The actor, who tweeted about outsiders not getting equal opportunities, says that the nepotism debate is flawed. The casting process and what the audience consumes are also to be blamed, and not just star kids, he feels
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 20, 2020)

Recently on social media, actor Avinash Tiwary, known for his work in Sajid Ali’s film Laila Majnu and web films, Bulbbul and Ghost Stories, reacted to R Balki’s take on nepotism. A few days ago, in an interview talking about the debate on nepotism, Balki had said, “Find me a better actor than Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor and we’ll argue.” Addressing the filmmaker’s views, director Shekhar Kapur tweeted, “Have huge respect for you, Balki. But I just saw Kai Po Che again last night. Three new young actors at that time. And stunning believable performances by each (sic).”

While writer and editor Apurva Asrani agreed with Avinash, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha defended Balki, and said, “I think what he meant was that they are both truly deserving stars despite their illustrious pedigree. And I agree with that.”

Speaking about his response to Balki and the nepotism discussion at large, Avinash in a chat with Bombay Times reasoned, “Everyone who is talented should get an opportunity. When I read Mr Balki’s statement, it almost said that yehi do log talented hain (Ranbir and Alia). I am not saying that look at me, I am more talented, but there are others who could be, but do they get a chance? I got my first film as a lead actor (Laila Majnu) after toiling for 15 years. I gave 21 screen tests for it and waited for three years for it to be made. Not many people can even afford to sustain this long. I am glad we have casting directors now, but how many casting directors cast the lead actors of a big film? Has Mr Balki found a casting director to cast his leads? The lead actors are often selected by the filmmakers. So, how would he know if there are better actors out there or not?”

He further explained, “Of course, Alia and Ranbir are brilliant actors and they would stand out even if they were outsiders. If Ranbir wasn’t from a film family, he would have probably taken 10 years to get a Rockstar, but he would have still bagged that kind of a film. Talent will shine through, and good work will be rewarded, but it isn’t a level playing field. Ayushmann Khurrana has taken eight or nine years to be a mainstream hero, Kartik Aaryan delivers 100-crore films today, but he too has been acting since 2010. That doesn’t happen with someone like Sara Ali Khan, who has a Simmba even before the release of Kedarnath. That’s an amazing privilege to have.”

Avinash, however, argues that we cannot blame the star kids here. “If my father was a big actor or producer, why wouldn’t I make use of my privilege? I hold the media and the audience accountable. The audience is the consumer. If they pay and watch cinema that is also being made beyond the mainstream, then it equalises things. Laila Majnu didn’t last in theatres even for a week. Why didn’t the audience go and watch Sushant’s Sonchiriya in theatres? It was a good film. Ab sab behti Ganga mein haath dho rahe hain. Ab yeh nepotism ka trend chal raha hai, so let’s talk about it,” he said.

The actor pointed out that the film industry is big enough to accommodate everyone, so the real issue lies in the casting of big-budget films. He explained, “Around 95 per cent of people in this industry are outsiders, 5 per cent may be insiders, but the mainstream is dominated by this 5 per cent, and all the eyeballs are on them. Most star kids assure filmmakers the returns as there’s so much media attention on them. The nepotism argument is flawed. We can’t blame a few individuals for nepotism. It’s the system and culture that needs to change. As an outsider, you are just happy to get an opportunity. My fight is not for validation. It’s for acknowledgement of my existence as an actor.”

When asked what is his take on the flak that Karan Johar has been drawing in the past month, he said, “Karan Johar gets a lot of flak for nepotism, but it was he, who cast me in Ghost Stories without even taking my screen test. I didn’t know him. I am not the kind to approach people easily either. So, I have seen both sides.”

Elaborating on his beginnings in showbiz, the actor said, “I started with a Doordarshan show for the acclaimed filmmaker, the late Lekh Tandon. In 2014, I did the TV show Yudh, starring Amitabh Bachchan. I thought it will change my life, but nothing happened as no one saw it. In 2015, I did a lovely ensemble film, Tu Hai Mera Sunday. I met Sajid (Imtiaz Ali’s brother) at the end of 2015 for Laila Majnu. They liked my screen test and verbally told me that I was their guy. I was barred from doing other work. But the whole of 2016 they kept auditioning other actors as I wasn’t mainstream enough. I remember telling Sajid that there could be better looking actors than me, but there’s no one who can play that part better. It took three years to make the film and within a week of its release, it disappeared from theatres. So, you are obviously upset. Aur kitna ladein? So, over the years, you learn to let go and focus on bigger things and life beyond movies.”

In this series, which gives an insight into the struggles of actors who are perceived as ‘outsiders’, Pavail Gulati talks about what kept him going to pursue his Bollywood dreams despite many hardships
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 3, 2020)

It took Pavail Gulati 12 years of struggle to fulfil his dream in Bollywood — that of becoming a lead actor. Today, while he is happy with the appreciation he garnered for his performance in Thappad, he can’t forget the hard work that has gone into reaching this point in his career. Pavail tells us, “The problem is, there’s no formula to become an actor. Sometimes, I feel it is easier to become an astronaut than an actor. For the former, you know what the academic qualifications and eligibility criteria are. But, here, there are no fixed rules. I can’t follow Ayushmann Khurrana or Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s path, expecting the same amount of success. What worked for them might not work for me.”

While the actor agrees that nepotism exists, he is also of the opinion that the industry gives a fair chance to many outsiders. He elaborates, “We have so many examples of outsiders making it big in Bollywood, and insiders fading out in a short span of time. Shah Rukh Khan, Irrfan Khan and Rajkummar Rao are a few, who came from nowhere and made a name for themselves. On the other hand, there are so many industry kids who disappeared after one or two films. We can’t keep complaining! If my dad is running a business, he will pass it on to me, right? So, nepotism exists everywhere.”

Though he has always wanted to be a hero, Pavail says that over the past 12 years, he never sat idle waiting for a meaty role to come his way. “Acting was my aim, but I took up whatever came my way to earn money, make contacts and polish my skills,” he explains. He began his career by assisting a couple of casting directors, and also acted in a few ads and the TV show, Yudh, starring Amitabh Bachchan. His meeting with Anurag Kashyap became a turning point in his career. “Anurag sir saw my performance in a web show and gave me a role in a digital series he was making. Anubhav Sinha (Thappad director) saw my audition for that and asked Anurag sir about me.”

The mantra to survive in Bollywood, Pavail says, is patience! “I survived, because I have seen my parents face the same struggle to pursue their passion. For 20 years, they were in government service, and lived in a 4-BHK house with two lawns. But, one day, they gave it all up and shifted to a 1-BHK apartment, because they wanted to follow their true interests. Today, my dad is a theatre actor-director, while my mom is a radio producer. Yes, I went through depressing times, too, but my parents and friends kept me going,” he shares.

Pavail Gulati knows where to draw the line; justifying his actions in his first film saying his character Vikram is not a wife beater
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 19, 2020)

At an age when his classmates were aspiring to become engineers and architects, Pavail Gulati announced that he wanted to be a hero. His father was a documentary filmmaker, his mom a radio producer, so Bollywood cropped up regularly in conversations. Pavail took theatre and dance classes, and an Akshay Kumar-fan, he also learnt taekwondo and went on to become a Delhi state champion, believing the big break would happen soon. But after two years of film school and a 10-year struggle, the only thing that kept him from returning to Delhi was the absence of a plan B. “I did theatre with Naseeruddin (Shah) sir and two films, which never released. I played Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan’s son in the TV series Yudh, but nobody watched it,” he confides.

The actor, who makes his debut with Thappad was on his way to London to shoot for an Anurag Kashyap short when, during a layover in Abu Dhabi, he noticed a flurry of missed calls from the maker and his manager. “Since I couldn’t return them, I assumed I was being replaced or that the film had fallen through,” he laughs. On reaching London, he learnt that he’d landed the lead in Anubhav Sinha’s next. “Anubhav sir liked my audition tape and called Anurag who gave me a sparkling recommendation.”

He plays Vikram, Taapsee Pannu’s husband who slaps her in the film and triggers off a chain reaction. Pavail found himself justifying his character’s actions even as they shot. “Vikram is not a wife-beater,” he avers, adding his “teddy bear” director and he had long debates on Vikram on a set dominated by women, who bullied him since he was a newbie, but in good humour.

Prod him on the ‘slap’ and he admits he was sweating, scared that the firebrand Taapsee, who had become his back-slapping buddy, would return the favour. “When I was in the 4th grade, a girl had slapped me hard and I had retaliated, boasting about how I’d made her cry to my mother when I returned home. She made me walk 7 kms to apologize to her. Since that day, violence was to be avoided at all costs,” he shares, adding that Taapsee hugged him after the shot and told him to chill.

But surely, he was apprehensive about playing a guy who slaps his wife in his first film? “That apprehension dissipated when I read the script. There’s a Vikram is all of us. We make mistakes and misbehave because we take relationships for granted. For instance, when our mother goes out of her way to do something for us, we think it’s her duty. It’s not. The same applies to romantic relationships,” he asserts, admitting he got a lesson in appreciating everyone when an air hostess reminded him to say “please” when he asked for water. “Since then, I use ‘please’, ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ generously.”

Now that he has slapped his co-star on camera, would he be okay playing a slaphappy doctor like Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh? The debutant chooses his words carefully, “I’m okay with playing the character but without slaps. There has to be a reason to slap someone, and it can’t be love or passion. It’s an icky feeling to slap someone without reason,” he signs off.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 11, 2020)

Avinash Tiwary, who earned rave reviews for his performance in Laila Majnu (2018), believes that filmmakers now, have a certain faith in him and the fraternity’s attitude towards him has changed. “Earlier, people would want to work with me but they didn’t have the faith. But now, people are thinking that maybe, times have changed. I hear these things but I don’t understand them. I’m the same actor with the same talent, but now they look at me differently,” he says.

However, Avinash is practical and feels that the film industry changes every few years with the influx of new talent. He explains, “Five years down the line, their perception about me will change again. It’s about how relevant I can stay and how they will look at me. I’m in an unknown territory. I don’t know how the industry functions.”

The actor, who was last seen in the digital anthology film, Ghost Stories, says that he wants to reach a place where his name is enough to pull the audience to the theatre. “People were excited for Ghost Stories because there’s a Karan Johar in it. They are excited for The Girl On The Train because of Parineeti Chopra and Aditi Rao Hydari. The same thing had happened with Yudh. Everyone thought that I was talented because I was standing next to Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan. But from here on, I want to get into a space where I can get the audience to come and watch me. That’s something that I’m striving for,” he elaborates.

Avinash shares that he’s still getting used to the ways of showbiz and often finds himself questioning his next step. “When you don’t have a film, you can urge them to give you one opportunity. Now that I have done a couple of films, I don’t know what to do next. I used to keep wondering if I’ll ever get a film. Imtiaz (Ali; filmmaker) sir had once said to me, ‘I can only do the films that I’m allowed to and you can only do the films that come to you’. And that’s the biggest truth,” he signs off.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 29, 2020)

He started his career as an uncredited junior artiste, fleeing away from a swarm of bees in Dev Anand’s Swami Dada in 1982 but Jackie Shroff was born to be a hero. A year later, Subhash Ghai re-launched him as the leading man of his Hero. Keen that his protégé should have at least one good film before Hero’s release, Subhash ji spoke to his Vidhaata producer, Gulshan Rai, and recommended Jackie for his son Rajiv’s directorial debut, the action-thriller Yudh. “Subhash ji was my father’s friend, that was enough for me. So, even before Hero’s release, without any audition, I signed Jackie on, blind,” Rajiv recounts from Los Angeles.

Since his hero lived in Teen Batti, close to his Napean Sea residence, after ‘pack-up’, they’d sit together and chat and Rajiv soon grew fond of this straightforward guy who spoke his mind and lived life on his terms. “Though he didn’t belong to the film industry, everyone from the producer to the spotboy loved Jackie, who, even after he became a star, didn’t change. He still smoked his Charminar cigarettes, understood struggle, was fun-loving and hard-working. Not a single person has a bad thing to say about him because Jackie is pretty much flawless,” gushes the filmmaker who reunited with him four years later in Tridev.

Rajiv reveals he’d have cast Jackie in Vishwatma too, but his son Tiger had just been born and he didn’t want to go on a long outdoor. “I was in a hurry, I had dates and we were shooting in foreign locations, so I took Chunky Panday instead,” he says.

They met last year, on December 26, at a party at Sohail Khan’s house, and with a jadoo ki jhappi, continued their dosti from where they’d left off. “He was always a handsome guy and is still fit and sharp. And no matter what his character or the film’s fate, the audience loves him and wants to see more of him,” points out Rajiv.

Quiz him about the new hero, and Rajiv agrees Tiger is as hardworking and good-looking as his dad. “I’ve only seen his work, but I can tell you that physically what Tiger is doing on screen is not easy. He’s by far the most promising young actor in Bollywood today and certainly the most dependable. His son has done Jackie proud,” he asserts, reminding me of when Jackie had turned up for the Filmfare Award with Tiger in his arms and without his pass. The security guard had almost turned him away. While daddy accepted his first Best Actor award for Parinda, his son slept in his arms.

There’s a lot Rajiv knows about his Bindaas Bhidu. But as a vegetarian and a man who confesses to not being a foodie, he hasn’t met Jackie, the master chef yet. But I had him personally serve me poha at his Bandra residence, insisting I squeeze a slice of lime and add a sprinkling of green chilllies before taking the first spoonful. From his proprietary pride, I figured the recipe was his. When I had told him his mirchi was spicier that the ones I bought, he explained that only the dark green ones have a bite.

On February 1, Jackie Shroff turns 63. And he’s still the hero of so many prem kahanis.

The indefatigable Anil Kapoor talks about his endless energy, refusing Chandni because he had to sit in a wheelchair, feeling gutted that he didn't do more endorsements and, of course, the Mr. India sequel!
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; August 10, 2018)

Suzie, we're told, is a popular, heavily priced cocaine doing the rounds of Juhu - the effects of which include indefatigable energy levels that last you for every second that you're up and still snorting. The high seems natural. The party never stops, and life seems positive, and happy, and fun, all the time. Which is pretty much the state that has defined the public profile of actor-superstar Anil Kapoor, 61, for decades that he's entertained millions at a stretch. And continues to. What keeps him going? He hasn't tried Suzie, he tells us. Well, just for fun, we checked:

Have you ever done drugs?
I've had hash - ganja. Nahi, charas bolte hain. This was when I was in college, just finished school. Once I had hash, a few times, actually. I've had grass [ganja/marijuana] also. That's it.

But those are [usually] downers. You're on a constant upper!
To be honest, because they were downers, I didn't like them - they made me feel low, sleepy. I said I don't need this.

Were you much of a drinker though?
I've had beers, and [other] drinks; but never done anything excessive.

I'm only trying to get at what drives you (and if there's an external substance that we could recommend to readers!).
This is the way I naturally am. It's just the profession, the whole entertainment business, or show-business - cameras, films, ADs, working with the director, writers, actors, actresses, producers; interacting with media, doing different roles… Everything surrounding me makes me feel positive, gives me energy. It's exciting, pulsating, also edgy - because you're not sure what's going to happen. You're insecure. You do your best; feel it's not the best. But people say it is! I'm just so happy that I don't do a 9-to-5 desk-job.

Which you never have.
Never. I can sit down for half-hour, or an hour; not longer. I have to be standing, walking, running; or sleeping, so that I'm fresh again!

And you've been working like this for 40 years?
I think so. I [recently] called up my producer-director Umesh Mehra to ask, "When did we start the film [Humare Tumhare]?" It released in 1979. Think we would have started [shoot] two years before. So, if I started my acting career in '77, it's been 40 years [plus]. He [Mehra] is also trying to find out exactly which date we started. The film had Sanjeev Kumar, Rakhee. There were 10-12 children in it. I was one of them.

Was that the one where you played the young Shashi Kapoor?
No, that was in 1973 [for the shelved film Tu Payal Mein Sangeet]. I was in the seventh standard. That was the first time I faced the camera, but only as a child actor. By Humare Tumhare, I had done my acting course. And then I did [M S] Sathyu's Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya [1981], [Lekh Tandon's] Ek Baar Kaho [1980]...

A lot of people don't know that you were also the lead in Mani Ratnam's directorial debut.
Pallavi Anu Pallavi [1983; in Kannada], yes, his first film. Balu Mahendra was the cameraman, the visuals were stunning. I was in Bangalore recently, and people still remember the film. Ilaiyaraaja's music in it had become very popular.

All of this before Woh 7 Din (where you first got majorly noticed)
Yes, I started working on Woh 7 Din in 1982. I was not getting any work in Mumbai as an actor - besides bit roles. I thought I was cut out for bigger things. So I said, let me start helping out my brother [Boney] with production in Chennai. He was taking over dad's work in Hum Paanch. Being the eldest, he was looking after finance, while I did all the odd jobs. I would also stand-in for actors while the scenes were being set up. Bapu saab was the director. I would show him how good I could give a shot. He would observe. That's when he offered me the Telugu film [Vamsa Vruksham]. And then he directed my first [Hindi] film [as lead], Woh 7 Din, with the script written by K Bhagyaraj.



Your early stories are actually all about astounding persistence. You could stand around [hoping to get noticed] for hours (at a stretch).
Yes, I've stood behind the camera on Subhash Ghai's sets a lot, hoping, "Abhi dekhega shayad," and that as soon as his [Ghai's] eyes meet [mine], I'll go, and meet him. Then I'd get to know that he's at Holiday Inn. So I would stand in the lobby. Then I'd think, "Why lobby? Let me just go up." So then I would be there in the corridor. I wouldn't have the guts to go and chat with him though. I've sat around at Rajshri Productions office [in Prabhadevi] a lot. It was very tough to meet the Barjatyas, so I became friendly with the production guys - Mr Gupta, Mr Zaki... Suddenly Gupta tells me Zaki wants to make a film. I say, why not cast me? Before I could meet the Barjatyas, the production guy was making a film called Prerna with me, which got stuck. But, I was the leading man. Likewise, while I was trying to meet Subhash Ghai, one of his assistants, Kukoo Khanna, Usha Khanna's brother, pointed me towards a small film. So I sat in David Dhawan's Vespa, went over, and signed up for a film called Rachna, which ran for one-day, one-show, in the theatre!

Did you have a Plan B?
After about four or five years, I did think of a Plan B, but, in films - like writing scripts, or doing anything else to be in the films.

Well, you are from a film family; if I'm not mistaken your father was an AD on Mughal-e-Azam. He also managed Geeta Dutt's work, thereafter Shammi Kapoor's.
He was a very honest, decent, introverted kind of good man - not one of those pushy, aggressive, filmy ones. And he once clearly told me that he cannot do anything for me. I never expected him to either. From that day, I felt, instinctively, it's time for me to go out into the battlefield, and fight.

If the battlefield means sitting around hoping for someone to notice you, it would get quite tiring, right?
It was exhausting, frustrating. I looked and felt my worst in those days - sitting with friends having rum.

Could you channel that eventually in your work; a film like Awaargi [1990], for instance?
Yes, [Mahesh Bhatt's] Awaargi, and even before that, [Subhash Ghai's] Mashaal. Then there was [Bhatt's] Thikana, where I play an alcoholic. This is when Mahesh Bhatt was trying to find himself; it was a pleasure and fun working with him. Both Awaargi and Thikana turned out to be disasters though.

But you basically ended up with a 40-plus years' career, without a sabbatical. Ever thought of taking one?
I did, once. I spoke to Amit ji [Amitabh Bachchan], while we were shooting for Armaan [2003]. He had taken a break for five years. His advice was: Whatever you do, keep on working.

Also, since you began in the '80s, which was all about over-the-top performances, that you cracked, to decades later, when the kind of films being made are vastly different, you would've had to constantly reinvent yourself too?
When I started my career, they used to tell me I'm an English actor. First they used to say, "Zara loud bol. Underline it. Punch de usko. Punch de!" I'd be like, 'What punch are you talking about? I'm just being myself, real. But the sound-recordist would tell me it doesn't work. That I had to start pitching - so you're not speaking, or making conversation. You're talking at them [the audience]. But, obviously, working with good directors, films becoming successful, you get the confidence. Initially, I was not that comfortable, to be honest with you.

You were not always the 'jhakaas' guy?
No, I was not. In fact at the time [of the release of Yudh, 1985], 'jhakaas' didn't become that popular. The film was an average success. They said that I was the best thing in it, and wished there was more of me. The film was more about Jackie [Shroff's character]. That 'jhakaas'; and my character stood out. People were talking about it. But I didn't take it seriously enough to cash in on it.



Would you say that 'jhakaas' image was more a Subhash Ghai creation; with a Ram-Lakhan [1989]: One two ka four, four to ka one stuff?
No, I did Tezaab [1988], before Ram Lakhan. And of course, I had done [Yash Chopra's] Mashaal [written by Javed Akhtar], where there was realism, and a star-quality [to the character] - a combination that you notice in Salim-Javed scripts. The foundation got laid in Mashaal [1984].


If we go back to your entire body of work, a lot of people would say Mr India was a perfect 10. Would you agree?
I feel the first half of Mr India was much more organic, human, beautiful. In the second half, I felt, there were certain portions that seemed really forced. You could say we did this to make it massy. The casting of the children, the scenes were picture-perfect, yes. The same was the case with Ram Lakhan. The first half was brilliant.

Lamhe [1991]?
Well, Lamhe, people liked the second half better. The first half, I found to be unnecessarily slow. A film must hold you from the beginning to the end. People say climax theek nahi tha. I feel it was ahead of its time. And Sridevi was magnificent in both Mr India and Lamhe. She was beyond perfect in Mr India. Or, for that matter, even Judaai, if you've see her in the film, she is exceptional.

Speaking of Sridevi, the tragedy earlier this year was heartbreaking. How did you deal with it?
It is one of the most unfortunate things to have ever happened. Every night, my wife and I talk about her. There's not a single day when we don't miss her. [Pause]

Going back to Lamhe, while it didn't do well in India, it actually opened up a whole diaspora market for Bollywood, isn't it?
Both [Yash Chopra's] Lamhe and [Vidhu Vinod Chopra's] 1942: A Love Story [1994] were game-changers [for me]. I signed both the films simultaneously. I'd had an accident, and was bedridden, nursing my leg, for two-and-half months. It was a turning point in my life. I was running fast, but going nowhere. I just wanted films, one after other - doing films that I didn't care much for.

You've spoken about how you've done a few films like an Andaaz or say Mr Azaad purely for the signing amount.
No, not the signing amount; for the whole thing - advance mein. But the past is past. Why should I say now, why I did them? But 1942 and Lamhe were the kind of exciting films that were not being made [back then]. Yash ji wanted to do something post-Chandni, since it was a success.

And I hear you'd said no to Chandni. Why?
I had said no to Chandni, because I didn't want to sit in a wheelchair.

It would be hard to contain you in a wheelchair!
I was just not in a frame of mind to sit in a wheelchair through an entire film. I was, in fact, one of the first people to call Yash ji and tell him, "Picture hit hai!" He couldn't believe it. I had done two films [Mashaal, Vijay] with him, and both hadn't done well.

So post-accident, you became more conscious of the scripts you'd pick up?
Conscious, yes; but I also started getting offered more films of the sort that I wanted to do. Certain films I did for the kitchen, family, children…

Do you have a clear distinction between a film for kitchen, and craft?
I do.

So when you do a Race 3, for instance...
There are other reasons as well. I have to like my role. And who is producing it, acting in it.

Going back to what makes you special, besides being around for 40 years; you're also a rare Bollywood superstar with a moustache. No?
No, there was Raj Kapoor, Charlie Chaplin, and Shatrughan Sinha.

Exactly, that's it. Did Manmohan Desai ever say that a man with a moustache can never be a hero?
I read it in an interview. He called me up after Eeshwar [1989], and said, "I thought you'd never become a star. You are just an actor." He said he wanted me to do his films. He had said Jackie Shroff is a star, and I am just an actor.



You've had a lot of such stuff thrown at you, isn't it?
I was lambasted, even when there was no social media. But I've always looked at the marathon, the longer run. I didn't go for the 100 metre dash. Well, I did in the '80s, and then I came back. Because the 100 metre dash is too tiring and exhausting. I knew I'd burn myself out.

And was doing television, with 24, probably a marathon thing to do?
Yes, it gave me a role away from the cinemas. And it wasn't the role of a reality-show judge. It gave me creative satisfaction, to work on a great story.

Did you also see LA as a longer-run thing to do? How serious were you about pursuing that as a career option?
Yes, it was a longer run thing: [looking at] legacy, learning, education, meeting different people, creative people, business minds. I was reliving my struggling days. I used to actually go, and audition. I auditioned for David O Russell, Sacha Baron [Cohen], for fun. Whenever I audition, I don't get selected. Everything I did happened without audition! We are not cut out for auditions. It is also an art. We have to work towards it.

How serious are you still about pursuing Hollywood though?
I am at a certain age and time, as far as family is concerned, when I can't pursue it aggressively. If it comes, good; but I can't move base. If I get an offer for which I have to leave for a year, obviously I will have to say no. It has to be on my terms and conditions.

Well, there's so much for you to do here. Could you be the Dev Anand of this generation?
No one can be him. I am so glad I could meet him. I still see his songs, and they make me so happy.

(Speaking of which], you are a singer yourself; even cut an album [with Salma Agha that many people may not know about).
It was horrible. People like to see, and not hear us sing. I used to do ghazals, nazms. So, I sang in Chameli Ki Shaadi [1986]. And then that album [Welcome; 1989]. After which, I decided, 35 years back, that I won't ever sing!

The new lot in showbiz, in fact, juggles multiple things, while they also act in movies. Their main income might well come from endorsements. Why did you never do ads through most of your career?
Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan never did ads. We were brought up [with the thought] ki, "Main actor hoon. Salesman nahin". This is until my children grew up, and Sonam started doing ads. The standard of ads also got better. But by that time, I had already missed out on the best ones. Now I feel terrible about it!

Audience: It's clear that you are getting younger by the day. Can you share some thoughts on fitness with us?
It's all about intake, and outtake; and also workouts. To give you an example: 1,000 calories a day is, say, your intake. So you should work out for six days a week, to make sure you maintain a balance. There shouldn't be far more calorie intake than what you have really burnt out. If you want to indulge on a particular day, you should see to it that for the next two to three days, you balance it out. Don't let loose, and say that for the next three months, I'm just going to keep eating. Then it becomes difficult to bounce back. Also, you can do different kinds of exercises, depending on what makes you happy. Keep changing it. If you find any exercise boring, don't do it. Find something that you can have fun with. And I don't feel that's difficult.

At which point of time in your career did you particularly start focusing on your health, fitness?
I think it was during 1942 A Love Story. I didn't want to do the film as usual.

Is saying no your instant response to an offer?
Yes. I told Vidhu [Vinod Chopra]: "Tu pagal ho gaya hai kya? You are making me a romantic hero. I am a father of three kids! Aamir ko le le tu." I told him I'll call Aamir. But he said, "Aamir phone pe hi nahi aa raha hai." [Laughs]. So then I suggested he should take Bobby Deol, since he was coming up. He met Bobby as well. Then Vidhu's brother, Vir Chopra, made me hear all the songs, and I really loved them. There is a scene in the film, inspired from Romeo and Juliet, where we [the hero and the heroine] are in a balcony. I was working with Manisha Koirala, who was, I guess, 20 years younger to me. And I had done all 'tapori' and 'mawaali' roles until then. Suddenly I was playing this [suave] character. That is the time I started paying attention to fitness. And after that, I didn't stop.

Audience: Anil sir, last year Boney Kapoor announced that he wants to make the sequel to Mr India. Has it ever been discussed with you?
It's a tough film to make. Obviously we have discussed it. But being the kind of people we are, it has to be something really special. So whenever it has to happen, it will. Boney and I are really positive people.

She called you Anil sir, do you like being called sir at all?
You can call me anything. Kuch bhi bolo yaar. I never react.

Another unique thing to mention: You actually don't have a popular nickname, unlike most of your contemporaries who've been around for decades -Amitabh Bachchan is Big B, Shahenshah; Shah Rukh Khan is Badshah, King Khan; Salman Khan is Sallu; Sanjay Dutt is Sanju, or Baba, Jackie Shroff is Jaggu Dada...
Find a nickname for me. It's never too late. Never give up. Main bhi ek nickname launga. Let's have a poll! A lot of people call me AK, including my staff, manager, and many friends. At least Rhea doesn't refer to me as dad. For a daughter to call [the father by his initials] isn't common. But there are too many AKs in the industry.

Audience: Parinda [1989] had some stalwart performers like Nana Patekar, Jackie Shroff and Anupam Kher. Did you feel the need to come up with the best performance, or do anything different for the film?
I was doing five films at that point in time. I was at my busiest, running from one film to another - Parinda, Ram Lakhan, Tezaab, Eeshwar…. Obviously I was trying to do my best in every film. But how much can you do? Everybody else was doing less work back then, and I was doing the maximum, just running from one studio to the other.

I think she wants to know if you're an insecure actor.
I had to be competitive. You have to be, and why should you not? I feel a person who isn't competitive, can't be in the business. And whoever says that they aren't, is lying.

As a result of which there is far more politics in show business? Would that be correct to say?
I try to stay away from it as much as possible. Ignorance is bliss - pataa hi nahi kya ho raha hai. Especially my wife, she doesn't know anything; so that's great fun. When she comes home, people call up to say, "Your husband has signed a film," and then she asks me, "Baby you have signed this film?" [Laughs].



It has to be said that even at the peak years of gossip press in the '80s, '90s, we heard absolutely nothing that was gossipy about you, unless there was, and we've forgotten, which is even better. But there is one incident that relates to Filmfare Awards, 1993. The Best Actor needed to be given out. Dimple Kapadia went up on stage. She refused to open the envelope, almost as a signal to the audience that this is possibly rigged. She announced your name for Beta. Aamir Khan has never attended a Bollywood award show ever since. Take us through that moment?
Let me be very honest. If you see my interviews from back then, when people asked me who will win Best Actor, I had always said Aamir Khan for Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, because it was really a different kind of film, out-of-the-box, and I could make out that everyone had worked really hard. I saw the film at Gaiety, and loved it. And then the Filmfare Awards happened, where I won Best Actor award, and I was surprised. I won it, because it was the biggest box-office success of that time. If you look back, it had earned more than any film that year. So there was something special about that performance. I didn't respect that performance myself, but everybody else did. I was also riding so high that everyone wanted me to lose. I also found out from Dimple that it [me getting the award] was taken for granted. It is not that she had anything [else] in mind [while not opening the envelope]. Usne aise hi bol diya. Then I found out from an insider regarding the [Filmfare] poll that was taken, and why there was so much controversy. I was really innocent, and frankly, Beta aur Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar ka koi comparision nahi tha, in terms of vote shares. And I think the jury might have taken a decision to give Anil Kapoor the award. They had no axe to grind with anyone, and they didn't do me a favour either. They never gave me an award for Ram Lakhan, or Eeshwar, when I was nominated for both [in the same year]. They had given it to Jackie Shroff [for Parinda]. They said the poll had got divided between the two films. These, I guess, are just excuses. You can't take awards seriously. It's naseeb [destiny], also luck. And do you think I would have time to do all this for an award? Mil gaya toh mil gaya; nahi mila toh nahi mila. Among all my friends and colleagues I know, I don't see anybody taking awards so seriously.

Was there bad blood between you and Aamir after that though?
I think someone went and filled his ears. Kisi ne purposely nahi kiya tha.

Did you guys speak to each other?
About this? We have never spoken. We are great friends, and this is too small a thing.

Also, I guess it happened in 1993...
No, even if it happened in 2018, I don't think it would matter. There are so many bigger things in life that you do for a film, or a performance. With Dil Dhadakne Do [2015], for instance, I heard that the film had not even reached Delhi for the National Awards. I was quite surprised. I met a few jury members who said we haven't seen the film. I called up these people [the producers], and they said that they have sent the film to Delhi. So, sometimes, the films don't even reach. It's all luck. Sometimes you get an award, when you don't expect it. But it's not as serious as you think. Some people got upset, but that was the age and the time. I won Best Actor for Tezaab and Bachchan saab didn't get it for Hum or Shehenshah, you think I deserved it? No. But it's okay.

He was also in contention in 1993 for Khuda Gawah.
Yes, and if you see the craft, and compare both our roles, then in a way, you can say his performance was better. So it doesn't mean anything. Sometimes koi actor ki film bahut zyada chal rahi hai, uska craze zyada hai, kisi ka kum hai. For Pukar, I won the National Award, but I didn't win any other awards. They gave it to Hrithik Roshan [for Kaho Naa... Pyar Hai]. Can you compare those performances? I was not even nominated! It depends on your phase of life, and career. Sometimes they feel we should reward smaller films, rather than commercial films. I think this is all over the world, and not in India alone.

Well, at the Oscars, you're supposed to [openly] lobby...
Exactly, the whole structure is like that. But we don't have it. I wish we had that structure with members voting, there would be healthy lobbying. You are only making people aware, asking them to please come and watch our film.

To end on a more positive note, we're absolutely certain you'll be around for at least 40 more years in showbiz. Is there something that still remains an ambition for you?
Everything: As an actor, producer, businessman, father, husband, citizen of this country, and being a global citizen - if there's anything I can do to contribute, something that nobody has done before, and something special; why not?

Will you ever take a break?
I don't know. You never know what happens next. Life is too short. So many of my colleagues are unfortunately… Kuch bhi ho sakta hai na aaj? Kal kya hona hai kisko malum? This year has been especially very tragic, and upsetting. So I feel I should have fun, and enjoy myself, and do as much work - be nice to people, don't fight; compromise, thoda adjust kar lo. You never know what is going to happen.

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; June 6, 2016)

Sarika talks about her younger daughter Akshara who will take a bow as Balki's baby
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 30, 2014)

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; July 14, 2014)