There are only so many filmmakers fearless or foolhardy enough to tackle a challenging novel like yann martels life of pi but adaptation specialist ang lee brokeback mountain was well positioned to take it on as a structuring device he uses an interview between a journalist rafe spall and pi patel the namesakes irrfan khan a montreal immigrant with an unusual back story as he tells the writer his parents oversaw a zoo in french indian pondicherry and he found himself drawn