Acclaimed film and theatre actor Adil Hussain, who often travels with his films to festivals across the world, likens the latter to ‘oases’. “I call these festivals oases in a desert, where only commercially leaning films — films that do not necessarily make good money, but are made with the intent of making good money — are found. Festivals are oases where art takes precedence over commerce. It’s a space for people, who are interested in the art of filmmaking, the art of telling stories that show the subtle aspects of life, which will help elevate the moral conscience of the society,” the Life Of Pi actor told us, when we caught up with him at the Bengaluru International Film Festival recently.

Talking about the the importance of good films and how he approaches his art, he said, “There are times when I feel confident about the roles that come to me. Then there are roles which make me go, ‘Oh God, how will I do it?’ Because it’s not written well. I grew up doing plays written by the greatest writers of the world — Chekhov, Gorky, Kalidasa, Shakespeare, and the like. And suddenly you get a script and you think, ‘These lines are so badly written; there is no literary value or depth in it’. It’s like fast food and healthy food.”

The English Vinglish actor further added, “If you keep eating fast food, you are bound to fall ill. So, in the name of art, if I’m given fast food every day, I will forget that there is an option of healthy food. So, film festivals also remind you of those options and when you take it, your body tells you that it feels good. Money can be earned through anything. But I should be able to fall asleep happily. That is success for me. Am I successful, you ask? I’d say yes, because I fall asleep in 10 minutes. And you can’t buy that.”