`Life of Pi` will give me more visibility: Adil Hussain

Panaji: Indian theatre and film actor Adil Hussain feels that his role in Ang Lee`s `Life of Pi` has helped him take a step forward in the international films.

Hussain, who has starred in `Ishqiya`, `English Vinglish` and `The Reluctant Fundamentalist`, has played father of the lead actor in the Ang Lee-directed movie, which has earned good reviews since its international release last week. "I don`t think in terms of career much. Had I thought about it, I would have been in Mumbai long back," he said. However, he feels that `Life of Pi` would give him visibility. "It might give me some more roles," he quipped. The actor said that he was happy to be a part of `Life of Pi`. "I am happy to be in `Life of Pi`. It`s like there could be so many good actors, but people don`t know them enough. They are never brought into the limelight," he said. The actor, who has mostly performed on stage, got the role in the film through his friend. "All the roles which I got in the films were through friends. I have never done any kind of networking. People have seen my plays, they know me, because of them I am getting the roles," he said. Hussain has word of praise for Suraj Sharma, who plays Pi in the film. "Suraj is a gifted receiver. What people receive, they can recreate. He is a gifted listener. He recreates what he listens," the actor said. "Ang Lee made sure that there is space created, where Suraj can perform, because he recognised the gift in him," said Hussain, who has played father to Suraj`s elder brother in the film `For Real`, which was screened in IFFI 2010. Hussain also has a rare privilege of featuring in the opening and closing films of IFFI 2012 currently underway in Goa. "It`s a great privilege. I am lucky. It`s very rare that such thing happens. It`s not about how many movies you have made or how good or bad you are," he said. Mira Nair`s `The Reluctant Fundamentalist`, in which Hussain has acted, will be the closing movie for the festival. PTI