Most people go to ashrams or retreats to destress and rejuvenate themselves. But I come back to my roots, the place where I spent half my life. And when I return, I spend time in the farms, eating a stalk of sugarcane, driving a tractor, and chilling with childhood friends.

In Mumbai, you have to act in real life, too.

I found the brick-making process fascinating - how, after being burnt, the brick would come out strong. I liked to sit on the stack of bricks and look as far as I could. I'd do the same at a hillock near my school - just sit on top at leisure and enjoy the feeling of being on top of the world.

When people say I'm a star, I don't believe it.

The easier it looks on screen, the more hard work goes into making it so.

My character in the first instalment of 'GOW' was very shy and reserved. It was completely different from 'Kahaani,' where I played a no-nonsense cop. And in the second instalment of 'GOW,' it is again very different.

I believe everyone is mad when they are in love, and I don't think that can ever end.

The difference between an actor and a star is the budget and the overall presentation of a film.

I am trying every genre.

When someone is looking at me, I feel they are looking at someone standing behind me, not at me.

I am a five-foot six-inch, dark, ordinary-looking man. People didn't imagine that I would make it.

I always thought golf was a game reserved for the rich and the elite... But it's a misconception. It's a highly technical game, and it's a game that you can play and master alone. You require sharp skills for it, and you can play the game alone.

Many actors come and disappear into oblivion. But not Salman Khan.

I grew fond of acting rather late. And that was because I was not getting any job. I had a few friends in Delhi who were associated with theater. They took me to see some plays in Delhi and Baroda. That led me to believe the I could also act. And it was after that I joined National School of Drama in 1993.

Muzaffarnagar is 40 kilometers from my village. So I used to see films if I was able to save money and on special occasions like Eid, Diwali.

At NSD, I had an amazing experience learning everything from stagecraft to western drama and Shakespeare, Maxim Gorky, Anton Chekov.

'Kahaani' gave me popularity and 'Gangs of Wasseypur' stardom.

The film industry is mostly about unidimensional characters.

I was shooting for 'Kahaani' and 'GOW' back to back. I was in a village on work, where a man extended a paper to me. For a minute I thought he wanted another actor's autograph. I looked back and forth, but there was no one. That was quite an experience.

Often when I feel I am reaching a saturation point in my performances, I think of coming back to NSD and attending workshops.

'Freaky Ali' is not a heavy film. It's a simple but inspiring film. It will inspire those who want to go from zero to hundred. People who have made an effort to achieve success from nothing will be able to connect to the character.

I don't understand what A grade commercial cinema is. If you are talking about box office success, mine are A+ then!

If I am expected to play a dancer, I will learn dancing but won't do the random, meaningless dancing.

I was fortunate enough to get an author-backed role in Aamir Khan starrer 'Talash.'

Only heroes get stereotyped. As they do the same kind of roles again and again.

I am quite looking forward to working with Shah Rukh Khan.

Commercial hit films such as 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan,' 'Talaash,' and 'Kick' had big superstars to sell them; that may not have been the case if it were just me.

In 'Haraamkhor,' I have explored a few things which I wouldn't have been able to do in bigger films. The process of shooting this film was so organic that it enhanced me as an actor and an artiste.

I have never thought about creating an image for myself in Bollywood. I am an actor and just want to experiment with roles. I am ready to do all type of roles.

I don't want to build any image for myself. I don't want people to say, 'He does only a certain type of role.' I don't want only to be the hero of the story. An actor's weakness is the different roles that he can't do. But I am keen to grab only those roles as I am here to challenge myself.

'Stomp the Yard' was a great film. It was a great film, great opportunity. It's the reason I live in Atlanta to this day, that film. But as far as acting goes, it wasn't very challenging. I played me.

I am blessed to be doing what I do. So if I have to be at a photo shoot, do an interview, or make a TV appearance, I am not going to sit around whining and complaining about how I don't want to get up early or I don't feel like talking.

I sing because I love singing. I perform because I love performing. I write because I actually enjoy writing.

One of the very few things that I actually read about myself on blogs that got to me was people saying, 'Ne-Yo doesn't do R&B music anymore.' Just because I stepped off the porch to explore doesn't mean I don't live in that house anymore.

Chimere's not mine. That hurt 'cause I had attached myself to this guy, you know. This is my son. I'm looking at him, and I'm picturing I'm gonna be old, and he's gonna be - this is my son! It's not my son.

My initial attraction to 'Red Tails' was the opportunity to play a character that was not me. 'Stomp the Yard' was a great film, but I played myself there.

I needed to be sexier. I needed to be more hip. I needed to be more edgy and this and that. 'No, don't write that kind of song, write this type of song. No, don't work with that producer, work with this producer. No, don't wear those clothes, wear these clothes.' And I didn't want to be a puppet, you know?

I would've given my right arm to do something on the 'Ray' film, the movie about Ray Charles.

'Let Me Love You' is about being brave enough to let a person get close enough to you to teach you how to love yourself, to teach you the importance of loving yourself.

Growing up in Vegas, over time you get to see shows like Tom Jones, Wayne Newton, I mean, The Rat Pack ran Vegas way, way back, and I'm a huge fan of that whole era and vibe.

I would love to be able to say that due to my experience in the music industry, when it comes to the songs, I'm killing it over anybody else, but that is not the case. Everybody in this thing is ridiculously talented to where I don't feel special.

You kinda don't know what's going to make a good song. You've got to shoot around in the dark for a little while.

I like to learn through doing. Let me make a mistake, and then critique me on what I did so that I learn that way.

I'm trying to escape the shackles of a pen and a pad. I've sat in sessions with Jay-Z where he doesn't write anything down. He'll come up with the most incredible triple entendre, all in his head - it's amazing.

Early inspirations included Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie... Those were the people I actually wound up studying just to hone my craft.

I recall my mum tried to teach me how to fry chicken once, and I almost burned down half the kitchen... I don't think I have the patience for cooking.

'Battle: Los Angeles' - I've got to say this was easily one of the most physically trying things that I've ever done in my life because I play a Marine in the film, and they had us training with real live Marines for, like, three weeks. It gave me a whole new respect for just the armed forces, period.

Back in the day, Motown was on the pulse of young America. It wasn't about just dope contemporary. It was pop, it was R&B, it was all of that.

When you're dressing on a budget, simplicity is key.

For me to be here at album number six, it's kind of a way to say, 'Thank you for allowing me to be here... to still be around.'