I used to do a lot of serious theatre during my school and college days. Comedy was only reserved for youth festival and inter-college competitions. Then once 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge' was launched, a regional channel in Punjab started a program based on that. I participated in it and emerged as the winner.
I remember how difficult it was to resist the food served on the sets of a movie directed by Abbas and Mustan. They love food, and I could not resist digging into their dabba for some wonderful meals.
Simple things make me very happy.
One can do a film and not work for six months, but on TV, you have to produce good content every week. It involves a lot of hard work, as one has to fight for ratings every week. But I have always got love from the audiences, be it during 'The Great Laughter Challenge' or 'Comedy Circus.'
My mother is very funny. She is from a village; she has a typical village kind of humour. Often she says a lot of things she herself isn't aware is a punch line.
The kaali dal from Amritsar, cooked in desi ghee, is one of my favourites. It is a very heavy dish, but you can't leave Amritsar without eating this classic.
It was a unique childhood, to say the least. My father was born in Patiala to refugee parents and was a part of the Indian Air Force. The talented few amongst the Air Force pilots are made test pilots. Test pilots are best suited to look at the space programme as they are trained to expect the unexpected.
On December 24, 2016, I called and told Ginni that I wanted to marry her. My mother has always been fond of her.
I love eggs, particularly omelettes, and can eat anda-pav at any time of the day.
People expect comedy from me but I am not just a stand-up comedian anymore. I act on stage, host 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' and also conduct interviews on my show. I have grown as a person and an artiste.
People tell me that my appearance in real life is better than on-screen. Perhaps people think I am exactly like the characters I play on TV.
People think I am funny all the time. But I am not. I am serious, too. Also, I enjoy serious, dramatic films.
I am an Air Force brat who grew up at various Air Force bases. I changed six schools in about five years and got stability for the first time when I was sent to a boarding school, Rishi Valley. I lived outside of a cantonment-style living and was among an eclectic mix of kids and got exposed to books and other things.
I grew up thinking that I would become a fighter pilot and was fascinated by aircrafts as I had grown up around that. But my father encouraged me to not become an Air Force person, given the varied interests I had, be it books, movies, sports or fighter flying.
The problem with feature filmmaking is that it offers you this mirage of being able to achieve perfection, as the theory of it is that you have control of every part of the film, though in reality, it is as inexact as the next thing in your life.
My style is an extension of acting and an outcome of some serious lessons I picked up learning when I did theatre in my early days.
I'm a fun-loving guy. We are basically from Amritsar and ours is a chilled-out family. I think I have got my humour from my mother.
I am always scared before going on stage; this is the fear which makes me do well.
Every artist says that he/she wants to do something challenging, and I'm not any different. If someone approaches me with a serious role, I'll be more than happy.
When I see that things are not going the way they should be, I just clam up.
