I remember breaking the news to both my parents that I wanted to be a director, and they both looked very doubtful. They didn't know what a closet Hindi film buff I was. I used to dance to old Hindi films songs on the sly, so my decision to be a part of Hindi cinema was shocking even for my parents.
I'm an international actor, but at the same time, I'm also a Bollywood actor, even though most of my career has been abroad. However, I've always kept in touch with Hindi cinema.
Vivek Oberoi is the most over rated actor in Hindi cinema
Bachchan is the luckiest man on earth. No one knows the nuance of the Hindi language or can incorporate elements from stage on to the Hindi cinema the way he does.
I believe in cinema! Unfortunately, 90 per cent of Hindi cinema is non-cinema. Only marketing works here. Even the item songs in these films are an extension of marketing.
As an actor, I am only excited about doing good work - be it in mainstream Hindi cinema, Hollywood, a French film, or a Marathi movie.
In Hindi cinema, the cabaret dancers were eased out when the heroines imbibed their mannerisms. This could happen in Malayalam cinema too.
I never grew up on a staple diet of Hindi cinema. In fact, when I was a VJ, I was averse to it. Purely because I could never imagine myself being an actor.
It was the '70s when mediocrity came in Hindi films. That's when the actor called Rajesh Khanna joined the industry. For all his success, I think Mr. Khanna was a very limited actor. In fact, he was a poor actor.
There are quality films being made in all languages, whether in Hindi cinema, Bengali or the south. Bollywood doesn't represent Indian cinema, per say.
I do not want to be a part of Hindi cinema's rat race. But yes, if I get offers and characters which I feel would suit me as well as make some difference to me, I will do a Hindi film.
The way cinema has grown I think, doesn't matter if its Hindi or South. People watch all languages.
When a director from Hindi cinema is looking for an actor from another language, it will be only because he feels the character justifies this and that can only be for a well-written character.
I am hard put to think of a single positive thing that commercial Hindi cinema has achieved.
I have a lifetime 100% pro-choice voting record. I understand that people disagree on this issue, but I believe that it is a woman's decision, it's a difficult decision, but it's a decision between her and her physician. I will do everything that I can in 50 states of this country to make sure that women have a choice.
Now I know Hindi, and I can read and write Hindi, but the problem is that I can't improvise when I am acting because I think in English, so I have to translate my thinking from English to Hindi, and therefore, I speak slowly.