I'm not eager to push my son into films: Irrfan

Actor Irrfan Khan's seven-year-old son Ayan has taken his first step into the spotlight, making a cameo appearance in the Hollywood film 'Life Of Pi', but his father insists he is not eager to push him into films

The actor, who stars alsongside Tabu in the Ang Lee-directed 3D film, says this is not the age for his son to act. "He is just doing a friendly appearance as Ang Lee and the casting director wanted it. It was a friendly request so he did it. I thought it will be a different experience for him... just that. I am not eager to push him into films," Irrfan told in an interview.

He felt that given Ayan's tender age, this is not the right time for him to often face camera and start acting, instead he must explore his interest across various fields.

"I don't think he should get this kind of exposure at his age. It is not an age to face the hardships you encounter in cinema, you do things in a way you are asked to do it. Like doing a shot at 3 in the morning... they are too young."

"It is time for exploration and not to decide what they should do. They should explore all fields which interest them," the 45-year-old award winning actor said. As a father, Irrfan said he still does not know if his son has the potential for acting. "I don't know if there is any potential or not in him for acting. He has not shown interest in films."

Based upon the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, 'Life Of Pi' is a story of a young man and his travails at sea. The story revolves around a teenage boy, who is forced to survive on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger after the ship he was travelling in sinks. Considering its content and the story line, Irrfan feels the film will entertain a six-year-old child and a 60-year-old person alike.

"My son is playing my elder brother in the childhood version of the film. So when he grows up he will be amused to see that," Irrfan said. The actor said 'Life of Pi' was a challenging film, but audiences from all age groups will connect to it.

"A six-year-old child and a 60-year-old person will relate to it in the same manner. It was a challenging thing for the filmmaker. It is like a marriage of money and creativity. The challenge is to tell the story with many interpretations so that everybody can connect."

In 'Life Of Pi', Irrfan plays the role of the adult Piscine Molitor Patel known as Pi, while his adolescent version is played by Delhi-based 19-year-old Suraj Sharma, who is making his film debut.

"The character that I play did not provide me any scope for improvisation because the lines are literary and not spoken language. But I had to make it appear as a spoken language.

Ang Lee has a particular design in his mind because I am setting up the audience in this particular journey and concluding it," Irrfan said.