Annu Kapoor, who debuted in Bollywood with the 1983 film Mandi, has spent four decades in the industry. The actor, filmmaker and RJ says his straightforward attitude has helped him survive in the industry for so long. He is currently writing a book, encapsulating his experiences in Bollywood.

Kapoor says, “Aap mujhse seedhe sawaal poochenge, seedha jawaab milega. Tedhe honge, toh tedha jawaab milega. I am not a sycophant. Na main kisi ka chamcha hoon, aur naa hi gaali dene mein vishwaas rakhta hoon. I will tell all my stories in the book.”

The 67-year-old is currently shooting for his upcoming projects, Dream Girl 2 and a biopic on late politician Deendayal Upadhyaya. Ask if doing a biopic is tougher than playing a fictional character and the actor replies, “Before this one, I played sant Kabir (in the TV show Kabir), Mahatma Gandhi (Sardar; 1993) and Veer Savarkar in the film Kaalapani (1996). Mushkil toh hota hai. Jab main Antakshari (TV show) host karta tha, woh bhi aasaan nahin tha. Aasaan dikhta tha, as that was my job as an actor [to work hard and make it look simple].”