premiere of MNIK?
I’ve never been to India and I’d love to experience it. As far as I know, I won’t be at the premiere there.