Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan at the trailer launch of “Te3n” in Mumbai, May 5. (Press Trust of India)

Amitabh Bachchan brings out the fanboy in Indian American star Kal Penn, who says he would love to be a part of the independent movies coming out of the country. (#Bollywood, #Siliconeer, @Siliconeer, #KalPenn, #BigB, #AmitabhBachchan, #TheAshram, #BombayTalkies, #SaathNibhanaSathiya)

When asked who brings out the fanboy in him from Bollywood, Penn, 39, says, “Every actor has said that they want to work with Amitabh Bachchan, so that’s probably given.”

Irrfan, his co-star from “The Namesake,” is another actor that impresses Penn a lot.

“One of the things that I like watching about Irrfan is that he has done these big budget movies but the way he utilizes silence in his films is so amazing. He does not need to say anything but you understand exactly what he is thinking.”

Penn, currently in India to shoot for Guneet Monga’s “The Ashram,” says he would love to work with the new age directors as his recent favorite movie from India was “Bombay Talkies.”

Kal Penn attends a press conference launching Turnaround Arts in New York City Schools at the Brooklyn Museum on Sept. 22, 2015 in Brooklyn, New York. (Slaven Vlasic | Getty Images | NAMM)
Kal Penn attends a press conference launching Turnaround Arts in New York City Schools at the Brooklyn Museum on Sept. 22, 2015 in Brooklyn, New York. (Slaven Vlasic | Getty Images | NAMM)

“The movie that I am working on is called ‘The Ashram.’

It’s a spiritual thriller… It has a global cast with global sentiments… From last couple years my favorite movie is ‘Bombay Talkies’… that’s incredible.

“I would love to work with any of those four directors. I keep emailing Zoya (Akhtar) ‘Can I work with you please?’ She is very sweet, we are friends but my Hindi is not good.”

Penn shot to fame with his popular comedy “Harold & Kumar” and the actor has a crackling sense of humor, which he displays by describing the plot of an Indian TV show that he is currently watching in his bid to learn Hindi.

“One keeps hearing that they learnt English by watching TV and movies… I ordered the desi cable package… I could not understand most of it because it is so fast but these are like mother-in-law shows and I am totally, I am not kidding you… I am totally addicted to ‘Saath Nibhana Sathiya,'” says Penn.