For every film that I have believed in - from 'Tanu Weds Manu' to 'Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein' - it was very difficult to find producers.

People of Maharashtra are close to my heart, and this is where I became who I am, and this has been instrumental in my formative years.

When I listen to scripts, I never ask who my co-star is - instead, I ask about the characters and the producers of the particular venture.

Actually, nobody has ever given me an award, and also, it's not really important in my life. I go to these award shows for meeting my friends.

I have always acted in films where women have an equal, if not bigger, role than mine. Don't the kind of films you do reflect your personality?

When it comes to filmmaking, we have to deal with ego, anger, and a lot more; barring all these, how the team works towards the outcome matters.

Being a parent, it is heartening to see your child wake up every day at 5:45 in the morning to pursue his passion and then manage school as well.

Finding one good script is a huge challenge. So I do a film whose script comes and grabs me. Once I finish that, I look forward to the next movie.

I have been very cautious about the films that I do. I hope to always entertain my audience. The day I am not able to do that, I will quit acting.

I don't think there's anymore chocolate boy left in me... Like, if I do the roles on the screen that border on romance, it will be age-appropriate.

I might sound audacious, but the Mahatma has been a great inspiration. He had the conviction to live with his beliefs in the face of total disbelief.

For me, my realism has stood me over 15 years, so the kind of films that I have done has garnered enough respect for me to be able to survive the industry.

It is not easy to lose or gain weight. The diet and the exercise regime should be compatible with your body, or else you end up with wrinkles and hair loss.

I eat exactly three times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. I sit quietly for 20 minutes without anybody disturbing me, and I chew each mouthful 60 times.

There is a time in every actor's life when he has to face the self-created hurdle after he starts getting bored of work and suddenly realises that he is left behind.

As an actor, I would never agree if a newcomer doesn't give me a final word on the script. If it is well-written, then you need not speak to me. I will speak for you.

A film star is a film star, and you can't take that away. Hence, I don't think about money when I do films, but I will do it for TV like the way I do it for endorsements.

The thing about organic farming is that the produce will not look the same. Your tomato will not resemble the rich red one from the textbook, and that's the beauty of it.

I think new directors come with new perceptions, energy, and passion to win. They don't have to worry about an already existing image or budget that they have to recover.

Normally, my birthdays are very quiet. I go to the temple with my family and later take blessing from my parents. A few friends come over to my house, and we talk about the year gone by.

I eat before I feel hungry. I know that when you order food or shop on an empty stomach, you always tend to over-eat, over-order, or over-shop. So I always eat slightly before I'm famished.

If anybody accuses me of being rich, I give it back to them because I had a poor economical background. I worked my way up, and I am an exemplary citizen, and I always do what is good for my nation.

I had built my body to look like a boxer, then I lost it completely for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns.' It was really tough gaining weight, building muscles, and then losing it completely for another film.

People have this misconception that people with six-pack abs can deliver hits, but that's not the case. Had I built six-pack abs for 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns,' I wouldn't have been able to justify myself.

It is a privilege that women fancy me, but I cannot sustain the chocolate boy image forever. I don't want to end up being known, like the late veteran Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan was, as the king of romance.

If you ask me to get a six-pack in the interim between signing a film, I will not do it. I enjoy food and will be happy to feed myself a pizza or two and gorge on cakes. But, I have good control over my body.

I told my wife that I want to take a three-year break. She supported me and said, 'Please go ahead.' I am grateful that she supported me. For me, this romance and understanding is very important in our marriage.

I am a Tambrahm born and brought up in Jamshedpur 20 years of my life, as my father worked for the Tatas there. My mother was a chief manager in the Bank of India and the only lady manager in Bihar in those times.

It's very embarrassing to talk of your own work before shooting for it and even before it is released. I have been a witness to many of our actors turning red-faced after their films release. I'd rather not be there.

Television is a good training ground for aspiring stars. You can experiment and get away, imbibing the positive and viable aspects. Whereas, in cinema, the stakes are high. If something goes wrong, the film falls flat.

I studied B.Sc electronics to be an engineer and later did masters in communication and advertising. I loved engineering for what it could accomplish to make our lives easier. But, I realised that it was not my passion.

Acting is like any other profession. I do not think stars need to have any hang-ups in public. I do not like to be treated like someone special - and this I say because I am normal and not because I want to sound humble.

Marital status is not going to affect one's prospects or fan following, for ultimately, talent will prevail. Take Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan, for instance. Actors are mere dream sellers. They cannot become everyone's lover.

I don't mind being called Maddy at all, but I mind the closeness that you assume you get by calling me by my pet name. So merely by calling me Maddy, I don't give you the authority to come and put your hand around my shoulder.

I learned different ways of working out. I learned a lot about my body. Let me just say that Arnold Schwarzenegger had 20-inch biceps when he did his first film, and when I did 'Saala Khadoos,' being a vegetarian, I managed 18 and half inches.

There's no one beating Mr. Bachchan when it comes to acting. He is outstanding. He is a phenomenal actor and a thorough gentleman. His natural skills at acting just bowled me over, and I've become an even bigger fan of his after working with him.

Birds and insects are part of the ecosystem and help in pollination. I don't see any problem in having fruits and vegetables that birds want to eat, as opposed to the perfect shaped tomato that only you can eat and which, by the way, could also be cancerous.

I am not chocolate and definitely not a boy. I am a man, and I have no clue how this image has stuck to me despite all these years. I think, maybe, in spite of trying to shell off my chocolate boy image, love stories excite me, and somehow I land up in such roles.

I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan. I don't have the necessary glamour like some of the other actors do. They are able to sell themselves on that aspect. I do roles and films which are very realistic. So, in those films, if you don't get into the skin of it, they won't look convincing.

Actually Maddy is my name. But I feel that whenever you address somebody, there needs to be certain amount of dignity rendered to it - irrespective of whether it's a film star or somebody you are fond of. I find it very pleasing when somebody refers to me as 'Mr. Madhavan' or 'Sir' or 'Mr. Maddy.'

I always take part in the creative process of every film of mine. Gone are the days where an actor would walk into the sets, finish his portions, take the money, and leave. In fact, I've been accused of being interfering - but that's the way I am. It is important for every actor to get involved with the script.

I realised after doing 'Tanu Weds Manu' that I had become fat and was not performing to the mark. I realised that I had become a terrible actor. I did 'Jodi Breakers,' which did not do well. So, I moved away from the film industry and lived with the common man to know where I was lacking and what do they want from an actor.

When we make a film like 'TWM Returns,' it is important that we don't think of bettering anything. It's like a baby being born: all you can hope for is the best. But you can't decide how the baby is going to look. Similarly with the movie - you can't think of making it better; you only can think of making the best film possible.

When I go to hotels, sometimes I find waiters and people who do not address me as 'Mr.' or address me as a normal guest would have been addressed, simply because my name is Maddy. I find that slightly offending, but I don't react to it thinking that maybe the name is so casual that people think it's a buddy that you are talking to.

If you say actors have a social responsibility to do things, you are right, in a way. It's a wishful decision. But if it's done out of force, I don't think it will accomplish anything. Everybody starts counting how much work they have done and see if they have done their due for the week. That is not social service. You need to go way beyond that.

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