I learned different ways of working out. I learned a lot about my body. Let me just say that Arnold Schwarzenegger had 20-inch biceps when he did his first film, and when I did 'Saala Khadoos,' being a vegetarian, I managed 18 and half inches.

I'm fantastic at cooking up stories. In the kitchen, I can, at best, make tea and a badly shaped dosa.

Golf has always been a passion over the years.

I have always acted in films where women have an equal, if not bigger, role than mine. Don't the kind of films you do reflect your personality?

I don't have anything fresh in terms of raw foods or salad after 4 P.M. And no food after 7 P.M.

I might sound audacious, but the Mahatma has been a great inspiration. He had the conviction to live with his beliefs in the face of total disbelief.

Oh, I have very limited will power. I wish I could change that. I am working on it, though. I am too easygoing.

When it comes to filmmaking, we have to deal with ego, anger, and a lot more; barring all these, how the team works towards the outcome matters.

I don't think there's anymore chocolate boy left in me... Like, if I do the roles on the screen that border on romance, it will be age-appropriate.

I struggle on many fronts on having to move to a different level, having to cater to constantly evolving audiences.

I can think of doing TV shows if the money is good.

I've done some wonderful performance on TV even better than films. But once people watch it, they just forget it. The impact is not strong. So, films and TV are different.

The thing about organic farming is that the produce will not look the same. Your tomato will not resemble the rich red one from the textbook, and that's the beauty of it.

If you ask me to get a six-pack in the interim between signing a film, I will not do it. I enjoy food and will be happy to feed myself a pizza or two and gorge on cakes. But, I have good control over my body.

I do only one film at a time.

There's no one beating Mr. Bachchan when it comes to acting. He is outstanding. He is a phenomenal actor and a thorough gentleman. His natural skills at acting just bowled me over, and I've become an even bigger fan of his after working with him.

If you have a great story, any film will work.

As an actor, I would never agree if a newcomer doesn't give me a final word on the script. If it is well-written, then you need not speak to me. I will speak for you.

It's very embarrassing to talk of your own work before shooting for it and even before it is released. I have been a witness to many of our actors turning red-faced after their films release. I'd rather not be there.

I was really lucky and blessed to have had the likes of directors such as Mani Ratnam and Rajkumar Hirani in my career.

I play a womaniser in 'Saala Khadoos,' but I do not demean women in any way.

I got good offers from Bollywood because I can speak Hindi very well.

If you do not have a good script, then no matter what the genre is, the film will not be a success.

It is very important for an actor to look physically attractive.

I am one of those people who are really short-tempered, but I don't lose it unless it is justified.

I am a south Indian, so I speak Tamil.

When you go into the realm of a double role, you have to take it to another level to make it believable.

Any story, any screenplay can only happen if the whole unit is professionally working towards it.

I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan. I don't have the necessary glamour like some of the other actors do. They are able to sell themselves on that aspect. I do roles and films which are very realistic. So, in those films, if you don't get into the skin of it, they won't look convincing.

People of Maharashtra are close to my heart, and this is where I became who I am, and this has been instrumental in my formative years.

I am a Tambrahm born and brought up in Jamshedpur 20 years of my life, as my father worked for the Tatas there. My mother was a chief manager in the Bank of India and the only lady manager in Bihar in those times.

There is a difference between being educated and academics.

When I listen to scripts, I never ask who my co-star is - instead, I ask about the characters and the producers of the particular venture.

I always take part in the creative process of every film of mine. Gone are the days where an actor would walk into the sets, finish his portions, take the money, and leave. In fact, I've been accused of being interfering - but that's the way I am. It is important for every actor to get involved with the script.

My favourite food is definitely paani puri.

I've realised that to make a successful film, you have to be with a unit which is happy and positive from the beginning.

I am very choosy about my films. I don't do a film just for the sake of money.

Normally, my birthdays are very quiet. I go to the temple with my family and later take blessing from my parents. A few friends come over to my house, and we talk about the year gone by.

I use the Net for a lot of things besides e-mailing. I involve myself in chats with people as part of my research for characters.

If you say actors have a social responsibility to do things, you are right, in a way. It's a wishful decision. But if it's done out of force, I don't think it will accomplish anything. Everybody starts counting how much work they have done and see if they have done their due for the week. That is not social service. You need to go way beyond that.

I am a hardcore Bihari boy. I am born and brought up in Bihar, and for me, ethnicity is not a problem and is inbuilt in me.

I hail from a small town, Jamshedpur. From childhood, I've been constantly surrounded by people who are not so urban.

I always believe that the elders in my family are the reason for my success.

It is not easy to lose or gain weight. The diet and the exercise regime should be compatible with your body, or else you end up with wrinkles and hair loss.

For me, my realism has stood me over 15 years, so the kind of films that I have done has garnered enough respect for me to be able to survive the industry.

I'm a Gemini, and my attention span is limited. So, I don't dwell on long-term goals.

One needs to be super intelligent and have an above-average IQ to be able to work in movies.

I don't want to buy a jet plane. I don't want to live with an entourage.

I don't mind being called Maddy at all, but I mind the closeness that you assume you get by calling me by my pet name. So merely by calling me Maddy, I don't give you the authority to come and put your hand around my shoulder.

I had built my body to look like a boxer, then I lost it completely for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns.' It was really tough gaining weight, building muscles, and then losing it completely for another film.