Almost nine years after Life of Pi (2012), Adil Hussain finds himself playing father to Suraj Sharma in The Illegal. But the actor insists the similarities between the two roles end there. “In Life of Pi, my character was shown as a strict father, but at the same time, he allowed his son to practice a different religion. They were separated due to a storm, but in The Illegal, the emotional storm is internalised by the father as he allows his son to go and fulfil his dream,” says Hussain, adding that it was a joy to reunite with Sharma after the Ang Lee-directed gem. Having known Sharma’s family for years, the senior actor says he has witnessed his evolution as an artiste. “He is an honest actor. In spite of living in a malicious world, he has retained his innocence and gullibility, which is a rare gift an actor can have.”

Adil Hussain