Rahul Bose is someone who gives more importance to cerebral roles than six-pack abs. An actor, rugby player, singer, social worker...he is a ‘hero' in truest sense. He chats up with India Blooms correspondent Sreya Basu on his new film The Japanese Wife

You seem really excited about The Japanese Wife. What is it all about?
This is the story of a school teacher Snehmoy and his Japanese pen-friend Miyage (Chingusa Takaku). They exchange marriage vows through letters and they nurture their relationship for 17 years and that too without meeting each other once. The film is based on their love, happiness, misery...basically it's a lind of love poem put into celluloid.

We have mostly seen you represent the urban male. Do you think the viewers will accept you as a village school teacher?
The first time Aparna told Konkona (Sen Sharma; daughter) that I am going to play this role, she said: ‘Look, this guy is from a Bengali village. He speaks in a rural Bengali village dialect.

Then he speaks to his Japanese wife in a rural, Bengali, village dialect in English. There's no way! Then guy's characterization is very shy, very introverted, extremely invisible and Rahul! He won't be able to do it!'

Three weeks ago Konkona saw the film and called me up and said wonderful things. So I have got the ‘pass' remarks from the filmmaker's daughter, and there's nothing left; the film has to be a superhit. As it is the film is going to 55 countries across the world.

You are too choosy when it comes to signing a film. What convinced you to do this one?
The Japanese Wife is twice a love story. Forget me being in it; just feeling the script will be sufficient. It talks about a part in all of us that is innocent, where people still believes that there will be no corruption; if a person says he will call you tomorrow, he will do so. It goes into the centre of innocence that is still left in us.

I believe this film is the last test of the Indian audience...to see if they have become completely bloated with the PR madness that we call cinema.

Talking about your kind of cinema, what kind of films do you enjoy doing? You seem more comfortable in English-speaking ones...
I think and dream in English...have got my training in English. But I believe when you are an actor and doing films then language should not matter. A taxi driver must know how to drive a taxi.

How do you rate yourself as an actor?
Satisfaction comes a little higher than your performance. I have a ‘sleep peacefully at night' yardstick to rate my performance. There are nights when I can sleep peacefully, there are two-three nights when I get nightmares.

You are into so many things-films, sports, social service-what exactly are your expectations from life?
My expectation from life is that every day I spent on this earth should be full of satisfaction. And my satisfaction comes from giving my 100% in what I love, whether people around appreciate that or not. Of course, it feels great if people praise and appreciate your efforts.