I do what I feel is right. I am not scared to walk on the new path and take risk.
I am not a perfectionist. Perfection doesn't exist in real life. It's a wrong title for me.
Creative people have no barriers. Ultimately, it's connecting with human beings. There's just one planet. I don't see it as different countries.
There must be a story within him/her that wants to come out. That's the reason why 'Dil Chahta Hai,' 'Lagaan,' and 'Rang De Basanti' worked so well: Ashutosh, Farhan, and Rakesh had a story inside them. It's very important that the director should have the fire in the belly to tell the story.
The journey that I have undertaken, meeting people from all walks of life and learning from them, has been my biggest achievement.
I am happy that I have entertained people and made them happy.
For me, acting is not a job. It is something I love. I don't do these things for awards or rewards. I do them because I love challenges.
I understand that I'm able to connect with people; I have an emotional bonding with people. My strength lies in my ability to tell stories and to touch people's hearts and to move them.
I don't believe in strategies. I love what I am doing; that's the main thing.
I have had unsuccessful films, but I learned a lot from those films. I give my failures as much importance as my success.
When I was new, I didn't know where my career will go. Initially, my films were not even successful, but then I learned a lot from my mistakes.
If 10 people see my movie and all ten really love it, then that means a lot to me, rather than ten million people go and see it and most of them hate it.
For me, the driving emotion of selecting a film is that I just love that story. It may give a message, it may not give a message - that's fine. I just loved it.
My films are so new and unique that I don't know where I will end up. Fear keeps me alert. And it's also a part of an excitement.
When material comes to me, I don't care where it's coming from. Japan, Singapore, China, Africa... it could be from everywhere. The material should excite me. It's not important where it's coming from.
I feel that, in India, we have films that have tackled various issues over the years, but perhaps one of the issues that we've tackled less is the issue of caste-ism. That's an issue we've more or less stayed away from... although we touched on it briefly in some films like 'Lagaan.'
If the role is challenging enough, I don't see why I shouldn't play an older man or a father figure. It is not about playing what you are in real life. We are called actors for a reason!
Many people, including me, thought it was too early for me to play a father to two grown-up daughters, but I found the script of 'Dangal' irresistible. I had to do it!
As an actor, the best way I can hope to promote greater social understanding is through my work. If I can communicate with people and touch their hearts through 'Dangal,' perhaps, eventually, I can help change their minds.
When I am shooting a film, then everything goes soft focus. My family also complains that I don't give them time.
