Hindustan Times print edition today
'Do awards really matter?'
The media will be happy only if Shah Rukh Khan and I fight it out in a boxing ring.. as far as I'm concerned, there is no issue I don't want to do Koffee. I told Karan that it has nothing to do with his show. It's just that I'm not com- fortable doing those kinds of TV programmes
I 'm ushered into his vanity van. When I ask him wassup.. what's his current state of mind,
he laughs, "What kind of a question is that? I'm happy the way I was yesterday last month or , last year." Exhaling his trademark puffs of cigarette smoke, he offers chai and 'snakes.'
And I offer him the question: Despite the newsmaking Omkara and Golmaal you haven't been in the news.. why the low profile?
I don't know how to go about this profile-making business. Should I remind you that I'm around by sending you an sms every morning? I'm satisfied that whatever I did last year worked well, the rest doesn't matter.
Are you satisfied with the way your 16-year-old career has gone?
I'm more than satisfied. I'm doing exactly what I want do, I've done every kind of role, I haven't been typecast. At the end of the day I'm , certain that I haven't made any compromises.
The Ajay Devgan–Shah Rukh Khan war was pretty intense with Omkara and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna vying for public attention, wasn't it?
The battle was created by the media. As far as I'm concerned, there was no issue. They're two different films, I don't know what all the fuss was all about. Apparently, you're not pleased with the award nominations and the mileage Omkara got, compared to KANK. There's no question of my being happy or not. I don't attend award functions, so it's okay by me if I'm not nominated. Really, what's the point? Do awards matter to anyone?
Do they matter since the public knows what they're all about?
Do they matter to you? I'm not saying that everyone who gets an award doesn't deserve it. I'm saying that everyone who gets an award doesn't necessarily deserve it.
Do you think there's a lobby working against you?
No one can lobby against me. If some do, I don't understand their mindset. Who has the time anyway to care about such things? In a day, I do my work, spend time with my family and do whatever else I want to.. 24 hours are just not enough.
Are you doing a film to be directed by Soham Shah after he opted out of Dharma Productions? Hasn't Karan Johar contributed to the scriptscreenplay?
We still have to work out a lot of things.I don't know who's contributed what. No final decisions have been taken yet. I believe your character in Rajkumar Santoshi's Halla Bol is based on one of the Khans. It's not based on any one actor, the story isn't about any one particular actor. It's a kind of a story which hasn't ever happened to any actor.
What's with your war with Shah Rukh Khan anyway?
Really? What we need to do right now is to jump into a boxing ring and fight. I think you guys will be happy only if that happens. The media wants to create a tiff, so go ahead and do it. The day it happens, we'll get into that boxing ring.
How come Kajol has agreed to play Sita?
Rajkumar Santoshi spoke to me about the project first. I liked the subject and agreed.. Kajol liked the subject too, so she's doing it.
You don't mind the fact that Kajol is also doing Karan Johar's next film with Shah Rukh Khan?
So? Why do keep repeating the same thing differently? Either you don't have brains or I don't.
Kajol has said that you make a better father than husband. Right?
I'm trying to be equally good as both. But maybe she's right.. fatherhood makes you more responsible. At the end of the day, there's nothing like returning to your child's smile.
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