A calculating politician willing to go to any lengths to protect himself and further his career — Rahul Khanna was stumped that director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury wanted to cast him in this role in the thriller film Lost. Now basking in the positive feedback to his performance, the Bollywood actor tells us how he finally slipped into the shoes of Ranjan Varman in Lost, co-starring Yami Gautam and Pankaj Kapur, and streaming on ZEE5.

What about the script made you say yes to Lost?

Rahul Khanna: It is such a taut, intricate thriller. The film is beautifully written by Shyamal Sengupta and Ritesh Shah. Just reading it kept me on the edge of my seat. I was surprised by the role. It was completely different from anything I’d been offered before. I was intrigued to take it on as a challenge, to see what the experience might be like.

Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury mentioned that you were a bit sceptical about playing the character initially…

Rahul Khanna: I always loved the role and was excited by the prospect of playing something so different from what I’d done before. The scepticism was just about whether Aniruddha was confident if I could pull it off convincingly.

My other apprehension was shooting during the height of Covid. I wasn’t willing to travel at that time, so I initially turned the project down, secretly hoping it would get postponed for a few months until things had settled down a bit. Luckily, that’s exactly what happened, so it was meant to be! I remember Aniruddha texting me, ‘You got your wish!’

He asked you to be like Al Pacino from Godfather…

Rahul Khanna: I think the reference was for the tenor he wanted. Nothing too dramatic. Just a strong, yet calm and level tone, even in high-stakes situations.

How has it been working with Aniruddha?

Rahul Khanna: Like me, he too likes a lot of rehearsals and discussions. We had hours of phone conversations and Zoom call rehearsals over the months we were waiting for clarity on the start date. He also sent me a ton of references, movie recommendations and YouTube videos to help me understand the world he was setting the film in, or just to generally be creatively inspired.

During the shoot in Calcutta, I was very lucky that his wife, Indrani, sent me mountains of the most delicious home-cooked Bengali delicacies, which really is the way to my heart!

You play a negative character in Lost. What was the most challenging part of it?

Rahul Khanna: I’d had plenty of time to prepare for the role. So only the logistics were challenging. Negotiating the crowds, the virus, the monsoon and the difficult locations. And, mostly, trying to keep myself and my team safe and healthy so we could finish the work that had to be done.

Was there a scene which was a challenge to perform?

Rahul Khanna: No one scene stands out as most challenging. But we actually had a couple of ferocious guard dogs that, unfortunately, didn’t make it into the final shots. I was most looking forward to shooting with them!

What were the modulations you kept in your mind for the role?

Rahul Khanna: My character is an ambitious, calculating politician willing to do whatever it takes to protect and further his career. And he’s very much supported by a system where ruthlessness is rewarded. Like a lot of powerful people, he appears untouchable. To underscore that, we tried to portray an invisible ‘barrier’ around him at all times. We developed certain nuances, like his affinity for darts and billiards, which are precise, solo sports. The way he talks on his cell phone, rarely actually holding the device up to his ear, almost as if to keep himself as distanced from the person on the other end. There are assistants and armed bodyguards around him at all times.

Have you been getting feelers for offers after Lost? What has been the general feedback like?

Rahul Khanna: Yes, there have been some feelers. All the feedback I’ve received so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

What does Rahul Khanna do when he’s not acting?

Rahul Khanna: I join the Witness Protection Program, change my name and identity, move into a safe-house in a secret location and spend my days fighting cyber criminal masterminds, giving dogs belly-rubs and photographing my breakfasts until I’m extracted for the next acting project.

Your role of a cold-blooded Pakistani agent in the hit spy series The Americans has been widely praised. What are your fondest memories of it?

Rahul Khanna: I loved the whole experience. It’s a rare privilege being a part of such a show. I was initially cast for just one episode but they ended up bringing me back for five more episodes over two seasons. I loved the writing and the whole team. The only thing was that the show was shot in the winters in New York and it was always very, very cold! The crew would give us coats with warming packs stuffed into the pockets to defrost us in between takes.

What’s next for you?

Rahul Khanna: Let’s see what the universe has in store.