So what if Rahul Roy has barely recuperated after a brain stroke and begun to speak properly? The happiness in him is evident when you talk to him about his film Agra, which is set to have a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

“It was very good news. Mujhe bahut pehle se yeh karna tha — something for myself. Now it has all fallen into place. I have done 60 films but this is the most fantastic one,” he exclaims.

Roy feels that having made his debut with the widely loved romantic musical Aashiqui (1990) always led to him being boxed as fit for a specific kind of character. “[Filmmakers] didn’t explore my talent. I don’t think that was done. Hopefully, now it will be. Whatever is being offered to me at this moment is good. I just had a brain stroke, the situation was very bad. But slowly, I am back to working now. I have been telling everyone that I am back to the grind,” says the Junoon and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee (both 1992) actor.

The filming of Agra, directed by Kanu Behl, took three years to complete. “I’ve been shooting for it very slowly, because of my recovery and also the pandemic. It was very difficult to shoot during those times. I can’t talk much about my role, but you would have never seen me in such a character before,” he says.

Will he be travelling to Cannes for the premiere, if his health permits? “Of course, yes!” he ends.