Irrfan Khan – Indian films need innovative storytelling ideas

Internationally acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan feels Indian filmmakers should not just stick to the basics while making a film, but should rather try on to get in more innovative approach to make Indian films known globally.

“If there is any field which becomes stagnant, it will pound to come down. Indian films need to reach the world audience and for that it needs to find a new language,” Irrfan said here at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2015 awards on Tuesday.

“It is bringing new actors and encouraging them,” Irrfan, best known for is roles in Oscar-winning films like “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Life of Pi”, said.

The actor, who had a wonderful last year with all his films – “Piku”, “Talvar”, “Jazbaa” and Hollywood film “Jurassic World” – doing well both commercially as well as critically, was given the Actor of the Year award by former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly.

Asked about his acting style, Irrfan said: “I’m bored with things very easily. I can’t repeat things. For me acting is a way of exploring things.”

“Sometimes when an actor do a comment or pass his opinion, I have heard people saying that ‘he is an actor so he should do only acting’. I feel very strange because for actors everything and anything is their subject matter,” he added.

Asked to share his views on the on-going ‘intolerance’ debate, Irrfan said: “Everybody should have the right to speak their mind and concerns. If you are told to shut up, then these are not good signs for a growing society.”

“Once (‘Life of Pi’ director) Ang Lee was asked why you don’t speak about your country’s politics when he was here? He said, ‘We don’t speak about politics. We should feel safe to say whatever we want to say. We should be free to express ourselves’.”

Irrfan will next be seen in Hollywood film “Inferno” alongside Tom Hanks.

Inputs by IANS