While he's one of the most celebrated directors in Bollywood, it's acting that occupies centrestage in his life right now. With Lucknow Central gearing up for release this week, BT caught up with Farhan Akhtar and got him talking about the art of keeping the director in him at bay while acting and opting to essay a role only if it moves him emotionally. He also talks about striking a balance between work and daddy-duties. Excerpts from our conversation...

A writer, director, producer, actor and singer - do these aspects of your personality co-exist peacefully or do they jostle for space?
They co-exist quite peacefully. Perhaps, it's in my genes that I have the ability to completely switch off from other things when I am focussing on one. This helps the transitioning between these roles smooth, without any inner conflict. My creative hunger is fueled by the passions of people I collaborate with - Rahul Dholakia for Raees, Reema Kagti for Gold and Meghdeep Singh Lamba for Fukrey's sequel. Their passion motivates you to not let them down while playing your role as a producer on their projects. You may be working on one film as an actor and planning one as a director, but for the others, their project is the only thing they're working on. As a producer, they look up to you to provide things that a script needs or suggest alternatives, if something seems unachievable.

When you're strictly an actor, like you are in Lucknow Central, are you tempted to direct a scene if you aren't satisfied with it?
No, I've never felt the need to direct when I'm purely an actor in the film. I've worked with four filmmakers on their first films. A relationship is formed creatively at a stage when you're figuring what you want to do with the film. When you hear a script, rarely would you speak about your character in isolation. These conversations happen all the time and it doesn't only happen with me. I've directed films where actors have had their own take on certain scenes, and have wanted to try something different with their characters, which is not part of the script. As a director, if you feel that an actor, with his commitment, wants to own a role without compromising the narrative, you'll have to give them the freedom to do that. I love that freedom, but it doesn't mean that I can get into the director's space.

Direction was your calling, but acting clearly has been a case of Luck By Chance...
Acting did happen by chance. My friend Anand Surapur was making a film called The Fakir Of Venice. When he came to me, I wasn't confident about being able to pull it off but he insisted I do it. Reema and Zoya (Akhtar) told me they've seen the way I entertain people and I should give it a shot. When I acted in my first film, there was a feeling of liberation which inherently wasn't there in me. I used to be a closed person. People have seen me open up a lot more after I turned to acting. It made me a sensitive person and I started enjoying the process. Then, your appetite is whetted and you want to see how far you can take it. I did Rock On (2008) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2012). So, within a period of four years, I got opportunities to push myself further and inhabit a world or a character far removed from who I am.

Does your perspective towards the box office differ when you look at movies from the point of view of an actor, director and producer?
As a producer, it's my job to have an eye on the box office. As a director, I have to tell a story as coherently and universally as possible. As an actor, it's my job to perform. It's an actor who benefits the most with a film doing well when it should actually be the producer. Unfortunately, box office has become the only parameter to gauge success. You can't say that I will make a film without caring for who sees it. Yes, business is one aspect of filmmaking and then there are others like the artistic and the emotional side. Over the years, we've had films which didn't perform well at the box office but are always mentioned as examples. Perhaps, they captured the angst of a generation way before its time. It's difficult to quantify success on the creative front. With box office figures, it's easy because its numbers.

But as an actor, are you willing to take a risk greater than what you would as a producer? Often, we hear makers say it's a 'different' film, but how much can one push the boundaries within the paradigm of mainstream Hindi cinema?
You can push it as much as you want, but you have to have a coherent story which engages people. Filmmaking can't be self-indulgent, it could be the self-indulgence of a writer, or a director who says, 'Let me show you how a film should be made'. It could be the self-indulgence of an actor where the image becomes bigger than the character or of those people who pander to the actor saying 'Let me build on your star image'. These are no-nos for me. In the beginning there is a certain enthusiasm which every creative person should try to hang on to without buying into what people write about you. With experience, you can loosen up a bit. People are remembered for the work they do. No one remembers you for what you wore and the number of parties you attended.

You wrote an open letter to your daughters, Shakya and Akira, addressing the culture of sexual violence that plagues women in society. As a father, do you find it difficult to help them navigate through the milieu we live in?
Like any parent, I worry about the safety of my kids. But beyond that, I don't feel a parent should make a child, and especially a girl child, feel any different because of their insecurities for her. I don't think your fears should translate into the way they lead their lives. Conversations are important for them to trust you and know that they are not being judged. They should be able to speak about everything that's going on in their life. That's what empowers kids to be themselves.

Often, women are asked how they strike a balance while managing work and home. How does a man do that?
It's all about making time. Of course, it was a lot easier when I was living with them in the same house. They want time and a listening ear. The biggest mistake parents make when they meet their kids is that they start telling them what they feel. It should be about what they want to do, eat or play .

Do you feel like being in a relationship now? Have you been thinking on those lines since there is a lot of speculation?
At this point, I'm not thinking about being in a relationship so seriously. Whatever has to happen, will happen. I'm not consciously thinking, 'Oh, now it's been long and I must'. There's no such thing. Whatever is spoken or written about is a part and parcel of what we do, which you have to take in your stride.

Do you mean to say that none of those speculations about your personal life affect you?
It's not a question of affecting me because it's not just me. I can't be selfish to believe that it's just about me.You're taking other people's names. My kids may read it and that person's family might read it. It's unnecessary. Unfortunately, your friendship with the person in question gets affected because you become conscious of it. Sadly, it's not cool. All of this is based on Chinese whispers. Maybe it's difficult for people to imagine that someone is happy just being by himself. Possibly, those who write about it don't have the ability to be happy by themselves.