Initially, I wanted to do films with A-list actors when I was struggling. I was hoping that I could also get that platform where I'm launched with Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan or Aamir Khan... and with them my career could also start, but it didn't happen. And then came 'Queen.'
I've worked with some terrific actors. The list of guys that came on the 'Columbo' show, I mean they were world-class actors from all over the world - Oskar Werner, Laurence Harvey, Donald Pleasence, you know... foreigners.
I'm the only composer who has scored for two-three generation of actors. Be it for Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan or Dharmendra, Sunny Deol or Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt - I have done it all.
I have been offered a lot of films with many big actors, but I have unfortunately declined them.
I acted three times with Fred MacMurray, three times with Martin and Lewis, four times with Rock Hudson. Three times with Glenn Ford.
I've worked Keira Knightley quite a bit and Kevin Costner.
I've been fortunate. I've worked in a lot of things where I had those kinds of experiences with actors who were perceived as very macho guys, everybody from Lee Marvin to Charlie Bronson to Harrison Ford to Robert Shaw.
I must have worked with over 100 actors, but I think there are four to five names I count on my fingers and say they are my friends.
In all of my press junkets for 'Spy Kids,' I was saying that my two favorite actors are Johnny Depp and Steve Carell. And I ended up getting to work with both of them.
I really wanted to work with Kate Mulgurew and Natasha Lyonne.
The movies I've done with Wes [Anderson] have a much different quality than some of the more broad comedies. But what is interesting is how many sequels I've done. I've worked with Ben [Stiller] a million times now, and this is yet another sequel we're doing. I guess we're lucky to be in some movies that people wanted to see again.
I did a picture 40 years ago with Carroll O'Connor and Telly Savalas, God rest their souls, and Clint Eastwood, called 'Kelly's Heroes,' which we filmed in Yugoslavia for six months.
I seem to have a soft spot in my heart for Australia and Australian actors. After having worked with one in 'Cinderella' and a multitude of them in 'Cats,' I've wanted the opportunity to actually perform 'down under.'
