The multi-starrer political drama Raajneeti (2010) completed 16 years on June 4. The film is remembered for its compelling subject, power-packed execution by Prakash Jha, music and ensemble cast. All the principal actors in the film – Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Ajay Devgn, Nana Patekar, Arjun Rampal and Naseeruddin Shah – received appreciation for their performances. Another actor who left a mark was Sarah Thompson, who played Sarah, the US-based girlfriend of Samar Pratap (Ranbir Kapoor). In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, conducted in June 2025, on the occasion of Raajneeti’s 15th anniversary, Sarah Thompson went down memory lane and spoke about the film and a lot more.
16 Years of Raajneeti EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Thompson goes down memory lane: “Ranbir Kapoor made me feel comfortable; it was fun going to places with him as he always got mobbed…Katrina Kaif was interested in working in the US; we exchanged information”
Did you remember that the film was turning 15?
(Smiles) When I got your message, I told my husband, ‘It’s been 15 years?’! It felt like just yesterday. But at the same time, I have had two children since Raajneeti. So, a lot has happened. So, my life before kids does feel like a long time ago. Yet, it feels like I have just done the film. Time flies (laughs).
The internet mentions that you had a three-hour breakfast meeting with Prakash Jha and that’s how you landed the role…
This is one of my favourite work stories ever, as nothing of this sort has happened to me. I had a manager at that time who was Indian-American and he represented a couple of actors who had worked in Bollywood. His name was Jay Connor. Prakash reached out to Jay, hoping that he would have clients who could play the part of Sarah. That’s how the two connected. Jay then informed me about the part and asked if I was interested in meeting him. I had always been a fan of Bollywood and I immediately said yes as it was a dream come true moment. Like, it’s so great to get a film offer like that! I mean, in the US, actors don’t get the opportunity to do Bollywood movies. That’s how we met for breakfast at a hotel in Los Angeles.
I remember he had sent me the script in advance. As you know, there are a lot of characters and the plot is complicated. It’s a complex film and a lot to understand. Moreover, I did not understand Indian politics. Hence, I made a graph to keep track of everything; otherwise, I would not have been able to understand the different storylines. I got into the meeting, we got along and then I pulled out my graph. I explained to him the reason for my notes and graph.
Much later, he told me ‘When you pulled out that graph, I knew you were the one as you were so serious about it. You took the meeting seriously. No one else did anything like that’.
We ended up talking for 3 hours. I had seen some of his work by then as well and I knew what an amazing filmmaker he was. I also liked him personally; he was so easy to get along with. By the end of the meeting, I realized that it went well. Immediately after meeting the call, I got a call from Jay stating ‘You are the one. He wants you’!
I was then off to India within a week or two. However, before that, they had to deal with my union, Screen Actors Guild. My manager told me, ‘I don’t think your union is going to let you do this film’. I was disappointed. No one told me that they had worked it out. I remember I was driving on the I-10 freeway in Los Angeles when an email popped up. It said, ‘Here’s the ticket for your flight to Mumbai tomorrow’! I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it worked out’! Hence, it was such a whirlwind experience.
I believe this was your first visit to India…
Yes. I always wanted to go there. Doing it this way was pretty special.
Did you see any Hindi films before you signed Raajneeti while growing up or after turning an actor?
There was this cinema hall in Los Angeles, which unfortunately closed. The area is named Artesia and they had one theatre which only played Bollywood movies, Naz 8. It served samosa and chai tea (smiles) and it was designated in an area called Little India. We would go to the area to have Indian buffet in a place called The India Restaurant. We would have a meal there and then go for the movies. It was such a fun experience. Later, I saw Raajneeti there, which was so cool, since I had been to the theatre so many times. I am lucky that there were several places in LA where I could see films from all over the world, including India.
Did you have Indian food on the sets of Raajneeti?
My parents had spent time in India before I was born. That was probably why I saw Bollywood movies when I grew up, as I had an appreciation for the culture because of my parents. They spent time there for work but also loved India. I also grew up eating Indian food, which was also my favourite. However, American-Indian food is pretty different as it’s obviously Americanized. So, when I got to India, I was used to the flavours and spice. Yet, I discovered dishes that I had never had like Paneer Tikka. Now, we get it here, but growing up, we did not have that dish. I remember having it for the first time in Bhopal and it became my favourite, favourite dish. I also had Murgh Malai in Bhopal. It was nice to expand my palette and get the real stuff. We had street food too, like Bhel Puri, which is again something we have here, but not when we were growing up. I made friends with a tour guide in Bhopal named Sikandar. He would show us around and take us to eat street food. It was amazing (laughs). I also had a roadside mango milkshake. It tasted much better in India.
Ranbir Kapoor has now become a star. How was it shooting with him?
He was great and very kind. When I worked with him, he was already a star. He had just done films like Wake Up Sid (2009). I was aware of that. I did not know what to expect but he was so warm and nice. It was always fun going to places with him because he would always get mobbed (laughs). We travelled together during the press tour and I have never experienced anything like that. He and Katrina were recognized non-stop!
Ranbir made me really feel comfortable as it was my first time in India. It was a big movie. It was similar to how movies are shot here; however, we had some scenes with huge crowds. It could get overwhelming but he walked me through everything. He showed me around Bhopal and Mumbai.
Like you, even Katrina Kaif is not from India and she had to learn the language to make a mark in the industry. Did this aspect help you both bond?
Yes, we talked about that a lot. That was a time when she was interested in working in the US. We exchanged information. I informed her about getting an agent in the US and how things work here. I was definitely excited to work in India and she helped me with it. We came from different backgrounds, but we respected what each other had done prior to doing Raajneeti. That definitely bonded us.
You had some scenes with Nana Patekar. How was it working with him?
He was like a leader because of his experience. He was also very kind. I was well taken care of as I was alone. My husband couldn’t come with me for the shoot a lot of the time, and he really made me feel comfortable. Often, the crew would switch to Hindi. I didn’t understand what was happening. And that was okay, as Hindi is their primary language. He would often tell me in a whispering tone, ‘This is what’s happening’ (laughs).
Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif expected to reunite in Raajneeti 2, sequel to also be based on Mahabharat
More Pages: Raajneeti Box Office Collection , Raajneeti Movie Review
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