Song, dance and cinema are so deeply within the Indian culture and with so many cultures incorporating their elements too, it has become a wonderful collage.
Javed Jaffrey
It's always good to live in future tense.
In 'Mr Shrimati,' I had a long role as a woman. A cabaret number was also picturised on me. I really worked hard in that film and feel that to date, no man has matched my level when playing a woman.
Being the son or daughter of a legendary film personality you get more respect.
I like to play all kind of roles. You can't do same stuff every time as it becomes boring.
I have my own production house, which is doing good.
The making of the documentary is an involving and collaborative process where you go deeper unlike in movies where you just borrow someone else's script.
Humour or comedy should not offend anyone.
It is important for the creative juices to find an outlet, otherwise they stagnate.
For me it is important to mould myself as the director wants. That's my challenge as an actor.
We had nothing in hand and my father used to live on the street. The profession of acting happened to him when B.R. Chopra picked him up for a film, and my father acted just to earn money for survival.
While there are different genres of comedy, I am for family entertainment.
Some good talent was just hanging around and waiting for someone to spot them and TV gave them the spotlight. Actors got this platform, which is so great, and could accommodate anyone.
I would say I was lucky that I got different kinds of roles.
I made up my mind that I will do fiction in films and non-fiction in TV.
When I joined the film industry I looked forward to different roles, unfortunately that did not materialise.
I enjoy working with shows, which appeal to a wide spectrum - from children to the adults.
I'm the only actor who has done everything, right from anchoring shows to composing and singing songs to theatre to movies.
You can do a lot of impromptu in dubbing. You can bring in different characters and different accents.
The AAP is fighting against the system and not just individuals and so am I.
Politics for me is not business but a movement of which I am happy to be a part.
In India, there's so much strife, pain and trouble that song, dance and going to the movies is respite.
It is very important for me to do different things so that people see that my range is more than just comedy.
When I first saw the trailer of 'Only For Singles,' the only thought in my head was that we live in ever evolving times but the problems for singles remain the same.
What exists, exists. You cannot change that.
I so hate the term Bollywood. I know it's become synonymous with the industry but really we are 'Indian cinema.'
I spend my free time at home with my kids.
I know that you cannot banish the truth permanently, you can only cloud it temporarily.
I essay a negative or a positive character depending on whether it's a principle role and how much it drives the movie.
I don't like to insult people and I encourage them.
I do not want to insult anyone with my act and am very careful about it.
My father was just 9 when he started as a child actor in 'Afsana.'
My father did not do a film for me or launched me, he wanted us to do things on our own.
I enjoy voicing even though I am not a voice-over artist.
Comedy is my soft spot.
In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.
I always look for reinventing myself... doing something different and new.
If we can ape other shows or even start Indian versions of international series by taking their franchise, why can't we take our shows to an international level?
I have to keep myself busy all the time.
In this day and age, technology has overtaken our lives and we are disconnected from reality.
I think Hyderabadis have the best sense of humour in the entire country and I still remember the famous plays of 'Adrak Ke Panje' by Babban Khan and 'Dhed Matwale.'
It's been a hell of a roller-coaster ride for me.
There is a very thin line when a man plays woman. If you're not careful, you may end up looking like a eunuch. If you don't enact your role properly, you can look very bad.
When we make a comedy film, its important to have a light atmosphere on the sets so that the mood reflects in the film.
Nothing works like success.
I have been successful in comic roles and people think that is all that I can do.
I don't know how one can differentiate between comedies. A burger is a burger and though it may taste differently in different food joints, the fact remains that it is still a burger. It's the same with comedies.
Acting is my first love.
When fiction started on TV, the daily soap splurge happened and I knew that I would not get caught in a daily soap.
I have always safely relied on my voice modulations. It has never let me down.
