Overview

• Penn said his breakout comedy role as Kumar in Harold & Kumar nearly disqualified him from Mira Nair’s drama adaptation.
• He wrote Nair a personal letter expressing his admiration for Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel and requesting an audition.
• Nair’s then 14-year-old son Zohran Mamdani championed Penn by showing her clips of Harold & Kumar, prompting her to reconsider.
• He praised late co-star Irrfan Khan for his ability to convey emotion through silence in their shared scenes.
• Reflecting on early typecast parts like Taj Mahal in Van Wilder, Penn said those roles ultimately paved the way for more meaningful projects.