How does it feel when people say you were the soul of Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola?

I feel both good and bad. I wanted to be the character my director trusted me with.I wanted the entire film to work. As an actor I did what I was asked to do. But yes, it’s always a wonderful feeling to be appreciated for your work.

What attracted you to Matru...?

The bipolar personality of my character and the fact that Vishal Bhardwaj was making this film. I have done two films with him earlier (The Blue Umbrella and Maqbool). I share a great equation with him. We share mutual respect. I was also getting a fun and meaty role after having spent three years as a director. Honestly, I enjoy acting. I’ve done quite a bit of serious cinema and anything which provides sufficient fun and entertainment within the parameters of the character, is a greatly enjoyed opportunity.

What do you feel went wrong with Matru…?

I don’t know what exactly went wrong because the reports suggested that a large part of the audience accepted Matru... or rather loved the film. I got calls from Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh, where people not only spoke about my performance but also appreciated the film. It is probably in Mumbai that the film didn’t do as well. Perhaps, the film was presented in a manner that alienated people.

Do you believe that Vishal Bhardwaj’s absurdist approach didn’t work?

Vishal finds new subjects, new forms and new ways of telling a story. His approach towards using music too has always been different. The storytelling was different. And the characters were unlike those seen in Kaminey, Omkara, The Blue Umbrella or his other celebrated films. Their approach to life was different. They weren’t regular guys but were slightly off, which made them more attractive, at least to me.

Do you agree with Matru ’s... Utopian ending?

It was a bit theatrical. Vishal tried to say something in an entertaining manner. It is a way of storytelling, which few filmmakers have the courage to attempt because there’s a fear of failure. Those who didn’t get it will get it in due course of time. We are all trying to reach a better understanding of cinema and provide entertainment in a better form. It’s like trying out a new cuisine. It will take time to become a fad. Like, computers were not accepted easily but now they have become a part of our lives. Likewise, a different approach to cinema will face problems in the initial years. But slowly it will pick up its audience.

Do you want to direct again or Mausam was a one-time experience?

I’ve some scripts, which I wrote much before Mausam. I’ve a fresh script in my mind as well. I’m not sure which one will materialise first. I want to act for a while. If I get some good roles, I’ll indulge in them till the middle of this year. Maybe I’ll start thinking of direction towards the year end.

Have you introspected about what went wrong with Mausam?

(Laughs) We are still in the process of dissecting its flaws. The major flaw that has emerged is that we went wrong with the length. The film should have been 20 minutes shorter. We goofed up in the marketing as well and weren’t able to create the correct impression in the minds of the audience. People reasoned that in Mausam the characters played by Sonam Kapoor and Shahid (Kapur, son) could have emailed or contacted each other. He was at Kargil and it’s not always possible to communicate during war. We gave a simple love story with a message, which may not have registered. Had I spent more time on the edit the film would have been different. I guess one shouldn’t hurry to release a film. One should introspect and correct things to the best of one’s ability. Also, we announced three different dates. We should have held back on giving out the release date.  But, I am proud of the film. I lived the film for three years. It was a creative journey. I have no regrets about its failure.

Are Sanah and Ruhaan (Children from his Marriage to actor Supriya Pathak) also gearing up to become actors?

Yes, my daughter Sanah (22) is training right now in Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York City and my son Ruhaan (19) will also undergo training. Sanah wants to become an actor. They will do theatre primarily, more so for training purposes. And if they get smitten by it, then they can continue doing theatre. It will enhance them as actors.

You still seem to have a yen for theatre…

I haven’t done theatre for over 10 years now. I got involved with writing and did direction in television for five years. I also produced serials. So I was multitasking. That took away a lot of my time. There is a magic in performing in front of a live audience. I was leading that life for almost 25 years and maybe I’ll return to theatre in the future. Naseeruddin Shah and Nadira Babbar have done theatre and films together. It is only a question of prioritising and dividing your time.

What made you take up television?

I started doing television in 1985 because filmmakers were offering me bit roles like that of the heroine’s brother, the hero’s friend, or maybe a villain. Between 1984-85, I played Amrita Singh’s father in Chameli Ki Shaadi. I was just 29 then. Television offered me a variety of roles in serials like Karamchand, Fatichar, Office Office, Zabaan Sambhalke and others. But today television has become stressful and repetitive. I can’t imagine myself being part of that scenario.

Whom do you count as your inspirations? You mentioned Rajesh Khanna’s name in an interview...

I have been wrongly quoted. Rajesh Khanna has not been an inspiration to me. What I actually said was that being a boy from Ludhiana, the only exposure we had was Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. I have great respect for him and I have appreciated some of his performances, but it isn’t that I learnt acting from him or that he was my idol. There are a whole lot of actors from here to Hollywood who have inspired me. Dilip Kumar saab, Nasser, Amitabh Bachchan, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Marlon Brando… all their works have been inspiring. Any good piece of work be it literature, music, art… is an inspiration.

How has the industry changed in all these years?

Personally, things have changed for the better. Back in the ‘80s, the only two roles I did which were worth mentioning were Raakh and Ek Doctor Ki Maut. Then there was a long gap before I got anything decent. Though Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and some films I did with Mrinal Sen were interesting. Today different kinds of films are being made. Actors like me get an opportunity to play meatier parts and have a sense of belonging. Today, we tell the audience -- come and pick your choice. That’s the one big change I’ve witnessed. Also, the industry has become more professional. Earlier there were hardly any complete scripts. Just an outline was given. But now, everyone works with a bound script. The downside is that the working atmosphere has become so hardcore that there isn’t time for personal relationships. But I might be wrong.

Do you believe you haven’t got your due in the industry?

No, I don’t feel that because I’m choosy about the films I do. It’s also true that I haven’t been flooded with scripts of that nature. But the industry has been amazingly kind to me yaar! Someone with my face and my height and the place I come from, has survived 30 years and is still going on. I am 58 now, talking to you over an interview. Your photographer has just clicked some fabulous pictures. So I don’t believe that I haven’t got my due. (Laughs) But for those who still believe I haven’t, are they forthcoming and volunteering to give me my due?  

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