We compare everything with what is being done in the West. Even the film reviews are written like that. It is sad because we are trying to belittle ourselves.

I have been fortunate to get different types of work, but by and large till 90s for actors like me there were not many opportunities besides playing brother of the heroine or friend of the hero or young college villain after the earlier new wave was consumed by television.

Seventy years on, the wound of Partition is still raw. There have been some beautiful attempts like Garam Hava,' but it's not easy to make a film without hurting some sentiments.

From the initial days of my career I have always given importance to two things. One is to heed to directors instructions and the other is to have faith on my action director.

I was required to jump from a parachute into a lake and for this I was dangled in the air 100 feet above the ground with the help of a harness. It was scary in the beginning as I had never attempted such a thing before.

The desire to hear a story, and a story well told, triumphs over Internet, film and television sometimes.

The Urdu or Hindustani language we use isn't popular in theatre these days. It was a language that was being used in cinema from the 1950s until the '80s. It is a very communicative language.

My real uncle was a pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF). I was very enamored with him because he had a great personality. He used to look dashing in his uniform.

As a kid I wanted to be a pilot.

My first love and my first instinct are acting.

I believe your children should work on their own and make a name for themselves. By doing this they become confident. My parents did this with me and I tried to do the same with my children.

I think younger generation is much smarter than us. I am happy and proud of my kids.

Television has been a powerful medium and it has been a huge part of my life at least 15 years.

If offered a good role, I would like to work in a good Punjabi film. This land has produced great writers, poets and actors.

I became a writer out of the desire to express myself.

I was looking to play different characters, and films didn't offer many choices.

So, 50 films, 3 National Awards, 74 plays and serials later, here I am playing Professor Das in JL50,' who understands time travel. When in reality, I'm not tech savvy at all.

It wasn't one film that changed my life, but a series of decisions that brought out the best in me.

In the 80s, parallel cinema gained momentum. So, I got back to films and won National awards for Maqbool' and other films.

While pursuing engineering, my passion for theatre grew. So, I told dad I wanted to pursue acting - 'Do you really want to be an actor or are you drawn to the glamour?' he asked. I convinced him of my passion and applied to film schools.

Delhi is where I began practising theatre, it is always special to perform in the capital.

I did drama school in Delhi. I am glad I studied in a school where cultural activities were significant.

My children can do what they want to do.

I am not a person of schedule when it comes to writing.