I'm one of the happiest ppl u would meet-Imran

Actor Imran Khan has come to DNAin character for his next movie — a beard, ear studs (for which he went ahead and pierced his ears) and akada. He says he didn't want to do the artificial-earring-thing for the look, because 'they look terrible'.

Asked if he tends to follow his uncle's (actor Aamir Khan)perfectionistic tendencies and it's a long reply: "I don't think he would call himself a perfectionist. He would say he is the guy who works hard, who tries to do the best job that he can and that's the way I'm brought up, that's the way my parents have brought me up. That's what I have seen in my family from Aamir, to my uncleMansoor, my mother and father. We believe if we are doing a job we do do the best we can."

He's wearing a lot of jewellery for a hero, (normally it's the heroines doing the bling thing) — the in-character kada and ear studs, and then two thick silver rings. So we ask the natural question and this is how it goes:

Are you a jewellery person? You are wearing a lot of it.
I am not a jewellery person at all. This is a wedding ring (points to it) and this is the ring that I designed for Avantika and my third anniversary.

You designed it?
Yes, I designed it. I got matching ones so we both got it and the kada, it's for the character... I'm supposed to be 88 and tarnishing, otherwise I don't wear it.

Are you a romantic person?
I don't know, I never thought of myself as a romantic person. I think of myself to be more of a practical person. To me, romance is… you know, the idea people have of romance, the ideas, the grand gestures — it's wallpaper. It looks lovely, but it's not going to hold your house up. It's not going to keep the moisture out. That unglamorous stuff — bricks and cement and iron bars inside — that's what's going to hold your house up and will protect you from the elements. It's not glamorous, it's not pretty and nobody likes to talk about that.

And what does wife Avantika has to say about this untarnished view of reality?

She stuck it out with me. To me these unglamorous things don't make for interesting copy, Ican't provide a quotable quote on my most romantic gesture ever, but I look back and I think nine and half years downI have a successful relationship which is more than most people can say. So I think I'm doing something right.
For all that emphasis on being unromantic, Imran, in the course of conversation, comes across as being extremely aware of the important things in his life, and his wife is right up there — he cooks to de-stress, and for her, he tries to keep Sundays free for family time.

Imran's goal, he tells us, is to 'be happy': "Really that's the beginning and the end of it. I want to be happy. I say this very often, life is too short. I want to be happy, I want to have good friends, I want to have a family that loves me and be healthy, have indulgences. I bought myself a Ferrari, something I dreamt of since I was six-seven. I'm one of the happiest people you would meet in your entire life, I kid you not. There are very few people on this earth who are happier than me because I know what's important for me and I know what's not important for me and I try to not waste time with things that are not important…"

Who are your friends in the industry? Ranbir?
Ranbir and I are friendly, but I don't know him long enough to say that he's my friend. My friends are people,who've been my friends for 20 years. I share a tattoo with my best friend for 25 years now.

What tattoo is it?
A sun. He designed it, he's an artist. When we were 17, we went out together and got the same tattoo. My friends have been my friends for 10-20 years now, who will sit in front of a bus to protect me.

When you were born, were your parents planning to name you Salman?
Yup.

So you would've been Salman Khan?
I would've had to change my name.

It could've been Salman Sr andSalman Jr...
It wouldn't work because he is on top of the game right now, what possible chance could I have?

What do you ideally do on a Sunday?
Nothing... I am at home, maybe cook. I like cooking, I find it therapeutic. I really do nothing otherwise, I watch movies at times.

What all do you cook?
Anything, everything. I make pizzafrom scratch — right from the dough to the sauce.

Does Avantika cook?
No.

You make a meal for her?
Yes.

And still you say that you're not romantic.
I cook because I like cooking.

Do equations with co-actors matter?
It is tremendously important, I spend more of my life working, than I do, not working. In 2011, I had about 35 off days. So, that's around 300 something days in a year that I'm working and am on set with the crew. I have to enjoy their company, I have to feel happy working with them... At the end of my career 40 years down the line, whenever it may be, I want to look back and not feel that I wasted my life. I went into work every day and I suffered and suffered, I have money, but still my life is suffering. I might as well work in a coal mine.

A lot of actors think criticism is constructive...
Sure it is. I have my strongest critics at home, my mother, my wife. I am my strongest critique. I don't watch my films. I cannot tolerate them, I watch them when they are at a raw stage and the edit. When the final print is done, I cannot. All I can see are the flaws.

So you have never watched a completed film?
I have watched Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na year before last. Because when it released one of my closest friends was out of the country. So he came back and wanted to see the film. So I bought the DVD and that was when I watched it.

And?
It's a nice film.

And how is Imran Khan?
Terrible. I cannot watch myself onscreen. Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, which I actually saw a few days back was a big thing for me. It's the first time that I have been able to watch my film onscreen and feel happy.

Did you feel bitter about not being written about as a newcomer when you'd made your debut?
You feel tremendously insecure, you are like why, what's the deal? How come nobody is writing about me.

Filmmaking's on the agenda?
It's something that I know. It is my core competency. It's definitely something that I do. I don't have a timeline as such though.

Has there been any story that hurt you?
Rumour, only once way back when we were promoting Kidnap. The producers thought it will be a good idea to hook up me with Minissha(Lamba). So they put out a story about us having an affair... all drama.

I was not in agreement with that. I said nahin nahin please. Think about me, think about her.

How did Avantika deal with all that?
She was furious. I was furious. I didn't work with the producers after that.

What's happening on your PIL front?
I filed in October, they have not given me a hearing, they have not accepted the petition yet. It's in the system... All I can do is wait.

You filed it with Avantika's brother?
Yes.

Because you are a US citizen?
No, because he is under the age of 25. It does not directly affect me, I am 29. He is under 25, so it directly affects him. Technically, it doesn't affect you,but it helps your case. Because they can say tera kya problem hai, you are 29.

So really why file the PIL?
See the problem here is civil liberty. I think the great misconception people have is that it has to do with the consumption of alcohol, but it's not. It is about protecting the civil liberties of people. The reason that the state government has imposed it — they did this on the basis of what you call alcohol de-addiction policy. Interestingly, the legal drinking age in Maharashtra was raised to 25 in the year 2005. For six years it was 25, nobody was aware of it. In 2011, they stood up and said we should raise the legal drinking age to 25. For six years it has been 25 already, they themselves are not aware. Nobody is aware.

So, they have passed a new thing, when it was already done. Now, people must know the dangers of drinking alcohol, I have concerns about women being raped and molested. So, I will introduce a policy that you can't put on make-up, you can't dress provocatively... in India, we have a major problem with pollution, therefore I decree that you cannot travel more than three kmson the road. We have problems with over-population... All of you women over the age of 25, you missed your chance, now you can't have. If you are having a child, then you are allowed one, not more — overcrowding. My intention is correct, the way I am doing it is wrong. In a democracy you cannot curtail the rights of people. You can decide who your leaders will be to lead the country, you can marry, you can have children, you can join the army, you can givelife, or take a life for your country, but you are not responsible enough to decide whether you can have a drink.

This is not about drinking. This is about civil liberties. In America the second someone steps on your basic constitutional rights, freedom of speech, there is an uproar.

They will rip you from limb to limb, if you try to destroy the civil liberties. In India, we sit back and quietly take it. And I don't know why. Our independence is 60 years old, 60 years ago, when my grandfather was a young man, we were fighting for independence and we have forgotten, we will sit back and let people take our rights away one by one. So I chose to speak up in defence of civil liberties.

Are you still a US citizen?
Yes.

But this is your home?
I was born there, I have a passport — not my home.

Imran, about this look, is it for a movie?
Yes, this is for my next movie with Vishal Bhardwaj. It's Matru like matar. Everyone calls it maatru, it drives Vishal insane. So it's Matru Ki Bijlee KaMandola.

How was it working with Kareena Kapoor? Did you feel the pressure of working with a senior in the industry?
No, somehow these things don't matter. In the beginning I had apprehensions about how Kareena would be... Whether she would be nice,whether she would come with her baggage and I was very pleasantly surprised to see how unaffected she is. There's a hoopla about what a huge star she is, and she doesn't carry any of it with her. You have come on set to do work.