What about your beard in Umrao Jaan? What about it?

I grew a beard for my role in Umrao Jaan. I generally have a stubble but J P saab wanted a full grown beard. Luckily I was shooting only this film at that time. It's one of the advantages of doing one film at a time…We shot in Jaipur where I had shot the songs of my first film Refugee and in Lucknow where I had shot for Bunty Aur Babli. J P saab is a filmmaker who subscribes to the notion that if you put your actors in the correct ambience it aids the performance. He likes to shoot on authentic locations rather than sets.

Your role in Umrao Jaan takes you into another era and milieu filled with poetry, music and romance.

I've never done anything like this before. Umrao Jaan is my first period film. Living in the age of Dhoom, I was suddenly transported into this world which is completely poetic and lyrical, and very different from what I've been doing so far. Umrao Jaan was a special challenge because there was no ready reference-point for the era that we were working on. The language, body language and every other aspect was completely different from the way we conduct ourselves today.

What should the audience expect from Umrao Jaan?

Well, it's the story of the courtesan Umrao Jaan played by Aishwarya. So there's plenty of dancing. But it's also a very emotional and dramatic story. I see it as a cluster-breaker. In today's day and age when whatever we see in cinema is contemporary, it's nice to reclaim such a glorious era.

Would you say Aishwarya supports your performance in Guru, as you support hers in Umrao Jaan?

No. Every character is equally important in every film. I cannot support her character. Umrao Jaan is about her character. It's Aishwarya's movie. I'm one of the small players in the film. Yes, I'm one of the cast members. But I don't think Aishwarya needs my support. She's a very capable artiste and someone who can shoulder an entire film.

What about her dances?

She's a wonderful dancer. I believe she's classically trained. What better opportunity for her to display her dancing skills than to play a courtesan?

How was the experience to sit and watch Aishwarya dance?

Well, strictly speaking I wasn't there all the time when she was dancing. A lot of my shots were taken separately. Unfortunately my father was in the hospital when the first schedule of Umrao Jaan was held. They waited for me in Jaipur. I did my work only when I arrived three weeks into the schedule, but no one can tell the difference.

Even Mani Ratnam's Guru takes you into another era?

True. It isn't set in contemporary times. Guru starts in the 1950s. It's fascinating to live through a time when I wasn't around, and a time that I haven't personally experienced. The dress code, the behaviour everything is fascinating.

Does a tumble of three big releases before the year ends make you nervous?

Every film is a responsibility. For me every film is a major release and to that extent every release is a challenge. The rest is up to God and the audience. These are very exciting times for our cinema. Diverse films are being made and watched. People have accepted Rang De Basanti, Fanaah, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Lage Raho Munnabhai during the same year. And the fact that I am an actor during such exciting times is a blessing.

After Umrao Jaan, won't the audiences have a culture shock watching you in Dhoom 2?

I don't think audiences go with pre-conceived notions into any movie. For them every movie, whether an Umrao Jaan or Dhoom 2, is different experience. Yes there're huge expectations from audiences, as there ought to be. That's what pushes us to work harder.

You don't seem to be caught in the image trap.

Audiences will get bored if I keep doing the same things repeatedly. I think audiences expect variety from all the actors. I feel if you adhere to an image you aren't submitting to the film.

Your Dad was bound by the image of the 'angry young man'.

I totally disagree with you. For every Deewaar, he did a Chupke Chupke as well. For every Kabhi Kabhie there was an Amar Akbar Anthony. I don't think there has ever been a more versatile actor than my father. People just chose to highlight one aspect of his work.

How would you describe your role in Guru?

He isn't a poet and nawab as in Umrao Jaan, or a cool cop as in Dhoom 2. Gurukant Desai is a unique character, an achiever who has the brains, luck and diligence to achieve his dreams.