/> The talented young Arjun Mathur who plays Abhimanyu, Farhan Akhtar's committed actor-friend in Luck By Chance, will next be seen as a slumwdeller in Barah Ana.

To play the role of the Bihari migrant Arjun actually spent time in the Dharavi slums. Quite the slumdog, thought certainly not a millionaire.

Arjun comes closest to being the character that he plays in the film.

"It's the story of my life, " Arjun says, speaking on his way back from Los Angeles where he has been shooting for Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan.

"Like Abhimanyu I've been struggling to find a place. Like him I'm not willing to compromise to get ahead."

The talented young actor is a Farhan Akhtar protégée. He was seen in two of Farhan and Zoya's short films in Mira Nair's Jago series. In one he played Shabana Azmi and Boman Irani's son. In the other he was Irrfan Khan's gay lover.

"I've absolutely no qualms in playing gay. It's just a role and it was for a noble cause. Even if I'm offered a homosexual's part in a mainstream film I'd do it provided it's not done stereotypically. In that sense I'm as fearless as my character Abhimanyu in Luck By Chance."

Arjun plays a young student-activist in Karan Johar's film. "It's an important role. As important as Jimmy Sheirgil's who plays Shah Rukh's brother. I instinctively look for roles which take me beyond the expected. More than the audience I want to surprise myself."