Cinema is not just a medium of entertainment. Yes, it should entertain, but cinema is made to convey a message, to say something.
— Pankaj Tripathi
The more the audience and the society trusts an actor, the more the responsibility increases for the actor.
I never thought that a time would come that someone will write a story keeping me in mind, or a producer will invest crores of rupees on a film that I will carry on my shoulders.
Critics matter to me a lot.
The place where I hail from - a village in Gopalganj in North Bihar - people only know two professions: an engineer or a doctor.
I don't want to be in a situation again where I am sitting on a set, wondering why I am there and why I am doing the film.
I want to stay rooted forever.
Before trying my hand at acting, I use to cultivate my own land with my father.
I am in awe of Rajinikanth. He is a great star, yet so easy-going and grounded.
People can forget your name, but if you excel at what you do, at least someone will remember you.
I make sure I say something important without being preachy through all my performances.
The connect that I have with the audience comes from my hard work and sincerity towards my craft and also because of the opportunities that I have had. I have been able to engage with my audiences. They observe my performances minutely. They think I will do some magic on screen. They like me because I don't do over-the-top acting.
I am constantly working.
I didn't have any high aspirations. I just went to Mumbai to get a job after I married Mridula. I thought if I didn't earn, my wife will criticise me.
A good content always allows me to reach the depth of the characters, and thus, the performance looks more relatable and truthful.
I was offered 10 Sultan Qureshi-type roles after 'Gangs of Wasseypur.' But I did not want to repeat that, as I have little fear of being rejected by the people.
Right after watching 'Kabul Express,' I wanted to work with Kabir sir. Moreover, earlier he was a documentary maker, and the respective genre has always fascinated me, and I still desire to work in one.
The best phase for an actor is when he or she gets to choose what they want to play. Sometimes you do a film because the unit is good, the company is fantastic, and the intention is well placed.
Failures don't bother me much, nor do I let success go to my head.
I find it very funny as well as touching that people associate me with these characters I play and form a connect with them.
If something sounds good, and I get a good feeling about it, I'll take it, irrespective of the fee being offered to me.
My father wanted me to become a doctor.
It has happened many a times where I have taken a project and wasn't happy about it.
I have nothing against smaller roles; they made me what I am today. But, progression is the way of life.
I just don't play a character for the heck of it. Rather, I always look for a human element in every character that I play.
Not everyone can handle success, but look at Rajinikanth. His films release all over India, his fans worship him and what not. But when I first met him, I felt like he is one of us.
I have been in the industry for many years now, but people still come up to me and say, 'Sir, you're such a good actor. We loved watching you in that movie. What's your name?' While any other actor might get offended, I don't mind this at all.
'Stree' is an entertaining film, but it has strong commentary about women.
I try to pick the best from what is offered to me, and then with roles, also, I try to add something new. There is a constant conflict to not become repetitive.
I admire many actors, including Amitabh Bacchhan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Irfan Khan, and many more.
Acting happened to me by chance. Even I'm surprised how a man from a small village, Belsand, in Gopalganj district has reached Bollywood.
I have fun doing lighter roles, as I don't have to do anything against my emotions.
Big films help your reach a wider audience, and doing independent films keeps your artistic side happy.
I prefer comedy, as I have to act while playing a gangster. I have to put in a lot of effort to turn into a gangster, as I am not like that in real life. In comedy, one doesn't have to take up such stress.
It doesn't matter if you're a star or not; what is important is that you do your job with absolute honesty.
I enjoy acting and just love to do my roles - big or small.
I am all about learning something new and improving my work.
I choose films based on scripts.
When you don't feel good about a film after taking it up, spending 10-15 days on the shoot sets becomes difficult.
Anurag Kashyap is someone whose projects I can take without even hearing the story.
After passing out of the National School of Drama, I spent many years doing small-time roles in Bollywood.
For any creative person, along with learning, unlearning is also important.
The very fact that people make an effort to search and know more about me is a testament that I am doing my job well.
An actor must read a lot. Books not only make one a good actor but also a better human being.
Across the world, wherever good art has been created, that society has been in crisis.
I do not count how many films or series I am doing in a year.
I've never had any difficulty sharing the screen with any actor. For me, roles are challenging, not co-stars.
It feels amazing to know that the whole country thought my role in 'Newton' was one of my best, and to win the Special Mention Award at the highest film award in India is just exhilarating.
We have freedom to experiment as an artiste - unlike lead heroes.
I had done plays, and Hindi theatre pays peanuts.
