Pehla Nasha: Reproduced: Aamir Khan's fir

My uncle Nasir Husain and my father have been in this line for years but they did not want me to join the fray. It had nothing to do with the sleaziness. There is enough muck in all professions; it just so happens that the film line has magazines which highlight every event. No, they warned me, it is a high-risk business.

Working as an assistant, I have learnt to appreciate the work of the light boys, the spot boys and the other unit hands. I have acquired a keen sense of fair play. Now, I'm bound to think twice before throwing tantrums.

I got a call from Ketan Mehta, who was casting for his film Holi. He had seen me in those FTII diploma films. I was thrilled to bits. I had heard of Ketan Mehta, of his Bhavni Bhavai, and I was very keen to be in his film. I had shaved my head bald, just for kicks! I held my head in despair, but nothing was going to stop me.

I had to do through a screen test, where I had to do a love scene from Yaadon Ki Baraat. I had qualms about doing this test... When we were kids, I remember going through a double-spread of new actors in a film magazine. There was Amitabh Bachchan's photograph in the lot. We looked at it and laughed ourselves silly. What a face, really!