The actor also confirms that the duo, with Mohit Suri, is coming together for Aashiqui 3.
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2017)

You started off with romances like Student Of The Year and Hasee Toh Phasee and now have moved to action-oriented films like A Gentleman, and Aiyaary. Why are you looking for a change in image?
It’s always exciting for the audience when you do something different. Personally I don’t think people associate me with romantic roles. I’ve done action films like Ek Villain and Brothers earlier too though this time we’ve taken the stunts a notch higher. A Gentleman has action, comedy, romance and a double role. I like the challenge of exploring a new world with every new film.

Initially, buzz was, A Gentleman is a part of the Bang Bang franchise and though you’ve denied it since, there will be inevitable comparisons between the two films. Prepared?
Our film has a different cast, directors, storyline, budget and is a different world from Bang Bang which was a remake of an English film (Knight And Day). The rumours started because it’s the same production house. We made it clear on the first day itself that A Gentleman was NOT Bang Bang 2 and you can see the difference in the trailer.

What’s your equation like with Jacqueline Fernandez?
We have worked in Brothers earlier but since we didn’t have any scenes together the only bonding happened during the promotions. She’s easy to get along with and doesn’t need ice-breakers. Stress, personal or professional, doesn’t affect her mood. She’s always happy and chirpy, a hardworking, self-made girl.

Your “Disco” song has you in John Travolta mode. Are you comfortable dancing now?
I’ve done films that didn’t have songs like Ek Villain and Brothers. When people don’t see me do songs for a while there is the impression that I’m not comfortable with song and dance. But the fact is that I’ve grown up on Hindi film songs and love them. I had a blast during “Chull”, “Kala Chashma”, “Baat Ban Jaaye” and now “Disco”. Even “Chandralekha” from A Gentleman was fun.

Neeraj Pandey with whom you are working on Aiyaary is known to remould his actors, give them a new image. So, can we expect another surprise?(Laughs) Neeraj is known for getting great performances from his actors. So, you can expect that surprise. It’s an exciting project.

Do you still consult your mentor Karan Johar on scripts?
Well, he’s a leading filmmaker, in tune with the times and a relevant personality in the industry. You can talk to him about anything. I don’t consult him on everything. All the decisions I’ve made after SOTY have been predominantly guided by instinct. If someone like Karan seconds it, it’s great, if not, I still go ahead and hope for the best. It’s not mandatory but he’s there if required. There aren’t too many people I can trust or seek guidance from.

When you go back home are you treated like a star?
My family treats this profession as any other though they understand they can’t take me to certain restaurants and areas now. So, there’s a sense of both excitement and regret. They treat me as normally as possible when I’m home. I don’t get the kind of tea or food I like and crib like I used to before.

Has Mumbai become home now?
Well, I still miss my family in Delhi, the lunches and interactions. And that won’t change unless they shifts to Mumbai and that’s not happening anytime soon.

There’s Alia Bhatt in Mumbai. What’s your reaction to link-ups?
(Laughs) Why only Alia, I’ve been linked with almost all my co-stars except Akshay Kumar.

Aashiqui 3 was announced with Alia and you and you’d said you wanted to sing in the film too. What’s the update on the musical?
I was approached a while ago. It’s a great franchise, I loved Aashiqui 2 and I’ve worked with both its director Mohit Suri and Alia. We are waiting to get it all on paper. We want to present a better version of the franchise. Once we finish our prior commitments we will start on Aashiqui 3.

How do you react to comparisons with contemporaries, in particular your fellow ‘student’ Varun Dhawan?
It’s like any other news. I have better ways to spend time than keep myself updated on what’s written about me. I’d rather expend energy on work. You are not the only player in any industry so comparisons are inevitable but in my journey to become an actor I had to work really hard, give so many auditions…

Your chemistry with Priyanka Chopra was praised in a recent commercial.
For us it was just a scene but the feedback was fantastic. She is a fabulous actor and it would be great to team up with her. But we need a script first.