Excerpts from New Interview
These days people expect every film to earn Rs 100 crore at the box office.
I don't think Bullett Raja will, and I don't think every film can make Rs 100 crore.
Tigmanshu doesn't make Rs 100-crore films. It's not a potboiler, masala film. I hope it does well, but we'll be happy with whatever it makes. I hope it recovers everybody's money and also entertains the audience.
At the same time, I would also love to be a part of a film that makes Rs 200 crore.
In one of your interviews you mentioned that you don't want to be easily accessible...
(Interrupts) I know it sounded a little arrogant, but let me rephrase it.
I love and respect my fans tremendously. I only feel awkward saying fans; I would rather say audience, as we are all people. I think about them with the highest regard, because every time I am giving a shot, I think that people are going to pay to watch me on screen and I would like them to get their money's worth.
I enjoy meeting them, but I also value my privacy. This is what I meant when I said that I don't like to be accessible.
The question of accessibility is something else. I feel a movie star or an actor should not be completely accessible. It doesn't work that way.
Let me give you an example " if I go to a public gym, on the first day everyone turns around and looks at me like I am a star. It's not something that I am interested in. After a week they will stop reacting, which suits me fine personally. But that doesn't suit me professionally. I don't think I want that image " Yaar Saif toh apna dost hai, main roz uske saath gym karta hoon (Saif is my buddy, I gym with him everyday). There should be a fine line, which is necessary.
You never had a cavalcade with you...
Yeah, but I think I should also get these bodyguards around me (laughs).
No, I don't think I would do that. It will probably sound very weird, but I don't want to be a famous person. I would want to visit Danai bookshop in Bandra (a book store in suburban Mumbai) or go to Bombay Gymkhana (a tony club in South Mumbai) and play tennis or have a coffee. I would like to make friends with people on the basis of who they are and who I am as a normal person. But there is a constant worry that if I do that, someone might just turn up and offer me a script. So I can't make friends also.
I don't like to be famous. I'd like to be respected and I think money can do that for you. I don't think anyone needs to be a star to earn respect.
What are the other things that worry you?
The prospect of catching a terminal illness. A bigger worry is how I will die? It concerns me very much. I don't know if I will have a natural death. I hope I make enough money to live happily when this thing is over.
I am sure you are earning enough to have a good retirement.
But that's because I was born into this family. And just one year after my birth, the government decided to abolish the princely system. I was a prince for just one year (laughs).
Kareena recently said you have brought maturity to her life. What are the things that she has added to your life?
She has added discipline to my life. She is a great person, very nice and patient and lovely. We like to watch a lot of British television shows and Hollywood films.
One very interesting thing about her is that she is ready to watch films of different genres. There are times when she comes up to me and tells me she would like to watch a classic Hollywood film.
Full interview
Sports
Kumkum Bhagya
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