RAW agent in love -- that's tough for Rahul Bose

By Tony Tharakan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - He's played a 32-year-old virgin, a cricketer, even a disc jockey but ask actor Rahul Bose about his toughest role and he settles for a lovesick spy in his upcoming film "Maan Gaye Mughal-E-Azam."

Bose, known for the unconventional parts he chooses in arthouse cinema, deviates from the norm playing an agent of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in what he calls an over-the-top Bollywood comedy.

"On the one hand, he's part of India's defence establishment, the security of the country. On the other hand, he's completely and absolutely besotted with this small town actress played by Mallika Sherawat," Bose told reporters on Sunday.

"RAW agent besotted by small-time actress, sometimes forgets his duties…to make such a figure credible, so that people don't start throwing stones, it was difficult," he said.

"It was the toughest role I had to play in my life."

For now, Bose is promoting his English film "The Whisperers," which was screened at the Osian's Cinefan film festival on Sunday. He has written the screenplay for the film, which is based on a short story developed by the film's director Rajeev Virani.

"It is a two-man psychological thriller set in one night and it's a morality tale," he said.

The film, in which the Bengali actor co-stars with Manoj Bajpai, is aimed at a niche audience.