YOUNG British actor Amit Shah said it felt quite surreal working with some of the world’s biggest and most accomplished film makers of a generation.

Amit Shah stars in The Hundred Foot Journey alongside the legendary actors in a film which is produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.

The film is about Kadam family led by Papa (Om Puri), who move to a quaint village in the South of France with the grand plan of opening an Indian restaurant in the picturesque countryside. They are undeterred by the fact that only 100 feet opposite stands a Michelin starred classical French eatery.

However, upon encountering the icy proprietress, Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren), the Kadam family realise they may have bitten off more than they can chew. Outraged by the new arrivals, Madame Mallory is determined to have their business shut down.

Amit plays family member Mansur Kadam.

Speaking to Asian Image Amit said he didn’t know that Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey were involved when he first got involved in the project.

“'The most surreal moment was first day of shooting and the first premiere in New York with Steven and Oprah there.

“It feels more real now and exciting when I see the posters everywhere.”

The conflict between Le Saule Pleureur and Maison Mumbai is symbolic of a clash between two very different cultures, with Madame Mallory’s prideful persistence confronting Papa’s unwavering stubbornness.

She believes her nationalistic pride in French culture and French haute cuisine is at stake, while he is afraid his family is being chased out of town once again because they don’t fit in. Each feels challenged by the other, and neither one is prepared to back down.

Puri said: “Madame Mallory appears very refined and elitist, but she’s more classical in her attitude, while Papa is more rustic. But it doesn’t mean that rustic has no right to live.”

Mirren added: “It’s a feud that becomes a no-holds-barred war within a civilized society, but it’s still a war.

“Food plays a big role in bringing the family together,” said Oprah Winfrey who produced the film. “It’s the central focus for that which allows them to stand out because they feel a great sense of confidence in their ability to make wonderful food, and food that really fills people up spiritually, emotionally, as well as being delicious.”

Steven Spielberg said: “We had a chance to put our creative energies together in a very compatible way to tell this story about compatibility amongst people you never imagined could be compatible.”

Indian cuisine is celebrated for its diversity of flavours: the zest of ginger in chicken tikka masala; the rich, aquatic flavour of sea urchin; the sweet, pungent taste of cloves in chicken tandoori.

The Indian approach to cooking is spontaneous and relaxed, with many dishes eaten sans utensils.

Puri added: “In India, we are more casual about our food. French food is very concerned with presentation, and Indian food, not so much. But the different cuisines we have in India are amazing and full of spices. The whole world came to India for its spices.

The music is composed by two-time Academy Award winner and five-time nominee, AR Rahman In 2008, Rahman’s work gained global prominence with the extraordinary success of his score for ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.

The Hundred Foot Journey starts today.