An actor has to be open for anything: Rahul Khanna

Actor Rahul Khanna, son of legendary actor Vinod Khanna, is not only known for his performances in critically acclaimed films like Earth and The Emperor’s Club, but also for being one of the few Indian actors to star in a recurring role in an international TV series, the highly acclaimed The Americans. And as the Season 3 of the popular series is set to air back-to-back on 29th August 2015 as a part of FX India’s new weekend programming ‘FX Top Rated’, we caught up with the dashing Rahul Khanna for a quick chat.

 

In The Americans, Khanna plays Yousaf, a Pakistani intelligence agent involved in the Afghanistan conflict in the 80s — and, as a result, a target for protagonists Philip and Elizabeth Jennings (played by Rhys and Keri Russell). In a deeply dramatic, edgy and emotional show that is largely about foreign nationals and deadly romance, Yousaf played an integral part in a particularly gruesome subplot: the strangulation, mid-coitus, of an American spy, followed by disposing of her naked body by stuffing her into a suitcase — dislocating joints and breaking bones in the process.

 

Khanna, who had to sign the “nudity and simulated sex agreement” for the show, says he was quite nervous initially in performing certain scenes. He says, “Although I had done intimate scenes in the past I’d never gone completely nude. But yes, the team helped me a great deal and made me comfortable. Also, as an actor, one has to be okay with everything and it’s something that’s completely natural that we’re showing. So now I’ve kind of aced it and have no inhibitions. Also, my character has so many layers to it that you can explore as an artiste and that’s probably what makes English television so interesting and at times even better than feature films.”

 

Rahul also says the whole uncertainty about what is to come in the next storyline makes it all the more interesting. “Only the scripts for the next episode are sent, and that too when it’s confirmed. Every page of the script is watermarked to avoid any leak and every move is so detailed and well-researched.”

 

The actor says although Indian TV is yet to evolve as compared to its English counterpart, there has been progress from the stereotypical Saas Bahu storylines.

 

“Attempts like 24 are hugely commendable. But yes, there is a certain predicament when it comes to exploring taboo subjects like sex and homosexuality on Indian TV. However, times are changing and for the better and we’re slowly getting there.”

 

Rahul, who hasn’t been seen on silver screen for quite some time now, says he hopes to work in more Indian films. He muses, “I have been reading some scripts and there are two in particular that I will zero in on and be in a position to talk about very soon.”