I have not made any efforts to stay away from commercial films.

I feel comfortable doing parts that I feel are great and that I can pull off.

If there's comfort factor, all the other differences can be bridged! But, it's difficult to work with those whom you can't stand personally!

Nobody has a copyright on 'Emotional Atyachar,' other than Anurag Kashyap maybe!

I don't dig the candy floss and rosy kind of film subjects. Give me anything dark and grey!

The way a Dibakar Banerjee conceptualizes a film is different from a David Dhawan! I've worked with both, since as an actor I am just a tool in the director's hands.

I think I'm known mostly for comedy because most of the work I've done is comedy and that is in turn because most of the work that is offered to me is comedy, so I end up doing more comic roles and therefore being known for them.

To be very honest, I don't think I have a fan following.

Music is a big passion for me, and whenever we all friends get together we play guitar, sing songs and play games.

I don't want people to expect too much out of me. I can only give them as much as I can.

The audience is sacrosanct for me. They put faith in me, trust me and I will try my best to live up to that.

I don't plan my life or analyse things. Nothing can be predicted about the future, no one can put a finger on what's going to be the next big thing. Why bother?

Though every film teaches me at least three new things, I don't subscribe to doing homework about a character's backstory unless it's a historical role or one that requires training in accent.

I believe in observing and absorbing life.

I believe in keeping mind and body both fit.

I try to do yoga whenever I can, even if it's 15 minutes during a break in shooting.

The tags in this business don't leave you... When I was a VJ, they called me VJ-turned-actor, then I turned into a comedian, and now I am a serious actor.

I like considering myself as someone in the film business.

I used to think life would be easier to handle. But it is not.

It feels good to be tagged as a talented, versatile actor.

Actors who are super successful are the ones who thrive on the image by creating their forte.

To be able to prove my credentials of a dramatic actor, I took up roles which were different and challenging. I've never repeated a role, even if it did well for me.

The entertainment business can't thrive without putting you in a box.

Since I have become a father, I have kept a certain amount of time away for spending with my son. I don't want to miss out on his growing up years.

Fatherhood does affect your work decisions.

I took a good one year off before and after Haroon's birth, so from the beginning I have been right into it. For me, it was quite seamless.

Haroon's birth really had a profound effect on me and I think it had on Konkona also. It is fabulous, it is the best thing that has happened to me. Such a beautiful feeling I can't tell you. It's a beautiful experience.

I have no qualms being a character actor.

I could have been more ambitious but I am quite content.

I don't want to be a billionaire and do work which I am not happy about. I'd rather do the work that I am happy about.

I am in love with my career, doing films I believe in and also spending time with myself.

Many of my colleagues and I do films, which push the envelope and try to bring some change.

Comedy comes easily to me.

What could be more satisfying for an actor than having the liberty to select and do the work of his choice.

I have no Hollywood aspirations.

Whether it is 'Pyar Ke Side Effects,' 'Mithya,' 'Khosla Ka Ghosla,' 'No smoking,' all my films have been different from regular Bollywood movies.

My body type is basically not suited to be fat.

Everybody says they want good films and when one turns up, they go watch item songs.

As much as I really love the praise and affection I get when my work is appreciated, it doesn't translate to money in the bank.

Whenever I go into a crisis situation I turn myself towards self improvement. I learn something new, pick up a course. Travel somewhere and do something there for a few months... It's important to do positive things in that phase.

I think corporal punishment is the shortest, most impatient, flawed way of teaching or making a child understand something.

If I have a yoga mat or a pair of jogging shoes, I can stay fit anywhere. The important thing is staying motivated. Because if you're not driven to keep fit, no amount of time or equipment will help.

As far as co-parenting is concerned, it is easy. You just have to be mature enough to work together, mature enough to keep your professional and personal life apart.

When you don't get a certain quality of work, you end up doing lesser quality of work because there's no work. I'm a professional actor, I have bills to pay so I end up taking work which ideally I wouldn't have.

I am quite familiar with the vibrant theatre scene in Bengaluru, as I keep coming back to the city with my plays. Audiences here appreciate arts and are open to different types of theatre and acting techniques.

I had two elder brothers and they would thrash me if I do something wrong, then dad would thrash me. I think corporal punishment as disciplining the child is what I am questioning... I feel there are less flawed methods.

The only way independent cinema can come out of its own rut is by learning to be more consistent. An indie filmmaker should feel responsible for others as well.

I appreciate constructive criticism of my performance.

Mainstream or budget films don't matter to me. What matters is the script, the director and the part, not necessarily in that order though.

I love hanging out with my friends and partying.