I believe that change is the essence of life.

My father came from a chawl and became a top star in Bollywood and worked very hard for us. When I look at my dad, I feel very good that my papa did so much.

I've grown up watching 'Mawaali,' 'Himmatwalla,' and my love for masala movies started from there, and ever since, there's no looking back.

I'm my dad's biggest fan and, yes, sometimes his worst critic.

I try to lead. I do not follow.

I am not going to become a critical-acclaim-junkie at all.

I cater to a viewer because that viewer's taste matters more than anyone else's, and I will keep him first in mind and then, if it also appeals to the critics, so be it.

Contrary to what everyone thinks, I'm not superstitious - I'm spiritual. And there is a huge difference between the two.

I would describe myself as eclectic: Bohemian in thought and conservative in action - or maybe it's the other way around.

People are always trying to figure me out, given the varied nature of my films and shows.

There's no certain type of cinema, but there's a certain type of promise every film comes with. The agenda is to keep an eye on quality and live up to that promise.

What I want to do with cinema is keep it as universal as possible.

When I made TV shows, people called them regressive. Clearly, everyone wants to generalize everything, but I like to choose a middle path.

People have always wondered if I'm trying to push the envelope when it comes to my cinema - they keep questioning the visual graphics and the controversial content.

Through these years, I have attempted to create magical moments between my characters because, be it television or films, life is about the moments we create while living through it.

I knew I wanted to make good television, create content that's massy, and provide programming that would invite families to come together and witness these 'reel' lives.

My holidays are generally impromptu, since a crazy work schedule is bound to eat into a long-planned trip.

I started working at a time when most of my friends were still figuring their lives out.

I do think responsibility does come with a lot of power, and more than that, it comes with the fact that you can actually change the thinking of those not only in your country but in the countries where your films are watched.

For me, it's quite scary to go ahead to make my characters say things because, at times, you might actually be influencing a mind - and not one but many of thousands of minds.

I really wish I were a superhero.

I am a living contradiction.

I honestly believe that if you're not growing, then you are taking the space that somebody else would get if you moved forward.

The people in Kolkata are very different. They don't wish to be super rich but give more importance to education than anything else. They are very innocent at heart, and one can sense a lot of purity in them.