She is one of the biggest stars out there but she is also an amazingly down-to-earth person. Everyone wants to work with her. She is not interested in controversies. In her spirit, I thought she was truly Indian. She believes in giving dignity to people she is working with.

In what way?

When we were young, our parents taught us to be considerate toward others, never judge people who are in unfortunate situations, and respect everyone. She never talked down whether she was talking with new artists, extras or servants.

What did you learn most from her?

I could see the pain she took to make her character look and sound authentic but, much more than artiste, I admired her as a human being. She showed that there is no excuse for any big star not to treat others well.

What was the best advice you got from director Michael Winterbottom?

He is a very different kind of filmmaker. He wants the artists to do their own research. He gives us a little push here or there, and it is for us to make our characters come alive. Whether he was working with Angelina Jolie or Irrfan Khan or any other actor in the film, he dealt with us the same way. For him the script was the starting point.

Photograph: Archie Panjabi with Irrfan Khan and Angelina Jolie in a scene from A Mighty Heart.

Also Read: What Irrfan learned from Angelina

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