In order to be a good director, you also need to be a good entrepreneur because the director is in charge of everything and everyone on the sets.

Meaningful cinema which lets me explore my talent to the fullest and with different roles is more important to me than just doing more and more films.

As far as Raikar Case' is concerned, I give the entire credit to the writer because of the way they have written this show. It is extremely intriguing.

I am not really missing theatre as I get to act in films, that too in different languages, such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi, my mother tongue.

We cannot compare Marathi cinema industry with other regional industries or even Hindi industry. It will be unfair for us. Every industry takes time to evolve.

As a camera actor, you're constantly in touch with technology. First the technology came into existence and then film acting happened. So it's always going to lead us.

India has a cross section of audience whose cultural levels are varied. So where there are takers for Dabangg,' there are also audience for A Wednesday' and Peepli Live.'

I have been extremely lucky to have worked with directors and actors that have made a fabulous impact in Indian cinema and have received some of the nicest compliments ever.

I have worked with Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan but I believe that if you work hard and well enough in this industry, these are the people you end up with working with anyway.

If you have been accepted and appreciated in a particular role, the industry finds it convenient to slot you in that image. You can't blame them actually - a lot of money is involved.

I have no regrets for not having a solo career in Bollywood because when I joined the film industry I was 35 years old. Nobody gets solo leads when they start their career at this age.

For weight gain, one must do cardio in the evening and for weight loss, in the morning. So, while gaining weight, I did weight training in the mornings and light cardio in the evenings.

I felt huge after I gained weight as I was never this big before. My thighs started to rub against each other and my arms brushed my sides while I walked. I started walking with my legs apart.

At the end of the day I can't change myself. It's only different characters that I play. And in those it should not be me, Atul Kulkarni, it should be the character that is being played by Atul Kulkarni.

I had the Forrest Gump' DVD and started watching. While watching it, I had no intention of writing it. When I started watching it, I got some flashes that it can be adapted in Hindi. That's how it started.

As a format, I have watched shows from the West. I have tried to understand what it is and how this format is treated by writers, directors, and actors. I have been studying this format for four to five years.

When I came into this profession, my first condition to myself and my managers was that I don't want to work every day. As an actor you keep giving, so it's important for you to need the time to take things in.

Awards give you confidence apart from official recognition. They act as a dose of encouragement, as they are judged by experts. But, at the same time, you can't ignore the audience's response that matters the most.

I make it a point to speak to the directors and tell them why I don't want to do a particular role or film. If, despite that, they hold it against me, I cannot help it. I cannot do things that I don't want to just to please someone else.

I have always believed that awards are like accessories to a car. They are very similar to the rear view mirror in a car, which gives you the confidence to drive. They sure mean a lot; however, they are not the be-all and end-all of life.

'Burma' is a new-age thriller on funding for private cars and issues pertaining to the process. I play a car financier, who appoints people to recover the car if funds don't come on time. It is like a bank job, the only difference being they do it unofficially.

Web series is a new format, where everything, from the writing to storytelling is different. As an actor you have to approach it differently because you have a character which can go on for a long time. It is my duty to be on my toes, understand the new technology and adapt.

I quit my job in New India Insurance and was confronted by various options. I could either go to Pune to do a course in acting from Poona University or shift base to Bombay or Delhi and study at NSD. I opted for the latter because it is the best place to get a formal education in acting.

The movie Gul Makai' will showcase the earlier life of Malala and how she was forced and stopped from going to school. It's a proud story of a girl fighting for her own and other girl child rights to education in her village in Swat Valley. I am glad I was chosen to play this role in Gul Makai.'

I put on 15 kg for my role as an amateur wrestler in the first half of the Marathi film Natrang.' Then, I lost 17 kg for the second half of the film where I play a nachya,' an effeminate character in traditional Marathi tamasha. The weight gain took 40 days and I lost weight in the next 40 odd days.

I had read an article about a couple who had developed a private forest in Coorg, and were working towards preserving it. I wanted to do something similar and wanted to give something back to the nature from which we have stolen so much. So my cousins and I bought 24 acres of land and we planted trees in that.

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