With Patiala House I got to work very closely with cricketing veterans and icons such as Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Keiron Pollard, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Herschelle Gibbs, Nasser Hussain and David Gower to name a few.

Whenever I am at home, my son Aarav and I have this schedule to play cricket together as Aarav is also extremely fond of cricket but only to play, watching it is still boring for him but he's only 8.

6. Tell us about your preparation for the cricket scenes.

I had to undergo thorough training with veteran cricketer Balwinder Singh Sandhu. This role was a challenge as I had to train as a fast paced bowler in preparation for all of the cricket portions of the film, but at the same time it was very enjoyable as I got to try my hand at my favorite sport, cricket.

He taught me how to play cricket with skill and as a sportsman which is extremely different to playing the game for leisure.

I had to perfect my skill to the tee to ensure my bowling skills looked absolutely realistic on screen and that I did justice not only to the sport but to Gattu as well.

7. How was the experience working with Anushka Sharma?

Anushka is a very sweet girl and a hugely talented actress. She fits perfectly into her character as Simran, a girl next door aspiring to be a Bollywood actress.

She as a character is very strong; someone who will not give up on her dreams easily and hence goes ahead to pursue them. She is the one who encourages Gattu to chase his dreams, so here again you can see, behind every successful man there is a woman.

She will really charm audiences with her performance. She has done a superb job and it was such a pleasure working with her - she’s a through and through professional with an immaculate work ethic.

8. How was it working with Rishi Kapoor for the film?

It was an absolute delight to work with such an icon of the Indian film industry, who is so very humble and a wonderful human being.

I have literally grown up watching his films and having the opportunity to work with him again was a total honor.

He is such a great actor and inspiration and sharing the same screen space with him once again, as his on-screen son, was sheer joy.

9. This isn't the first film you've starred in a film that deals with British Asians. How does Patiala House differ from Namaste London in terms of its message?

Namastey London was more of a love story between a British born Asian who is in denial of her Indian roots and a guy who is from India and has a deep-rooted connection to his homeland.

Oh the other hand, Patiala House is more of an inspirational movie. It is about each and every individual who has had times of trial and tribulations but has emerged successfully out of it on the basis of his own will and hard work.

It’s about being passionate about your dreams and fulfilling them as and when you get that second chance, if you were not successful the first time around.

10. What do you think is the best thing about Patiala House?

As the reference Patiala suggests, the film is extremely big-hearted. There are so many wonderful attributes to this film that I would certainly be doing a severe injustice by mentioning just one quality to this film.

It’s been a labor of love for every person that had the honor and privilege of being involved in this film, in whatever capacity.

I have faith that the collective love, hard work, dedication and vision of the entire unit will steal audiences’ hearts and that this film will stay with people for years to come.

11. Which is your favorite song in the film?

It would have to be ‘Kyun Main Jagu’ which is also referred to as Gattu’s theme tune. The song conveys the very essence of this film.

Listen to the lyrics very carefully, no joke even months after making this film when I play this song in my car I can’t help but get choked up, to be honest I still haven't understood why this song affects me so much, but it does, and I'm not afraid to admit that, listen for yourselves, see if you feel anything remotely powerful when you take in the words... 

Patiala House is released 11th February.

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