Source: Various
By: Indranil Roy
Date: May 14, 2006
Has fatherhood changed you?
I didn’t have any pre-conceived notions about fatherhood – but I can tell you, it’s a different feeling when you see your child. One feels genetically connected. My son has really brought a lot of peace into our family.
Does your son keep you awake at nights?
That’s a myth. I had been warned by close buddies that I wouldn’t be able to sleep for the first two months after my baby is born. There’s nothing like that. Susanne is so particular about Hrehaan’s schedules that there has been no stress of staying awake at nights. In fact, ever since I’ve had my baby, I have been sleeping like a baby myself.
Do you ever meet your childhood friends like Abhisekh Bachchan and Uday Chopra?
If we’re in Mumbai, we meet up once in a week at least. At times it becomes impossible to connect even for months. But my friendship with Abhisekh and Uday is so deep, we can start where we had left off.
What advice do you have for your friend Kunal Kapoor who considers you to be his godfather?
(Laughs) I don’t think he considers me to be his godfather. That’s too funny. He is a close friend and my unbiased opinion is, he is going to be a huge star. Contrary to your question, I have learnt a lot from him. But yes, when I made my debut I did set an example on how to make a mark with your first film. So, that has become a yardstick which all newcomers including Kunal cannot escape being compared to.
Every time a film of yours is up for release, there seems to be an anti- campaign
If you insist there’s a campaign, I don’t believe it at all. I’ve always believed that the truth will eventually come out. Silly controversies cannot change the fate of any film. I’m not affected because I’ve lived long enough in this business to realise that only the final quality of the film matters.
Would you say Krrish is your make or break film?
Certainly not. In my body of work, Krrish is a landmark film. But no film can make or break me as an actor. I’m much above all that.
In an earlier interview you’d talked about different people who reside within you. Will you ever get to play a variety of people?
Everyone has different aspects to their nature. I’m an actor, I would be more than happy to exploit the characters which reside within me. Doing challenging roles is the only way you evolve as an actor.
Do you use others’ personality traits in your performances?
Observation is a great tool for any actor but I don’t consciously observe others. More importantly, I try to focus within myself instead of getting influenced by ‘outside-in.’
Do you lose yourself in a character you’re portraying?
Every character is a extension of yourself but there’s hardly a moment where you lose yourself. Maybe the thinking and the mannerisms of a particular character gets prominence. For example, when I’m completely engrossed in a character, I think like him, about how he will react to a particular incident. But I never lose myself in a role.
Do you try to surprise the audience?
The intention is never to surprise the audience. I just try to do my best as an actor. If I’ve done an emotional scene or a scene that moves the audience, it’s because I want to excel as an actor. The effort has nothing to do with surprising and shocking audiences.
Heroes often have to repeat certain mannerisms expected by the audience.
I’ve never tried to capitalise on what has clicked in my previous films. Otherwise I wouldn’t have done Koi Mil Gaya which was completely different from any role that any actor had done before. My past performances have never been a motivating factor
Would you like to portray any real life character?
Honestly no. I’m doing Ashutosh Gowarikers’s Akbar Jodha, which is extremely inspiring. Apart from that, nothing comes to my mind. But if I read a historical document and feel it could be developed into a film, I’d go for it.