COVER STORY to sell. I feel like I can’t say what I really feel like and I guess that’s why actors live in ivory towers. Not because they like to, but because people push them. So now I am very careful. If somebody asks me about an actor, or an actress, or a director, I say what should be said. I am proper, and I am a liar, because it’s not what I really feel. So if you ask me about a person, I’ll say I love her, and that it’s an honour to work with her. I am an actor and I can lie through my teeth and you won’t even know. I do that in my films for a living, and to do that in real life is easier for me. The difficulty for an actor is always being honest.
Have people confronted you?
Oh yes. There was this one gentleman who said, “You are a Muslim, you are not good enough to be in this country.” I said, ‘Screw you. I will be in this country.’ My Name is Khan was released, and there was this whole big thing in the media about me not being a patriot. My father was a freedom fighter, and I would die for my country, 100%. If I can’t die I’ll go sing and dance on the borders of my country...
What would you change about this country?
life on your sleeve and that includes charity, and what you think you represent as a brand. Inshallah I am going to make a cancer ward.
NOV — DEC 2012
Tell us a bit about your production company
Red Chillies and your upcoming movie…
I am doing two films this year. One is with Farah, and it’s called ‘Happy New Year,’ which, Inshallah, should start in December. It’s a fun Farah Khan kind of film. It’s a big production too – I like to do big films. Not that I have anything against small films – I’ve done Paheli and Asoka – but I want cinema to be really cinematic, and I can afford to do that. So till I can, I will make films like Ra.One and Don, My Name is Khan and Om Shanti Om…
Red Chillies has a VFX unit, which I think is the best in the country. We don’t make the best films but VFX wise there is no one who can touch our company. Ra.One was a test of what we can do in this company. We’re working on Hrithik’s next film. I’m a strong believer of bringing in more technology. It doesn’t make too much money right now, but we have sustained it for nine years, so hopefully
when things look up in terms of VFX, then Red Chillies will grow.
Then I am planning to make another couple of films with a friend of mine from Delhi. One is called ‘A for Apple, B for billi and C for Kutta’. I have never done a Delhi-based film. Chak de was supposed to be filmed in Delhi, but we shot at different locations…so this is a Delhi film, it is set around Defence Colony.
You recently tweeted – ‘The free man is he
who does not fear to go to the end of his
thought. Be free today and always.’ That is an
inspiring message, do you live by that?
It’s actually a line from the book by Eduardo Galeano, he’s a South American writer who writes very dark and scary stuff, but has a very interesting take on life. I like to face things, although life is not confrontational – it’s going to go on despite you and inspite of you. Now unfortunately, I don't tweet that much anymore. I used to write personal things about my family and the things they do, but people, it’s so sad: journalism today is analysis from the point of view of the story that you want
I would like to educate every young girl, because I have huge faith in women. I have been surrounded by women all my life. The reason for my success in life is women. From my mother to my daughter and all the women who have come in between. Actors, directors, friends, I have just had women making my life what it is. They are smarter, they are intelligent and they smell much better than men. So it’s as simple as that and I think they deserve a much higher place.
I have done 70 odd films. My heroine is not just a showpiece, and I am not talking about Paheli, or Asoka, but I am also talking about Om Shanti Om. You’ll remember Deepika (Padukone), You remember Kajol in every film I’ve done with her, you’ll remember Rani (Mukherjee). And of course it’s because of their talent. Even if they are playing sexy and cool, it’s all right to be sexy and cool. I would like my daughter to be an actress. I would like my daughter to be sexy and cool. I’d like her to be a moviestar. That’s how much respect I have for women as movie stars.
What does luxury mean to you?
I have always believed that luxury is being able to walk into a store, not being able to decide which shirt you like, and being able to buy both of them.
Your rule of thumb for success?
There are two words for success, doing and trying. I don’t think even hard work works out all the time, but doing and trying instead of just you know, thinking or discussing. I just do. The worst thing that can happen by doing is