Quotes

Whether you believe it or not, you have to understand the politics. In every script, there is a political bend that the writer has included. Whether you like it or not, is on you. But it's very important to know that politics.

I think whenever you transform from normal light-hearted characters, to characters which might be out of your comfort zone or less relatable, that is double the work and commitment required to understand the society that character comes from.

I'm cooking and taking the lockdown as an experience in cooking, trying different things. Apart from that it has been listeniing to music and watching documentaries.

Maybe because I am an actor-casting director, I always felt that we need good actors in the industry and we need to bring them at the top.

That's the beauty of creative industry that when one thing does not pan out, you have other things to do.

For me, it was always that one extra job that you do to survive in the industry. I also realised that I was not well-sculpted as an actor because I was getting a lot of rejections. I stopped acting and focused on casting.

When I came to Mumbai to act and it didn't work out for me for few years, I thought I will go back to training but casting room has been a great training space for me.

When you are reacting to a good actor, your reactions become better. You get to know what to tone down and how to make yourself believe in those characters.

I would not want compliments that 'I can do different roles'. I want compliments that whatever I did, I did nicely. That's how I see acting.

Because I have done different kinds of roles, I hope that people take me as an actor they want to experiment with.

Everybody loves animals, but there is this special bond that few people have with animals and with nature.

You are as good as your co-actor.

The thing with the film industry is if you become popular in one kind of role, you keep getting cast in the same thing.

No, I don't think it is required for casting directors to be actors too. My mentor Gautam Kishanchandani cannot act to save his life!

I'll always be very proud of giving Priyanshu Painyuli and Siddhant Chaturvedi their first break. Both are phenomenal actors and I am very excited about their future.

I have always been an Amitabh Bachchan fan.

When I came to Mumbai, I knew that I am an actor but I am not a working actor. To keep this actor alive, I had to feed him, I took up the casting job so that I can run my house.

I did 'Dirty Picture' when I was only 24 years old. From there on, I kept on acting and learning about acting.

I was aiming for an acting career in 40. I never thought I would get recognition so early.

After 'Stree', I started believing that yes, I am an actor. 'Paatal Lok' happened at the right time, when I was ready to go deep, to create something of my own and I gave it all.

My greatest love is my children, and they have inspired me to fight and stand up for the right things.

'Tender' is my most strongly autobiographical play.

I am always running away from something.

Even if you've been a coward all your life, death is a heroic act.

I always say writing a play is like toothache: I find it incredibly painful, and it's only once the play's out that the pain is gone.