How do Irrfan Khan and Tabu manage to convey the chemistry so well? The two have done it the second time in The Namesake after Vishal Bharadwaj's Maqbool, proving that lovemaking scenes in Hindi films are all about perfect on-screen chemistry.

Irrfan quips, "Tabu and I meet after work, but I must appreciate Tabu as a very special person and actress. She never lies in her performances. I remember during Maqbool we'd instinctively understand each other. She knew exactly when to put her hand out, or when to touch my elbow... little things that make the chemistry between co-stars."

Irrfan adds, " the scene was a little more explicit and longer than love-making scenes generally are and that startled me when we began. I was worried about Tabu's reaction. If Tabu had been even slightly awkward, I'd have been worried. But she made me comfortable by being completely involved in the scene. After that there was no awkwardness. We were very professional about it."

Irrfan has great expectations from Mira's film. "Let's see how The Namesake goes. I went to the US for its release. I never imagined such a response. People in the US are watching it repeatedly. I don't want to be an also-ran in multi-starrers. At the same time I'm hungry for roles.

The Namesake suddenly made me feel worthwhile as an actor. I was fascinated by the silences of my character Ashok Ganguli. It was not expressed even in Jhumpa Lahiri's novel. Mira has added a lot to the original material.

That's the fun of a movie adaptation. The movie is over. But I'm still discovering facets to my character. Ashok Ganguli was a mystery to me. I had to get both his external and internal life right," he says.

Irrfan's next release is Metrofor which he is very excited. "My character in Anurag Basu's Metro is a very basic human being. ...blunt and to the point. I stare at Konkona so hard and so purposefully she gets uncomfortable. He's obnoxious from the outside.

But I discovered a beautiful core to him. I wanted to work with Anurag. But I wasn't sure about my role. However, the day I came on the sets I freaked out. ...I leave my career plans to destiny. But I need to keep working to survive," concludes Irrfan.