Actor, writer and director, this versatile film personality has never failed to amaze us with his skills. From being a multi-faceted gangster in Satya, judge in Jolly LLB to a corrupt politician in the recent hit Raid, this actor is loved for his phenomenal performance in every role he essays.
The film Raid was perhaps the first time you did a negative role. How was the experience?
I really liked this role when I got the offer. It was the role of an antagonist and I found it both exciting and challenging. I could do justice to the role because of the great script. The film’s director Ritesh Shah helped me achieve what I wanted to throughout the film.
Actor, Director and Writer. What’s next on cards? How do you manage it all?
In the next couple of days, I will be doing my next film with director Anubhav Sinha for a film having the tentative title Party Abhi Chalu Hai. It is a wacky satire. I do not do anything else apart from acting, directing and writing, hence, it gets easy for me to manage things.
We hear that you were not interested in acting. What inspired you to become an actor?
When I started, acting was not on my agenda. I wanted to write and direct films. I got into acting accidentally. I had to act in a play as a replacement to an actor. People liked my acting and so did I.
Can you tell us something about your role in the upcoming film Daas Dev?
Daas Dev is a political thriller. I find my role very interesting as I am portraying the character of a veteran politician who is power hungry and has a kingdom of his own. The main character, Daas Dev, is his nephew. It is all about how I lure him in the world of power and greed and how I become an obstacle in the final journey of the protagonist.
From Kallu Mama of Satya to Judge in Jolly LLB and now Rajaji of Raid, which role did you enjoy doing the most?
You always enjoy the latest role. However, throughout my career, I have enjoyed all the roles and the films I have done. In Satya, I was writer and actor, so I enjoyed during the film making whereas I have not written Jolly LLB and Barfi but still I have had an amazing experience.
Talking about finance, what did you do with your first pay cheque?
I threw a party.
Your first investment?
My first investment was my first car, which I bought for Rs.15,000 way back. It was an old Fiat car and I love that car completely.
Who advises you on finance? Do you take the help of a financial advisor?
Yes, there are people who take care of my work and finances.
I have no interest in finance; hence, there are people who take care of it. However, in my view, people should have basic knowledge of finance to understand if you are doing the wise thing or not.
What do you expect from your financial advisor?
I expect them to be truthful and honest.
You have been in this profession for a long time now; what is your suggestion for your colleagues on managing their money and finances?
There is no particular advice for people from this field. My advice goes well for everyone. Just be wise with your money; when I say, be wise with your money, it means fulfil your aspirations but do not spend your money to show off because this gets you nothing.
What do you think of mutual funds?
I know very little about mutual funds, but it is trending currently. I have heard that investing in mutual funds is the wisest thing you do with your money. Though it is not free of risks, people who can take risk should consider mutual funds. If you are not interested in gambling, mutual fund is the best thing you can do with your money.
