Vivaan Shah started his career with small roles in big multi-starrers, such as 7 Khoon Maaf (2011)and Happy New Year (2014). But looking back, the actor, who is the son of actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, feels he took the wrong approach. “I made the mistake early in my career of chasing stardom and success. I started off in the business thinking I am here to be a star. Somewhere along the way, I realised that no, I am an actor [first],” the 32-year-old tells us.

Speaking of what his parents think about his journey, he says, “They never bought into this business of stardom. But when I started in 2010, it was a very different climate in the industry. My peers were filling my head with all kinds of idiotic advice on how to be a leading star. My parents told me not to listen to the bulls**t. But as a young, immature person, I did not listen to them. Rather than trying to evolve as an actor, I was greedy to become a star. I wish that I had followed my parents’ advice.”

But Shah does feel fortunate to have done the big films that he did. “The projects of mine that the audience is familiar with, are the ones with big people. For the last seven years, with the exception of A Suitable Boy, the stuff that I’ve done has not reached an audience,” he says, adding that he has been constantly employed in the last 12 years. “I am still working hard and evolving as an actor. I hope that people get to see more of me,” he signs off.