Randeep Hooda: 'I get conscious when I'm asked to take off my clothes'

Here, he talks about his policy on love Randeep Hooda is the pin-up boy for women, who love brooding, intense men. But there's much more to the 38-year-old actor than the rugged movie star image - he has a master's degree in business management and human resource management, competes in equestrian sports at the national level, plays the saxophone, and recently picked up Zumba. And while his female fans may pine for him, Hooda dotes on two very special ladies in his life - his mum, Asha, and his dog, Candy. In this interview, he speaks about love, relationships and keeping his family close.
Are you in a relationship?
I'm quite confused about that as pect of my life.

How different are you in a relationship today than you were in your 20s?
I'm less dependent on my partner now. I'm cer tainly more mature today, but it still requires a woman with a lot of patience and tenacity to be in a relationship with me.

How do you treat a woman on a date?
I'm not a dater, I'm a lover. I don't play dating games to get some reward out of women at the end of the night. It's not my cup of tea.

What do you find sexy in a woman?
Her eyes and softness are the most beautiful aspects of any woman.

What kind of women are you attracted to?
I know what I don't like. I don't like skinny women and drunk women. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I don't get women with boyish bodies, and fashion magazines are full of them. I also don't quite appreciate this attitude of women trying to prove themselves equal to men.
Women are born superior and will always be superior.

What are the things that you will not tolerate in a rela tionship?
I'm of the opinion, never say never. We're capa ble of the best, the worst and the most unimagin able things.

Q: When was the last time a female costar hit on you?
Anything I say would sound pompous so I'm going to refrain from answering that.But while shooting, I don't get into the pants of my co-stars because I believe we are on a film set to do a job. Camaraderie is required but you don't need to share anything intimate with your co-star for your chemistry to come alive on screen.

Who do you find sexy among the current heroines?
I used to like Deepika (Padukone) but after having watched her 'bottle ki gardan pe dekho' commercial, I'm having second thoughts. Sometimes I ask myself...is it all driven by money? But it's inevitable that if I want to buy farmland to breed and raise horses, for instance, I have to sell everything I can.

Do you believe you can be friends with your exes?
Absolutely! Apart from one woman, I'm friends with everyone I have been in a relationship with.

What do you do when you're not filming?
I like to spend time with my dog, Candy, and my six horses. Candy has been the biggest grounding factor in my life.She is the reason I rush back home early from work. I like to party and if the party is interesting enough, I can go on for two days. But frankly, I rarely find myself not working these days.

Do you have any hidden talent?
I used to play the saxophone quite often. I'm an ardent jazz man. I like the free-spiritedness of jazz. I stopped playing it because the horses took a lot of my time. Also, since it's a wind instrument, I felt my voice was getting affected, and as an actor, I couldn't afford that.

What makes you smile?
Little things make me smile. Candy makes me smile a lot. Happy and relaxed people, who are satisfied with their lot, make me smile.

What makes you cry?
My inability to return the love I get makes me cry the most. I have a blockage and I can't reciprocate love. I also cried a lot when my grandmother died.God forbid if anything happens to my family... just the thought of that can make me cry.

What are the things you wish you were better at?
On the professional front, I'd say singing and dancing. I think singing and dancing classes will be the next thing on my list. Personally, I feel I should be a bit more manipulative. (I want to) get better at making choices...I can't make a choice to save my life.

What do you value the most in your life today?
I value my art and my craft, the sports I play professionally and my family. With age, I'm becoming more of a son to my parents. When they are around me, I find a great sense of comfort and a connection with the world.

Is there anything that makes you self-conscious?
I get conscious when I'm asked to take off my clothes. Even though I'm pretty fit, I feel this expectation to see six-pack abs is a bit unreal. That's when I start feeling guilty about having a drink or a slice of pizza. Sure, I'm an actor but that doesn't mean I can't indulge.

What's your worst habit?
Smoking. I gave it up for six months before I shot Highway. But while shooting the film, I took a drag from Imtiaz Ali's cigarette and that was it. It was stupid of me.

Can you imagine yourself as a husband and father?
Father, yes. Husband... probably not (laughs). Marriage might be in evitable one day (smiles). I'm just trying to prolong this phase of my single life.