455 quotes found
"I'm basically tired of doing what I have been doing for the last 10 years. My interest level was dipping. I was doing a fairly good job, when compared to others. The standards I have set for myself are higher. When I watched the Broadway show Miss Saigon, I was ashamed of being called an actress. The leading lady's performance was outstanding. I was ashamed that I am in the same profession but could not touch those heights."
"People appreciating my performance is good enough for me. I don't care much for awards and have never given it much thought. And anyway, I can't play the games people play to win awards."
"I am here to act, entertain and make good films. I don't want to work hard for a film which does not even get released. I will cooperate with my director and help him make a good film. I get disappointed if my co-actors don't put in as much as I do. Today I am looking for banners and costars who have the same goal as me --- to work towards making a good film with dedication. I have made mistakes in my career, but that is just the learning process."
"Both Shah Rukh and Aamir have taught me a lot. I used to be their fan. I had seen all their movies. Once I had even taken Aamir's autograph! Then all of a sudden, I was facing the camera with him! The way these two looked after me and saw me through my initial scenes is something I can never forget."
"Shahrukh is someone I can aways count on. Same is the case for both Karan and Salman. And Aamir, who I have immense respect for. To be honest, I'm still a bit in awe of him!"
"Sanjay Leela Bhansali brings out the best in me, both personally and professionally. I think we have a Karmic connection and I hope he'll agree!"
"Awards at each different stage have a special meaning and significance. They mean differently to everyone. When you get an award at the start of your career, it definitely is a stepping stone, and in the middle stages, awards become a source of inspiration, a source of happiness. It is a memento of something that is probably well deserved for the amount of effort put in. Filmfare Awards are something to be proud of. When one gets a Filmfare Award, people know an actor has arrived."
"And if I was found to be good for two awards, it doesn't mean I should be given just one just to make the awards look more democratic."
"I don't party, I don't get drunk and I don't have affairs. So all my passion goes into my work."
"Getting up at odd hours to catch flights. I hate the long hours of waiting. There are times when one is continuously travelling, from one city to another, hopping from one studio to another or changing from one costume to another. It is annoying, but after a point, one learns to be immune to one’s surroundings."
"Catfights? What catfights? There is a healthy rivalry between me and other actresses but no one’s ever been bitchy. Kareena Kapoor is a cool girl. As for Preity Zinta, we share an on-screen rapport but we were never friends."
"after the release of Black:"
"I have become cautious. There is no fixed formula. Today audience's sensibilities are sharp. You can't feed them rubbish. They want to watch good films. The script has to be appealing. Even if it is larger than life, it has to be realistic. Audiences have to identify with what you are showing."
"I have been into Odissi for over a decade now. I started around the time I was in standard X. I started dancing with Meenakshi Seshadri. My guru Pandit Ravindra Attibuthi has also taught Meenakshi and Hema Malini."
"I don't let gossip about my alleged affairs with Abhishek (Bachchan) or Govinda bother me anymore. People have even married me off to Karan Johar! The rumors about Govinda did make me furious. I felt sorry for Sunitaji. As far as Abhishek goes, I’m not dating him. I have no time for dates."
"I love daal chawal. I am not a restaurant person. I enjoy home food a lot."
"I compete with myself."
"[On her fallout with Abhishek Bachchan] The truth is if someone chooses not to invite you to their wedding you realize where you stand with that person. You may be deluded and think you are friends but maybe that friendship was only extended as co-stars on the sets. It doesn't matter. It became very clear to me that we were only co-stars not friends."
"I feel beautiful in love. There is a lot of love for you in the beholder's eye. That makes you feel very happy."
"Salman Khan is probably one of the most good looking people we have in our industry."
"Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak: I was in school when I fell in love with the Aamir-Juhi pair. It was my first experience of love on-screen."
"I love Titanic because the love in the movie was pure, real, passionate and unconditional... the way the love story culminated in catastrophe was phenomenal. I love DDLJ and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for being so over the top and yet so believable for us youngsters... I love Black for being such a sublime love story between and a teacher and his student. It was a love much beyond the ordinary."
"When Karan wanted my voice to be dubbed for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I really thought that it was a bad idea, but slowly I worked to improve my diction, and now I'm quite comfortable with it."
"The kiss with Kamal Haasan [in Hey! Ram] was mechanical. He was constantly checking the right angle. Where was the passion?"
"I am in the profession of acting and so to suit the character I sometimes have to indulge in kissing and provocative scenes. I have never felt comfortable shooting for kissing sequences. Although, kissing scenes like the ones in Yuva with Abhishek Bachchan and in Hum Tum with Saif were shot in an aesthetic manner. I am still pretty much uncomfortable performing such scenes."
"Yes. Women characters are once again assuming significance in films. Karan Johar, Sanjay Bhansali and Yash uncle conceive wonderful women characters. In the ’50s and ’60s, Bimal Roy and Guru Duttji wrote beautiful roles for heroines. You couldn’t take your eyes off a close-up of Waheedaji, Nargisji, Nutanji or Meenaji. Times are changing again. The Bhansali-shot close-ups of Ash and Madhuri in Devdas were awesome."
"For me, a director is more important than a big banner. A great director can do wonders. Of course, banners do matter because, ultimately, after all the hard work you put it, the film must release. This will happen only if you work with a good banner or a producer who markets your film well, gives the director whatever he wants, and releases the film."
"I’m happy Black is a hit. It marks my hat-trick after Hum Tum and Veer-Zaara."
"It would be very unfair to compare "Black" with any other film. I can't do a role of a handicapped person. It'd look like a carryover of "Black". Every film is a new experience for me. I respect my work too much to act superior about other films. "Black" is a kind of film that comes once in a lifetime. Even Sanjay [Leela Bhansali] can't make it again."
"on her character in The Rising (2005)."
"On the Ash Replacement Controversy in Chalte Chalte (2003)."
"On the Khans"
"On Aamir Khan:"
"On Shahrukh Khan:"
"On Salman Khan"
"On Saif Ali Khan:"
"On Madhuri Dixit:"
"On Hema Malini:"
"On Amitabh Bachchan:"
"On Abhishek Bachchan:"
"On Hrithik Roshan:"
"On Preity Zinta:"
"On John Abraham"
"On Sanjay Leela Bhansali:"
"Kunal Kohli, director Hum Tum:"
"Yash Chopra, director Veer-Zaara:"
"Sanjay Leela Bhansali, director Black:"
"Karan Johar, director Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna:"
"Aamir Khan, co-star Ghulam:"
"Salman Khan, actor:"
"Shahrukh Khan, co-star Chalte Chalte:"
"Farah Khan, choreographer/director:"
"Rekha, actress:"
"Madhuri Dixit:"
"Sridevi, actress"
"Kajol, actress:"
"Saif Ali Khan, co-star Hum Tum:"
"Abhishek Bachchan, co-star Yuva:"
"Aishwarya Rai, actress:"
"Sushmita Sen, co-star Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai:"
"Amitabh Bachchan, co-star KANK:"
"Jaya Bachchan:"
"Vidya Balan, actress:"
"Kareena Kapoor, actress:"
"Priyanka Chopra, actress:"
"Bipasha Basu, actress:"
"Preity Zinta, co-star Chori Chori Chupke Chupke:"
"Anil Kapoor, actor"
"Akshay Kumar, actor"
"John Abraham, co-star Baabul:"
"Arjun Rampal, actor:"
"Ranveer Singh, actor"
"Anushka Sharma, actress"
"Parineeti Chopra, actress"
"Sonam Kapoor, actress"
"Deepika Padukone, actress"
"Ranbir Kapoor, actor"
"Neetu Singh, actress"
"Shabana Azmi, actress:"
"Gauri Khan, Shahrukh Khan's wife"
"Vaibhavi Merchant, choreographer"
"Hrithik Roshan, actor:"
"Bobby Deol, actor"
"Govinda, actor"
"Jay Sean, singer"
"Suniel Shetty, actor"
"Arbaaz Khan, actor, director, producer"
"Shahid Kapoor, actor"
"Anupam Kher, actor:"
"Vivek Oberoi, actor:"
"Emraan Hashmi, actor:"
"Jaquline Fernanadez, actress"
"Konkona sen Sharma, actress"
"Kunal Kapoor, actor"
"General Pervez Musharraf, president of Pakistan:"
"Manish Malhotra, fashion designer:"
"Komal Nahata, critic:"
"Sanjay Mehta, distributor:"
"Jaideep Sahni, writer:"
"Vinod Mirani, box office editor:"
"On being honored at the Casablanca Film Festival in 2005:"
"{{cite web | title=thebollynews.in|url=https://www.thebollynews.in/"
"On being invited to the State Dinner with General Pervez Musharraf:"
"Plus Point:"
"Minus Point:"
"As an Actress:"
"On School:"
"On First Encounters With Bollywood:"
"Things she find most attractive in a man:"
"Love, money, sex or power:"
"Competition"
"I lost my father when I was 13-years-old. He was a great man, my father, and very intelligent. I love him very much. I believe it's very important that parents have a personal connection with their children. It helps kids feel more secure, have a feeling of family, makes them feel loved."
"Whenever I came across something that influenced me, I wanted to be that. So it varied from an astronaut, airhostess, army girl, to truck driver. Once, I wanted to be a nun - my mother wanted me to change schools after that..."
"I am single and desperately looking for a good man in my life. I did have major crushes when I was younger but no serious relationship."
"I want to bring a change and do something new and different in my profession, but in the beginning I'll have to toe line, I want to be known as a performer not a star."
"I am proud to be part of today's Bollywood. I love dancing and lip synching to our songs."
"To act, you must know pain. You must know what it means to be in love, what it means to be rejected."
"You know what's the worst part about being an actress? It's the pressure to look gorgeous all the time and to behave perfectly. But I'm not perfect, nobody is."
"Acting can truly take a toll on your nerves. I mean we have to be larger than life. Worse, I've seen actors acting off the sets too."
"On the changing face of Indian cinema "At one time I wondered if I was doing the right films, today I know I have made the right choices. Indian cinema is changing, not step by step but by leaps. New blood is coming in, mindsets are changing and our exposure to the world is ever-increasing. I am glad these positive changes are happening when I am in the industry and not ten years from now."
"On love at first sight It is superficial to fall in love with someone looking at their face. To me I need to discover the person. I would never look at someone and exclaim - He is the one!"
"I don't see myself working in a Hollywood film."
"The Fastest way to make you dream come true is to wake up!"
"How do I pick a role? Well, primarily I think I would like to be part of a film that's progressive as well as entertaining, you know? Because in India we have a huge amount of audience that is not educated, and they really look up to films... So I think it's important to do a film... that's entertaining but has a message. And after that I'd like to do films that are different for me -- if I'm doing a love story then I want to do a war film, if I'm doing a war film then I want to do a story about an un-wed mother. I think variety is the spice of life."
"...my favourite [co-actor] is always the recent one I'm working with. But I think one of my personal favourites is Shah Rukh, he's one of the best actors I've worked with."
"Becoming an actress"
"First job in acting"
"I wear Whatever I feel comfortable in. I like to mix and match. I'll buy something from the street. I'll buy something from a fashion house."
"I had to attend this party instantly and I didn't have shoes. So I went and bought a pair of shoes worth 1,200 Euro. I look at those shoes and go 'This is the most expensive bite of my life'."
"On Rani Mukerji:"
"On Karan Johar:"
"On Salman Khan:"
"On Bobby Deol:"
"On her co-stars generally:"
"Rani Mukerji:"
"Abhishek Bachchan:"
"Brett Lee:"
"Akshay Kumar"
"Hrithik Roshan"
"Manisha Koirala"
"Gracy Singh"
"Saif Ali Khan"
"Priyanka Chopra:"
"Celina Jaitley:"
"Tania Zaetta, Australian TV actress and co-star in Salaam Namaste"
"Upen Patel (model and actor)"
"Katrina Kaif"
"On Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Music directors of Kal Ho Naa Ho"
"On Shaad Ali, Director of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom"
"On Rituparno Ghosh, Director of The Last Lear"
"Farah Khan (Choreographer)"
"Tanuja Chandra (Director of Sangharsh)"
"Deepa Mehta (Director of Heaven on Earth)"
"On Jaan-E-Mann:"
"On Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna:"
"On Chori Chori Chupke Chupke:"
"On Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) and Shaad Ali:"
"On Lakshya (2004)"
"On Veer-Zaara (2004)"
"On being invited to the Cannes Film Festival in 2006:"
"On shooting in New York:"
"I begin with two memories of my childhood. Don't ask me why, because I do not know. Perhaps because it helps to get things started."
"The demolition of the Babri Masjid was the last straw. Naseem (1995) was almost like an epitaph. After the film, I had really nothing to say. I needed to regain my faith and retain my sanity. So I decided to travel around India and document it on a video camera"
"I’ve always maintained that it’s easy to make a film on Adolf Hitler. What is difficult is to find out why he struck a chord with the German people; what is the nature of fear, aspiration and identity that he evoked in them that it became Hitler’s Germany."
"Obviously I think I've been very lucky, to start off with such a good break, and to have a film that not only was a hit but where I didn't have to compromise … in terms of doing a mindless movie — it was also a movie, for me as an actor which was very fulfilling…"
"I wanted to kind of make sure that people know that I'm here to stay, because this is home, and I am born here — I'm not a foreigner in that sense."
"I think the chemistry we have is that we both think very dark when it comes to stories."
"It's all a part of this world where we're all kind of mixing a lot, and… in that way we're all a bit confused about who we are, where we belong, where's home, and … who is important to us…"
"Enter Chanda, the multilingual call girl who can seduce in Hindi, Tamil, English and French. With her bee-stung lips, unusual face and refreshing lack of acting guile, Kalki Koechlin imbues the part with a touching fragility."
"Dev.D is a tryst with milestone cinema, reminiscent of Baz Luhrmann's Shakespeare-shaken-and-stirred in Romeo and Juliet. Kashyap, however, gets even more adventurous and adds a progressive flourish to both the plot and the characters which are played to perfection by the three lead players. If Mahi and Kalki are riveting new finds, assured of a long innings in cinema, then Abhay Deol adds a whole new meaning to the term "Unconventional Hero"."
"The clown company played by Atul Kumar, Kalki Koechlin, Sujay Saple, Neil Bhoopalam, Namit Das and Puja Sarup are outstanding in their role[s]. This is just outstanding casting by the director and The Company Theatre."
"Loy Mendonsa: Ehsaan gets very upset if it sounds remotely like anything else. Then he'll get sleepless nights. Then next morning we'll see him with dark circles"
"Loy Mendonsa: Technology has changed a lot and has made copying easier. People are not morally hassled by it any more. Morality has changed."
"Shankar Mahadevan: We come from different musical backgrounds. It's our USP too. We work more like a band rather than just composers. All our compositions come out during jam sessions. I am sure we will never spilt because we understand and respect each other's creativity."
"Loy Mendonsa: I'm often asked how we function within a trio. I tell them you must try sitting on a two-legged chair."
"Ehsaan Noorani: (on R.D. Burman) He thought light years ahead of everyone else. He was very global in what he did. Even with limited technology and media coverage, RD did exemplary work."
"Shankar Mahadevan: There is a very thick line between being repetitive and having your own sound. You can always re-invent yourself - think about the sounds you are using. I don't see any reason why you have to be repetitive if you have enough knowledge, enough exposure."
"Shankar Mahadevan: Classical music is a great advantage you have. Be it during composing or arranging, classical music is like grammar."
"I could not take up Dil Chahta Hai. Also, Bunty Aur Babli. But I am glad that Shankar Ehsaan and Loy were able to shine in these films. I love their work in these films."
"Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are doing some nice songs."
"I am a huge fan of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy ever since I 'discovered' their music in Dil Chahta Hai. Ever since, every track of theirs was a masterpiece for me, be it Salaam-E-Ishq, Kal Ho Na Ho, Lakshya."
"Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy have been great inspiration for us."
"Here are his earlier letters to me, that I've framed. I call them ‘my degrees’."
"“Propaganda films I am against,” Kamal Haasan said at a presser in Abu Dhabi, adding, “It’s not enough if you just write ‘true story’ at the bottom as a logo. It has to really be true, and that (the film) is not true.”"
"I receive them only when he thinks I deserve it — I have to work for them!"
"I had to read it out to my sister, who was witness to my early dark days, when my mother was afraid what would happen to me. But, I knew I couldn't read without choking up, so I asked Gautami to read it out for me."
"I use the word ‘guru' for him in the mythological sense — all other educationists ask for payment for knowledge imparted; this gentleman paid me and taught me. What a journey it has been, after I met him at the age of 17-and-a-half."
"I prepare even for a conversation with him — I never want to say too little or too much. And, I never disturb him except when I feel I've done something worthwhile. It's a rare relationship — unconditional and [professional]]."
"To have won a place in his heart among all those he has mentored and created, itself is a distinction."
"With this film I have made more money than any of my other films. It was a high-wire act."
"Who will speak like that? In our generation there have not been friends like Rajini and I are. He could have just said a few words of praise and gone away – and then there was no need to say."
"Glad my name came up. Thank audience, mentor, all who made my workplace enjoyable."
"Subjugation is something which is an impedance on the ascent of man."
"I'm proud of her [Shruti] because she isn't doing a product of our home banner Rajkamal Films. The only thing Rajkamal did for her was to give her a chance to do the background score in ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’. It wouldn't matter to me if she failed as a movie actress. But right now it looks like a winning streak."
"When we talk career, we get into an argument. In Hindi films, she is facing the same problems I did. If a K. Balachander hadn't come along to do 'Ek Duuje Ke Liye' with me in Hindi, I wonder what would've happened to me! I would have suffered much worse because Shruti is far more savvy than me."
"...for the Tamil version of ‘[[w:Dasavatharam|Dasavatharam’, she was my coach for my American accent. She had just returned from the US and was the perfect medium to help her father's Madrasi accent to be transformed into a yankee accent. She was a bully. She made me do many retakes in the dubbing. And after dubbing, she wanted me to correct some more of my accent. Everyone thought that was taking it a little too far."
"I was always a reluctant actor! I continue to be that. I announce a project, the camera rolls and I'm happy. I'm fortunate to be doing leading parts even now. Except for my mentor K. Balachander, for whom I can do even a walk-on part. When he directed his 100th film, I just walked in to do a small role. I just clowned around on camera."
"Balachander is my inspiration. He had a heart problem 40 years back. He has been making films for another 46 years. He can never grow old. My father used to be like that until he suffered a stroke. Then I suddenly realized he was an old man.That's also true of my brothers Chandra Haasan and to an extent Charu Haasan.I can never imagine them being old."
"Direction is a lot of responsibility. But if you've been trained under Balachander as I have, it's a lot easier. You have everything down on paper before you start shooting. By now while directing I am experienced enough to know my moves."
"He is a cool cat. I was surprised when he had a heart problem...People think my film with Mani, ‘Nayakan’, is my best work. To an extent it's true. But I'd like to think my best is yet to come."
"I am awestruck and I am happy to see that the book fair happens. I’ve learnt everything I know on the go, like my mother tongue."
"I have great respect for the unconditional teachers called books. Because from a book, you can either learn, or you can’t."
"Someone once asked me what my working timetable was like and when was the last time I went on a holiday. I said about 20 years back. I don’t work anymore, because I get paid to do what I like most. So it’s like a paid holiday."
"Actors can be refined and be better. I’m an improved version of whatever you’ve seen earlier. I do not say this with arrogance, but it is my duty to be better than my predecessor and it’s my duty to see that my successor is better than me."
"For two and a half years, I rigorously trained seven to eight hours a day in two disciplines of dance but moved on to the most versatile medium called cinema which encompassed every form of art."
"I am looking for excellence. Anyone can struggle but they cannot make a ‘perfect’ film."
"It is an award for American excellence that excludes and sometimes gracefully includes some other countries. It is an institution or brand created by Hollywood to promote itself, an award decided by 15 people. How nice it would have been if Satyajit Ray, instead of all his awards, got a few more audiences?"
"It is wrong to celebrate 100 years of cinema with just India. It is 100 years of cinema for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka. All these places saw Indian cinema as it was produced in Lahore, Mumbai, Chennai — it went all the way. It is 100 years of cinema of what used to be my India, my Pakistan, my Afghanistan and my Sri Lanka. That’s how an artist looks at it and it’ll soon be my world. It is the governments and political interests that create borders."
"Mediocrity is set as a standard...rubbish becomes acceptable. This has been the state of Tamil politics for nearly half a century"
""I am anti everything that goes wrong for the people. As for extremism, Hindu extremism exists, read the Tamil papers."
"Many don't get the idea of centrism...we do not have to be left or right"
"From babyhood to childhood, from adolescence to youth, from manhood to middle age, I have been part of this magician's life... Kamal has evolved into everything that I have dreamed he would be. Indeed, I should never be surprised by anything he achieves, yet I am constantly amazed."
"Yes, I own Kamal. Yet, he does not belong to me — he belongs to the world of cinema. It is often argued that had he been born abroad, he would have won the Oscar many times over."
"A few Oscars maybe. But what value are a few Oscars in front of the adulation and warmth of a billion smiles and the awe and respect of a billion salutes? I have never ceased to be amazed by the limits and standards he sets (for) himself — standards that nobody else imagines even exists!"
"I did not teach him everything he knows. He just absorbed everything I knew. The rest he discovered himself by asking, probing, begging, watching, observing, reading, demanding, investigating, improvising, experimenting, experiencing, learning and not being afraid of stretching himself beyond his own limits. I only gave him the platform and the opportunity to discover himself. In the process, I was blessed enough to discover myself."
"He is a legend in every sense of the term. He is a writer, singer, director, lyricist and an actor par-excellence. We are extremely honoured to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Kamal Haasan."
"I walk down the road and people want to kiss me. I'd never do all that to anyone. Not Bachchan or Rajinikanth. The exception is Kamal. I asked him if I could touch him when I first met him,"
"He has an amazing sense of using space. When he plays an old man his gait and the way he stands is enough to convey his age. He doesn't need make-up. I find him greater than Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro put together, I know Kamal can make you cry with a look in his eyes. I know his pauses. He has an amazing sense of timing that he knows the audience likes. He's a technician par excellence. That kind of knowledge and control every actor should strive to get."
"It's Kamal who inspired me to do one film at a time."
"There are some things he can do that others can but there are many things Kamal can do that no other actor can."
"He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of filmmaking and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well."
"I'm always a Kamal Hassan fan...From day one I was very clear that I was not going to tap his immense talent. I've seen it all and he's done it all. I didn't want him to look different like he is in some of his films. I wanted to make a simple film, which will work for a change. I didn't want him to go overboard with anything. He's a good-looking guy in real life and that's the way I wanted him to look. We wanted somebody very sober and quiet so the histrionics were underplayed."
"Definitely from the actors I've worked with and the actors I've watched. I was amazed by the distinct way he handles a scene I've written. It was something I wouldn't have thought of. His way of looking at a scene would be different from what was on paper. He's an institution as far as acting is concerned. For example when I took a scene to him he did something that was not on paper, something you don't expect and can't write."
"In every theater the collections are going up. Only Kamal can do this sort of a role and the film is a turning point for him. Saravanan also rightly advised Kamal not to sell the film - which cost Kamal Rs.80 lakhs to produce - outright, but only on a commission basis, as he felt it would be a "perennial gold-mine"."
"Nobody associated with Sahodarakal is really willing to disclose what camera wizardry it was that finally transformed Kamalahasan into a fascinating midget. Some of the dwarf scenes were shot in a circus playing in Cochin by digging a pit with the actor standing knee-deep in it. The shoes were fixed to his knee and the pit was covered with a carpet."
"I have not seen an actor who would play the most ludicrous roles without bothering about his star image."
"What can we say about Kamal Haasan that has not already been said? This man was born to be an actor. Winning a national award for his first performance as a four year old, he has carved out a niche for himself in the industry like no other [[actor could. Although his acting has been celebrated over the years, his style has not been given due credit. Kamal’s look not only changed as he grew as an actor but was strategically chalked out to suit each of his characters. From his haircut, to beard, mustache, his wardrobe, he was one of those pioneering actors in India to extremely to use prosthetics for different looks. One could say he was addicted to [[w:Experimenting|experimenting with his looks and characters. Go over his career and you will be amazed with exactly how much Kamal’s style has evolved over the past half century."
"He is truly a master of all the arts. But everything has a reason and I decided to find out why. There is a bit of arts in every one and the goddess of the arts of the arts endows some people with extra gifts and leads them by the hand. People like me, Mammootty, Mohan Lal, Venkatesh and Amitabh Bachchan are amongst those whom the goddess has chosen to lead by the hand. But the goddess has picked up Kamal and cradled in her arms and clasped her to her bosom. I asked her “Is this fair” You are holding Kamal close to you. But all of us are also your children, we should be equal in your eyes.” The goddess replied, “Rajini, you wanted to be an actor and struggled to become one from your last life; but Kamal has desired to be an actor for ten lifetimes. Can I put him down?” I told her, no, goddess, let him stay where he is.” Kamal is truly the favorite child of the goddess of arts. I am proud that my name will also go down in history as somebody who has acted with him."
"Only an actor of Kamal's calibre can play a Dwarf effectively."
"I know Kamalahasan rather well personally, but I haven't seen his films. I think he's very talented. I like to talk to him because he's intelligent."
"The range and versatility of Kamalahasan is unbelievable. He is one of our best actors."
"The only person I have hurt is me."
"A lion runs to the fastest when he is hungry.But nomatter how the economy is of the country he can never eat grass."
"The older you get, the better you have to look, the higher you have to kick, the harder you have to work."
"For me acting, comes straight from the heart. In that sense I don't act at all. I think that to feel the character's pain I have to be myself. Somewhere audiences see that."
"[On his childhood problems and his father's second marriage to Helen] It was very difficult in the beginning, when everybody was talking about it. My mother just couldn't take it. It hurt her terribly. She used to worry all the time, go in to depression frequently. When she cried, we children used to cry with her"
"In life go straight and turn right."
"Why should I marry? One marries to have children, but I already have children! My nieces and nephews are my children. I wanted to marry to make babies, but now I have them, so marriage isn't that important, is it?"
"[When asked about the best actresses from the current crop] There's Rani, then there's Preity, Based on work, Aishwarya... Priyanka is very good... Then there are the new girls like Lara and Katrina. [When asked his favorite and the best out the lot] As an actor? Rani Mukerji. [Smiles]"
"I can get caught in many things but there is one thing I will never get caught in, and that is acting - because I don't act. On screen I am like I am in real life."
"I'm not possessive, I'm caring... Once you realize a person doesn't want that much care, you automatically back off."
"Sometimes it happens with me that I start laughing and just can't stop."
"I never avoided the media. Truly, speaking I don’t have any grudges. See, I am ready to give all the answers. Actually, I have changed. There was a time, when I would show my annoyance but every action is guided by a reason. The media annoyed me. I still feel there are certain questions, which are personal, which only my parents or maybe the ones who are really close to me have the right to ask."
"I still don’t have any real interest in painting. I haven’t spoken about it either. I paint for my foundation.. to sell my work for charity. I can’t ask anyone to support or praise my paintings. I’m not a beggar. Tomorrow even if I have nothing at all, I’ll do something or the other, but I won’t beg."
"[When asked about his film release on Eid or Diwali] The best time to release a film is on a festive date like Divali or Eid, or at a time when there are no big films three to four weeks before or after."
"On Aamir Khan"
"On Shah Rukh Khan"
"On Rani Mukerji"
"On Sonakshi Sinha"
"Ram Charan and Chiranjeevi"
"Aamir Khan"
"Shah Rukh Khan"
"Ajay Devgan"
"Rani Mukerji"
"Bipasha Basu"
"Ameesha Patel"
"Diya Mirza"
"Shilpa Shetty"
"Priyanka Chopra"
"Preity Zinta"
"I'm a huge Salman fan. I`m not just waiting; I`m dying to work with him. And he has huge fan following at my office. My writers and directors are a smitten bunch. They tell me, take your time signing him for a film, but please just call him to the office so we can interact, click pics and chat with him."
"[Recalling a serious accident he went through] I feel I couldn't go through with the traumatic time if it wasn't for Salman Khan . He not only stood by me, but made sure that I resumed shooting within six days of the fire. He dropped in twice on the sets after I returned to shoot just to see if all was okay. Salman is and always will be my dearest friend and my brother."
"Nothing on earth can ruin my relationship with Salim uncle's family. Not many people know that my mother and Salman's father have acted in a film together. I've known the family for donkey's years. Salman and I have grown up together. If he sulks with me or acts tough, I can kick his ass. There can't be any problem between us."
"However, the fact that Mushrif has to apologise for giving his community good news from Gujarat, gives us an idea of the kind of intellectual terror Congress and its “secular” allies have come to exercise among Muslims. They must appear as permanent victims in the Congress scheme of things or else be declared traitors as happened with Salman Khan, who dared speak a few mild words in favour of Modi’s regime or, worse still, be bulldozed into silence as happened with Maulana Vastanvi."
"”I am bored to talk of my films. I cannot even bear to see most of them.”"
"On her passion for acting: "I used to feel a sort of emptiness before I started acting but not any longer... If I were not an actress, I’d have gone crazy.""
"Women are meant to be loved and not understood."
"My kids were in boarding school. I was a bit bored of just jet setting from one country to another. So I came to India to do Aandhiyaan for a lark. I think it was one of David Dhawan's best films, even better than Aankhen. But I was heartbroken when it flopped."
"Mumtaz was in the Marilyn Monroe-mould - every man's fantasy woman. She is or was, the kind of woman any man would want to pamper and bury in diamonds, silks, satins... She had a courtesan kind of charm. Absolutely top marks go to her as greatest sex symbol. She was cute, impish, voluptuous. The way she used her body was so natural. She looked juicy! Her smile, her eyes, her pug nose, she was all woman. I don't think anyone else projected sexuality the way she did. She was a raving beauty, and in person too, was very attractive. A great smile, a great sense of humour, and a very no-nonsense down-to-earth manner. She was one woman who did not antagonise other women. And I'm sure every man she met lusted after her. She seemed immensely beddable."
"Mumtaz was sensitive, quick to understand and translate every nuance I hinted at, onto the screen, but she was always Dara Singh's Heroine for public. Even Devsaab (Dev Anand) could not get over that image."
"Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us."
"Shammiji is said to be India's answer to Elvis Presley, but I say that Elvis Presley is America's answer to Shammi Kapoor. The mark of a good actor is the belief with which he gives a shot and Shammiji gave his each shot with a strong belief and that makes him a great actor of all times."
"Indian film awards lack credibility."
"It's not important to me... people will see my films if they want to. Also, I cannot deal with so many things, I have bandwidth only for that much."
"I would love to work with Salman. We have a great tuning so if we work together, it will be great fun. But till the time we don't get a good script, a script that excites both of us, we can't work together."
"In the last two years there was a brief period that he decided to quit the films as it is affecting his personal life in many ways."
"Aamir Khan is an intelligent actor with an eye for detail. He places the film above every individual or ego."
"He was my hero in Ghulam. After that there was a long gap until Mangal Pandey. In between he did want me for Lagaan. Today, we're very close friends. The equation is different. I remembered how he used to show me to do scenes. He still tells me how to do my scenes."
"It was not really the external influences that made me a singer. Music was within me. I was full of it"
"People should be blessed in life with friends who are both "Mirrors & Shadows"! Mirrors don't lie & shadows never leave."
"Mohd Rafi saab and I fought over royalty rights. At a meeting attended by prominent singers and musicians, he stood up and said, Main aaj se Lata ke saath nahin gaoonga. I retorted, Rafi saab, 'ek minute. Aap nahin gaayenge mere saath yeh galat baat hai. Main aapke saath nahin gaoongee. I stormed out and called all my composers there and then and informed them to rope in another singer if it was a duet with Rafi saab."
"When I speak, my Urdu isn’t very good but when I sing I make sure there are no flaws in my diction."
"I first listen to someone who speaks the language and who reads the lyrics to me. I pay great attention to pronunciation. Once I hear the words spoken, I write the song lines phonetically in Hindi and then sing. By the grace of god, my songs in other languages – including Bengali – have been appreciated. People say they are good and the words have been correctly pronounced."
"If he says that I am the voice of the century, then I would say that he is the writer of the century."
"In fact, veteran politician LK Advani said, “Lata ji has been my all time favourite among popular singers and I feel fortunate to have shared a long association with her. I recall the time when she recorded a beautiful Shri Ram Bhajan and sent it to me when I was about to undertake my Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya. That memorable song–“Ram Naam Mein Jaadu Aisa, Ram Naam Man Bhaaye, Man Ki Ayodhya tab tak sooni, jab tak Ram Na aaye…”became the signature tune of my Yatra.”.”"
"“The whole of India sings in the voice of Maharashtra, and that voice is of Lata Mangeshkar,” said veteran journalist P. K. Atre once, when asked about the musical contributions of the Mangeshkar family to the nation."
"I consider it my honour that I have always received immense affection from Lata Didi. My interactions with her will remain unforgettable. I grieve with my fellow Indians on the passing away of Lata Didi. Spoke to her family and expressed condolences. Om Shanti."
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while paying his tributes to the legendary singer, said, “I am anguished beyond words. The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people.”"
"Lata was beyond words. She was a miracle that will never happen never again."
"India's greatest playback singer Lata Mangeshkar who sang for him [Naushad] in the film."
"Lata Mangeshkar was known to have been a sympathiser of the Hindutva ideology. In fact, she was a sympathiser of the pro-Hindu Mahasabha, which is a hardcore rightist organisation. Despite that she was given various awards by governments of varying political hues only and only for her mind-boggling contribution to film music."
"I went to the temple, not to pay homage to Lord Mangesh, but on a sort of pilgrimage to see the place where you were born."
"I was born in Lucknow 1938, 4 February. It was Friday. A hot day as it usually happens in spring...in that home where I was born there were only girls. I was the only boy. So our neighbours came saw that that there were all girls and just one boy... like Krishna and gopis they used to say. So my name became Brijmohan Misra. Brij is the name of the city where Krishna was born and ‘Mohan ‘means attraction. Brijmohan is a way of saying Krishna, the god of love and dance."
"Solo dance was complete by one. Now because everybody is bored, feeling bored by one dancer only they are taking 10,20 people."
"Earlier one person would do a sam and the audience ten feet away knew that a new tukda was about to begin but now fifty of us did the same movement with the same precision; the audience even two hundred feet away knew and understood. Yes, we connected to many because we were many presenting one. We simply enlarged ourselves by being many more of us and we engulfed the stage."
"Brijmohan Maharaj’s Kamdeva matched grace with grace. To the loving he added fear, and a secret knowledge of his fate. Together they devised a poignancy that was memorable and must surely be rare in dance."
"The shelf-life of a heroine is very limited. But I feel that a true artiste should never retire. Even now, I can't say no to a role that excites me. But I don't see films as my career any longer. I do it for the fun and satisfaction."
"There are so many acting schools these days. Maybe, the new generation of actors is forgetting that acting is more emotional than mechanical. Take dancing, today's dancers are not dancing; they're just performing a drill to some beats."
"I've made a few films and by the grace of God, you've liked them."
"Music earlier used to be an integral part of the film. The background score and the songs were as important, to take the story forward as were the screenplay and dialogues."
"Today that rarely happens. Most often the songs are used as a relief. They have nothing to do with the film per say. And all look almost the same. Just replace the central characters and a step here and there...choreography remains the same in most cases. So does the beat. We have so many classical dances and folk dances in the country but nobody seems to be using them."
"How often do you come out of a film these days humming a song? Earlier I thought that my age had something to do with it. But then I spoke with some youngsters and they seemed to agree in retrospect.""
"Arre bhai...there is so much more to Indian music than those beats. I have done bhangra...nothing against it. But why do we present only that to the Indian and global audience. Punjabi language and music has become the language of the film industry unfortunately. Be it Singh is King or London Dreams or New York Beats are the same. agreed you cannot use classical or folk music in New York or Singh is King but London Dreams — it's supposed to be a musical. Music should have been the soul of it. But that is the weakest thing in the film. So much could have been done — classical music and folk music could have been used. But they didn't. They want to finish of work ASAP. Quantity, not quality has taken over."
"The director's word used to be final. Today directors don't even come on sets for a dance sequence. Its canned by the choreographer."
"Guide, Pyaasa — these are my films that can be remade with current actors. But the music and lyrics should not be changed. Because you cannot have a samba or bhangra beat for the seduction scene in Pyaasa...the beauty will be lost."
"Take risks and don't fear failure"
"What matters most in life is good health and a good night's sleep.""
"It was important to have compassion, [which, she added, came ]] partly from acknowledging we are one."
"I don't believe in remakes. I think original films are classics and one can't make it or match up to it (original film) the same way. And even if they do there will be comparisons...it's not a good idea,""
"I definitely think this is the best time to be in the industry. Earlier, films were made on a set pattern- love story, family drama, one is rich and other is poor type formulas. But today there are different kinds of films being made and accepted by the audience. I wish I was there in the industry today...I wish I was born in today's time."
"Yes, my acting was not stylised. I always underplayed, maybe because I never learnt acting. I thought the best way is to feel it and do it. And when you feel it, the emotions come out naturally. Gulabo (Pyaasa) was liked by people and I started getting different roles. If I liked a story my attitude used to be: this is the scene, this is the character and I have to do it. I never thought about the repercussions of doing a character."
"A good artiste should be able to portray any kind of role. Guide is closest to my heart because Rosie was a very mature character. She is married to Marco and yet decides to go in for a live-in relationship with Raju. Many producers saw it as a negative role, a wrong step at that stage of my career and advised me not to do it, but to me a role was a role. But sometimes personalities do come in the way."
"In those days the heroes and heroines had to play characters, which were essentially good. Now there is no such compulsion. And it is a good thing. I like the choices Vidya Balan has made. People say mine was the golden age of cinema. I think we are on the threshold of another golden period."
"Cinema is a product of society. You look around you, the way women dress up for parties is no longer the same."
"Everyone is born for something. This girl was born for the camera."
"The instant Waheeda Rehman arrived for her ten days shooting in Calcutta, she charmed every member of Ray’s unit. She lacked star airs and graces, never behaved in a pretentious manner and was content to go about off the set in her own face without make-up. There was an unspoilt quality about her personality and she was conspicuously receptive to Ray’s direction. She was pliable, with few ingrained mannerisms."
"Dinner followed thereafter among a small group of common friends, a surprise being the presence of my favorite Waheeda Rehman. Now aged and well within her years, she to me described what the conventional Indian woman ought to be in look and behaviour. Those early films 'Pyaasa' and 'Kaagaz ke Phool' and 'Chaudhavin ka Chand' and 'Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam' are unforgettable for the charm and grace and childlike softness of an ethereal looking Waheeda ji, alluring and dynamic by the intensity of her simple and endearing looks and performance."
"I was and still am her great admirer and fan. She signified to me the epitome of Indian grace and culture. She possessed in her the mischievous streak of that precocious village belle and the spirited movement of a Shiv Tandav. She looked vulnerable and lost, searching for protection in one moment, yet knowledged and mature in another. You felt like protecting and guarding her from all the evil of the world and to gently wipe away any frayed eyebrows that may have accumulated on her face. Her performances were pure and clean, without effort and deliberate design. They were just a part of her - simple and soft."
"And you cannot imagine the excitement when I came to be cast with her in Sunil Dutt's 'Reshma Aur Shera'. It was like an unbelievable dream. The Rajasthan location of Jaisalmer and the hot deserts beyond that in the village of Pochina merely a few meters away from the Pakistan border. The arduous drive for hours into the interiors without any navigation and roads. Miles and miles of barren dessert and dunes with a scarcity of every possible material good, required for survival"
"I’m constantly searching for right roles, trying to find what suits me the best. Once I find my metier, I’ll elaborate on that, polish my act and then move on. Some actors quickly find a genre they’re comfortable with and then they perfect it. Others do diverse things until they find what suits them. I’m doing the latter. I still haven’t found the role that I can do full justice to. I’m discovering myself as an actor."
"Life is a journey which is far more enjoyable when your holding hands with the ones you love"
"And the sun sets on another year. Much to ponder upon, even more to look forward to..."
"I am an easy going person. I don't sing for money or fame. I was brought up in an environment where I was taught to love and respect music, not consider it a business."
"I always feel that I must do something new, at least for my fans."
"Hahaha... I can't understand why people constantly speak about the romantic quality in my voice. I have never made a conscious effort to sing with an extra romantic effect. But, I do enjoy love songs, as I am a romantic person."
"The focus is only on singing. But a National Award is like a pat on the back as it's given to the best. Being awarded is also nerve-racking as the expectations and pressure rise. But it just motivates me to work harder."
"Bollywood film music composers are under a lot of pressure to add elements of disco or bhangra or any other flavour currently popular with the youth. But when it comes to regional films, composers are given a free hand and they compose music they believe in. I think it's a matter of great pride to be singing such soulful tunes."
"Oh, I have a special way of writing the lyrics when it is dictated to me. No matter what the language of the song, even if it is Bengali, I write it in Hindi. I have certain notations and markings to indicate the way it should be pronounced. I feel the Devanagari script is the closest to the phonetics of the language. English alphabets are not very good for that purpose. Moreover, I listen carefully and try to grasp as much as possible when the lyrics are read to me."
"Seriously! Acting in films is not my cup of tea. The joy I find in being a pucca musician is unparalleled."
"A studio is like a meditation room where music is created. And a live performance is the place where the creation of the studio is taken ahead. I love both."
"I love the idea of waking up to a song. It could be any song."
"I think today there is space and work available for everyone out here. Earlier the scenario was different. Like there was a time when there was monopoly, only two or three singers would get to sing...It was difficult that time. But today the emphasis is on newness, novelty, so there is room for everyone."
"I am not a competitive person. I am a kind who will cheer for every one who is stepping up the stage for the award and I congratulate all the nominees and the winners along with me. Because according to me all the singers who were nominated are best as they sang different kinds of songs."
"An award means a lot to me. It brings happiness along with a kind of fear. It brings fear because the award is the responsibility which audiences have put on us. So a singer winning an award should always try to give best of him to the audiences."
"To me, music is oxygen and I know that someday even if I can't sing, I can always continue listening to it."
"As someone who worships music, I believe it can never be ugly!"
"I actually have a lot of couples coming and telling me that one of my songs was instrumental in strengthening their romance."
"Titles or awards are not the mark of your success. They are the beginning of a life-long sadhana. Learning should never stop. Discipline of riyaz is a must if you are serious about pursuing an art."
"If music is what can be called my strategy, then every singer should be trying that."
"Everything has a time; it’s not necessary that everyone gets a break at the age of 16. There are so many renowned actors and singers who have got their break much later in life. Don’t hurry and let the music remain pure."
"You do not want to hear your voice in every song, as it gets monotonous. So, it’s important to have the right kind of balance."
"Music completely overpowers me. Love it when I can experience it with my live audience."
"I want to keep working 24*7. When I am not singing, I go into deep introspection mode and start asking myself, why I am not getting much songs. I feel even working 24*7 every day is less for me."
"I love to travel and read books but it's cooking that has a healing effect on me. Whenever I am not well I cook something nice and the aroma of the food works wonders for me."
"I believe, entertainment has its pros and cons. It is important, but too much involvement of kids can deter them from achieving their key goals."
"I don't believe in pretending to be someone else. I'm what I actually am in real life. For instance, like any normal girl, I fight with my mother. I mean, it is just fine. In fact, I fight daily with my mother."
"I am not the kind of person who fights. You will not see me fighting with anyone. It's like if I like someone and the other two judges don't agree with my judgement, I may cry, but I won't walk away from the sets or anything like that."
"I do not like sweets. But if I have to choose one, it has to be rasmalai."
"Reading the newspaper or watching the news in the morning. I don’t like starting my day on a bad note."
"When people address me as Shreyaji, I tell them, ek G Ghoshal ka to banta hai, lekin (G for Ghoshal is alright, but) please don’t call me Shreyaji!."
"Today kids are more advanced, smarter. When we came in reality show we were untrained in terms of facing television. That time TV was just starting out. We were nervous and shy. Today`s kids have seen it all."
"It's not a new thing but maybe people have started noticing me more now. It's a good change for me and everyone else. I have always enjoyed dressing up but I don't do it as often as I would want to, because it's time consuming. But now, especially when I have to go for fancy promotional visits, I try to enjoy the process of letting the make-up and hair people do their job."
"I have always wanted to get married since I was 20. I am a very romantic person and have fallen in love plenty of times. I adore people and get smitten by some people and have made my mistakes. I like men who have their own voice, are opinionated but are not rude. I don't like very serious people as I believe that there must be a fun element to life."
"I believe without a struggle there is no fun. If everything comes easily to you then there is no sense of satisfaction at having achieved something."
"I still get heartbreak fan mail. I think fans who send them are in denial. They are unable to accept that I am married now. And, yes, I enjoy it (laughs)."
"Shreya Ghoshal has such a stunning voice."
"Shreya Ghoshal is an asset to the music industry."
"With her "Issshhhhhh..." in 'Bairi Piya' song from Devdas, Shreya Ghoshal, the Bengali beauty became the singing sensation of India."
"She doesn’t like corrections. She would rather do it again than leave it to the machine."
"The best quality about her is that the expressions come perfectly along with mannerisms. If there'll be best all-time singers, Shreya will surely be included in that. She is very special to me"."
"She is one of the most versatile and accomplished singers of the past decade and the current Bollywood scene."
"She is lovely as always."
"I take that as a compliment but I’m nowhere close to Shreya Ghoshal."
"Shreya is one of the most beautiful things to have happened to Music."
"Sorry sad to hear abt Bhupen Hazarika Ji. Another legend lost. His voice and songs will be alive in our hearts forever. Rest in peace."
"Zindagi kaisi hai paheli, Puchho na kaise, ek chatur naar, aao twist karein, aaja sanam madhur.. Such versatility and command over all genres. Rest in peace Manna Dey saab.. You and your voice are immortal.. Your songs will continue to inspire millions forever."
"He is an encyclopedia of good music. He creates magic. He is humble and genius. He is a dedicated, passionate person and believes in perfection. So all those who work with him, including the actors, believe in giving their best. He gets the best out of everyone."
"I am fortunate to have worked with him and to have known him for so many years, and with no hesitation, I can say that there is absolutely no one with that passion for music and of course, films. He is an encyclopaedia of Indian music. So when we are in the studio, I just follow him like a student. He is as brilliant a composer as he is a director-producer."
"Dipa Karmakar You are an inspiration. Keep working hard, keep making us proud. It's hard being an athlete in India, yet you did it all."
"Working with Gulzar uncle is a dream for anyone who is sensitive towards music and literature, and I am one of them. Although I've had his affection in the professional relationship that we shared, being part of an album that is so close to his heart is a privilege."
"Unfortunately, some conflict entrepreneurs live off conflicts. Just as the war industries would cease to exist if human hatred evaporated, conflict entrepreneurs have a tremendous investment in this hatred. To keep the demon alive is to keep their God alive. They draw sustenance from this hatred. Those who talk of secular values need to go back and study the Mahatma because in the pages of the Mahatma, there is no concept of the kshatru (enemy)."
"Bhatt sahib told me, “Yaar, I have never seen any other politician or chief minister act with such alacrity and determination anywhere else in India.” He openly praised Modi’s conduct in the Film Federation meeting saying, “one does not see any other state of India demonstrate such strong commitment to the rule of law.”"
"I didn’t use Fair and Lovely. I was very proud of my skin colour. How does it matter? I am an actor, I am not here to sell my fairness. I used to laugh, actually. I found those people so ignorant. So regressive. They are still stuck in that era - hero matlab gora chitta, 6 foot."
"I am an actor. Give me any part…Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar for Tropic Thunder. He played an African-American. Acting has no limits."
"I was his favourite grandchild. Whenever my mom shouted at me I would call him up and he would fire her. I, being his first grandson, was special. Every weekend, the grandkids used to go to his home in Chembur. He kept a bag of toffees and gave us one every time we salomed him. I once asked him for a suit when he was visiting Russia. He got back two bags of suits in every colour possible. He never shopped for anyone else."
"I'm extremely happy about the appreciation I got for my first film. My parents are very proud of me, and that makes me happy. And I'm very happy about my relationship with Deepika. I'm in a very happy place and I want to be this way all the time."
"Yes, I have, out of immaturity, out of inexperience, out of taking advantage of certain temptations, out of callousness. You realise it now, when you grow up and you value it more why be in a relationship, why be committed to someone when you cannot be committed? I've realised that now. That's why I don't want to jump into a relationship with anybody because ... unless you have a special bond, a special equation with somebody, somebody who you can be committed to, somebody who can trust you, who you can respect, there's no point."
"Both of us are sure about our relationship and if we don't open about it now, it would be showing disrespect to the relationship. I am 33 now and it is time I have my family. Even Katrina wants that. I have grown up in a family where film is everything. So, I know the importance of gossip and my funda is simple. When there is gossip, try not to react and it is advisable not to think too much about yourself."
"I don't have a drinking addiction but yes I have a tendency to drink a lot. When I start, I don't stop. I guess it's in my blood; you know how my family is. They are all very fond of alcohol. So, yes it's in my genes to drink."
"Celebrity life is not easy. There is a lot of scrutiny. This is compounded with the coming of mobile phones and smart phones which have a camera. There is constant attention, sometimes too much of it. But this is something you take in your stride. If you decided to be an actor, then with that kind of territory comes a lot of attention and I am only too happy to receive attention."
"Yes, I always knew it was her. We started dating around August 2012, and by December 2012, I knew that she was the woman. I was very convinced, so I always approached the relationship that way. I nurtured and cultivated it with the feeling that this is forever. Let me tell you honestly, two very big things have happened in my life. First, I became an actor and it was a huge thing for me. Second, I married her. And this is what makes me feel like maine life mein kuch kiya hai. Maybe, it’s my good karma or blessings… I know that I have the best life partner in Deepika and I understood early on, that it doesn’t get better than her. I have been proven right by myself, as during those six years (when they were dating) kuch bhi ho sakta tha, I could have met someone, but I didn’t meet anyone like her. I haven’t met anyone like her, ever."
"Ranveer is definitely my cheerleader…but it’s not just on social media, it’s at home, too, like when I try my hand at gardening or cooking a meal. Even when he meets my parents, he always tells them how proud he is of me. He pays attention to the little things, and that’s what I appreciate about him the most."
"I have been a vegetarian all my life, as has my family, including all my dogs. Even when my father, a nonvegetarian, comes home for dinner, he has to eat vegetarian fare."
"I was more like a tomboy. That’s what I have been told by everyone. Life changed after I started acting and I was committed to my work. But life after marriage has changed me completely. I am loving this phase and I enjoy being with my husband Bharat and daughter Radhya. … I am enjoying this phase [of motherhood]. I feel complete now. You celebrate life with children around. I have finally become a woman now. I will soon have my second child and my family will be complete."
"Being a vegetarian always made me feel healthy. I've always felt light. Every time I sit down to eat, I'm helping the environment. I'm proud to be a vegetarian."
"I love the art of cooking. Mixing ingredients, creating an aroma, chopping vegetables — everything about cooking entices me. I learnt to cook from my mother, she is a wonderful cook and that makes me a wonderful eater as well. To make things better for me, my wife Aishwarya is also a wonderful cook and is brilliant with her dishes. My love for food makes it necessary for me to workout as well. I am a vegetarian, so I need to take care to supplement my body with protein."
"Even seemingly small choices can have a big impact on our health, our community and the world around us. Going vegetarian is one of the easiest ways to improve our health, help countless animals and protect the Earth."
"Going vegetarian is not only a great way to trim your waist, but you'll be shrinking your carbon footprint too. I love that my diet is as kind to the planet as it is to animals and my health!"
"I love chicks, pigs, cows, fish, and all the other animals too. That's why I turned vegetarian. … I am very happy being a vegetarian and I believe that it is the best way to be. The day I started believing in the fact that I would want not to kill animals for my taste buds, that is the day everything changed for me."
"I stopped eating meat 4-5 years ago. What has happened now is that I've stopped taking milk and milk products. I am lacto-sensitive. A lot of people are lacto-sensitive. But they don't realize it. … In my own home, my mother is a strict vegetarian, always has been. And I've taken after her, I guess. … There are lots of young boys and girls who look up to me. If I keep quiet on an issue, I believe all those who believe in me they will feel let down. So yes, I am not afraid of expressing my opinion. … I will never speak on individuals. It will be issues that affect our country. I am so thoroughly Indian. I love my country, but that doesn't mean I'll lie about its weaknesses. I am not blinded by my love for my country. I am so glad I don't have yes-men around me. When they surround you with flattery, you stop growing. The same is true of India."
"thumbThe emotions conveyed through your performance will be etched in our memories for years to come."
"he visuals of the song evoked a sense of inspiration and aspiration and these are the exact qualities I felt during your performance. The way you sang the song"
"I have checked this with authoritative historians and Akbar never did attempt to start a new religion. This is a fact which was in our history books called the Din-e Elahi. But Akbar never used the word Din-e Elahi, ever. He called it Wahdat-e Elahi, which means oneness of the creator. That no matter who you worship, in what form you worship him, you’re worshipping the creator. You may worship a stone, you may worship a crucifix, you may bow your head to the Kaaba, you may worship the rising sun and do what you like, but you are worshipping one and the same thing. That was his belief. This is what I found out."
"“These were people who came here to loot, the Mughals didn’t come here to loot. They came here to make this their home and that’s what they did. Who can deny their contribution?”... “If everything they did was horrible, then knock down the Taj Mahal, knock down the Red Fort, knock down Qutub Minar. Why do we consider the Red Fort sacred, it was built by a Mughal. We need not glorify them, but there is no need to vilify them either.”... “Tipu Sultan is vilified! A man who gave his life to drive the English away. (And it’s now being said), ‘Do you want Tipu Sultan or the Ram Temple?’ I mean, what kind of logic is this? I don’t think there is room for debate, because they can’t ever see my point of view and I can’t ever see theirs,” he added."
"In an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in, when asked Naseeruddin Shah about how he sees this trend, he said, “Worthwhile films like Bheed, Afwaah, Faraaz, all three collapsed. Nobody went to see them, but they are flocking to see The Kerala Story which I have not seen, and I don’t intend to see because I have read enough about it.”"
"What these people don’t realise is that what they are doing is very harmful. In fact, films like Kerala Story and Gadar 2, I haven’t seen them but I know what they are about, it’s disturbing that films like Kashmir Files are so massively popular…"
"My Father always told me; “why do you want to fit inside a glass slipper, when you can shatter the glass ceiling?”"
"All through our lives we have to stand on our toes when we are doing some work. You know, we cannot be complacent and we cannot say we have done it all. Because there will be something that we cannot do."
"Life is too short. I don't have time to speak slowly."
"You create a work of art. You do not know whether it will get public sanction. Sometimes outstanding films do no business, and sometimes films which are not so good work."
"If I wanted, I could have ruled half of Bombay."
"Life is all about taking risks, if you never take any, you will never achieve anything."
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."
"Don't be a follower, be a leader."
"Motion picture making is a very, very involved affair. It is completely my baby. I'm a thorough professional. I plan films right from the conception of an idea to its final execution."
"I didn’t have a Plan B. If I didn’t have this career then I don’t know what I would have done. I didn’t have anywhere to go to, I was in a mess, and I was struggling. Back then, if I would have thought of an option then I would have never reached here. I am interested in directing, but nothing apart from that."
"I know I get this many times, but the fact is I have always tried to prove my versatility from the given choice. Look, people remember an actor from hit films. Since two of my films of Pyaar Ka Punchnama series worked, people think I am good in such roles."
"I try to woo the person whom I love. Evan a good morning call to start the day is good enough for me."
"People relate to my characters and see me in a different way. They identify with me and remember the nuances of my characters. Life of an actor is not his or hers: it's everyone's life. Nothing is private; nothing is personal. If you're doing great in terms of work, that's the price you've to give."
"I proudly call myself a fan-made hero because of the love I have received in all these years. I hope the love I receive from fans keeps on increasing. I enjoy attention from my fans and love and crave for it. The uncertainty of not knowing what’s going to happen next is scary. What’s going to happen next- it’s like a unit test, an exam. There could be a day when you wake up and think, what if you fail. But that’s also the beauty of it. You always crave and hope-your films, interviews, everything you’re doing in this field- it’s a test, and it’s thrilling. I enjoy doing that."
"Life is not a fairytale. If you lose your shoe at midnight, you are drunk. If you fall, I will always be there…Much love, Floor. When life shuts a door, open it again. It’s a door. That’s how they work. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. I’m so single right now that I stood on a cliff and shouted I love you and my echo replied I just want to be friends."
"I am a product of Indian cinema; I’ve grown up watching Indian films ever since I can remember. And song and dance is part of our lives; it’s part of our culture; we wake up to songs, we sleep to lullabies, you know, we celebrate every religious and traditional function with music. I want to walk the red carpet at the Oscars. I am in awe of the ceremony, and winning an Oscar would be the most magical moment of my life. I want to make that speech and hold that trophy and say, ‘This is for you, India.’ That’s the line I have rehearsed for God knows how long. But that has to be for a Hindi language film."
"When you have a sense of low self-esteem, and when you achieve success, there’s relief more than arrogance. To love someone is such a feeling of power, because even if you don’t get that love back, you still have it. It could be a weakness, it could be strength. It’s how you look at it. I look at the love I had as a source of great strength."
"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, but also know how to be happy alone. The conversation you are avoiding is the one you need the most."
"My journey has been a continuous learning process, marked by a commitment to storytelling that resonates with the audience. Each project is a step in that evolution, a quest to connect with people on a deeper, more meaningful level. A producer is more than just an investor; they are the architects of a film. Responsible for the entire creative and business process, from idea conception to assembling the right team, managing budgets, and overseeing production. While not visible on screen, a producer’s influence is integral to every aspect of the filmmaking journey."
"THINK, BELIEVE, MANIFEST. I believe in energy. The thoughts you think and the words you speak determine what you receive… If you let out negativity and frustration, it might calm you for that moment, but you’d never eventually be at peace… In other words, you can’t throw sh** all around and wonder why your life stinks… So think positive and be kind because the energy you emit will bounce back at you ultimately. Make sure you emit what you would like to receive. Some call it the law of attraction. Some call it Karma."
"They fight for you, then fight with each other, an unstoppable chaos, and it's not about you anymore, it's about them...Maybe it always was."
"I love the sound of the wind as it whispers 'sweet nothings' in my ears, The warmth of the sun that heals my soul and melts my fears, The rhythm of soft breeze, That makes my hair dance on its favourite track. And Oh, I love the touch of the waves That kiss my feet with a promise to be back!"
"Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles.. notice them!"
"If a woman is super successful, she is called a psychopath."
"Success if the best revenge. I always feel women should answer back either with their sarcasm or success."
"Marriage is made out to be so important for girls The focus has to shift at some point from marriage to the real challenges of life which are the same for women and men We have to prepare our girls just the way we prepare our boys."
"I don't believe in keeping sperm panties as tokens."
"Cherophobia is the fear of being too happy and thinking that you'll lose it all. I have cherophobia in both my personal and professional life. I try to not be aware of this fame because I fear I will lose it. I don't live in the moment because I am constantly thinking about what if it all goes away."
"If everybody likes you it means that you are super boring. There has to be somebody who does not like you. I am very happy that there are people who don't like me. I am even happier when I convert the dislikes to likes."
"I want to be a diva and I want to be glamorous and at the top of all fashion portals. But at the same time I also want to be at the top of all film awards. I want to have the balance of both worlds."
"We have a certain societal norm in which we have to be put together, we have to be right, we have to be quiet, we have to be simple, we have to be soft-spoken, we have to be well-dressed. We have to be so many things. Just bringing everything: the vulnerability, the jealousy, the lows, the highs, the real things that we are afraid of even thinking. If you bring that to the forefront on the big screen, then the person watching you from the audience will feel like, 'OK, I'm not the only one.'."
"Doubt is the key to knowledge. Doubt makes you push, doubt makes you work hard, doubt makes you not take the opportunity for granted."
"I don’t like to sort of break down process or talk about process because I feel like art is not like science. It doesn’t have a method to it, you can have a method to your discipline and to the way you approach your work, but at the end of the day imbibing a personality or behaving or talking or feeling doesn’t have a process."
"The feeling that I won't be able to do it is always a good feeling. It puts me in an uncomfortable space. And lots of interesting things can be explored and discovered when you are out of your comfort zone, and when you are terrified."
"You feel grateful for failure at times because that's what gives you a certain vigour. You feel grateful for a heartbreak or disappointment because that's what makes you value the opposite."
"I was at my house having a perfectly normal afternoon sitting in my living room when I felt something watching me. I looked up and saw two men on the terrace of my neighbouring building with a camera right at me! In what world is this ok and allowed? This is a gross invasion of someone's privacy. There's a line you just cannot cross and it's safe to say all lines were crossed today."
"The only thing I can do is build a body of work which hopefully proves I belong in this industry. I always make it a point to acknowledge the easy start I got at the beginning of my career. And sure, it will get you in the room, but then it's up to you to work that room. The audience is actually the best judge of talent. You could come from a background that props you up but the audience will ultimately decide whether or not you belong there."
"I choose films the same way I've been doing it for years. I just keep it flavorful. I want the flavors to be different from each other. It's to satisfy my extremely impatient, monotony-abhorring kind of brain. It's not at all calculated."
"My parents struggled to get to a point where I could enjoy their privilege. I do recognize that. If tomorrow I don’t do well and I stop getting films, I’ll still always acknowledge the fact that I got such great opportunities, so I can never really complain."
"Working in Hollywood on an English language movie for me sort of means starting from scratch, reaching out to an audience that is perhaps not familiar with my work, having worked ten years in the Indian film industry. You can get very comfortable where you are. I'm naturally more drawn towards whatever makes me uncomfortable. It's a way for me to compete with myself."
"I don't think I am the same person. Life has so much more meaning and I think actors can get really self-obsessed if they are constantly thinking about themselves. Now when there is another being in your life suddenly it is like Alia who? It is Raha, Raha, Raha! The focus is on her."
"When I see her work, when I see her act, even in life, what she gives is something that I'm aspiring to for myself."
"She's the first person I felt parental about. She's the first person I felt like I had a parental instinct for. I love her and the country knows she's one of our finest actors. I have a tremendous amount of love, respect and admiration and I'm allowed to say what I want about her."
"If someone who matters to you takes you down, it can break you. That someone whose approval mattered to me started to constantly find faults with me. At that point of time, it was important to walk away from that relationship."
"I am a person with a lot of faith and I have conversations [with God] all the time but I am not so religious in the conventional, organised sense."
"There was a complete lack of conviction on my part. Just playing myself doesn't excite me, which is why I thought I could sleepwalk through it. I couldn't sleep or walk after that."
"I did not set out to break stereotypes."
"My work is an extension of the person I am and of my beliefs."
"I follow my instincts. Sometimes it works commercially and sometimes it doesn’t, but I don’t regret a single film."
"I choose characters for the irresistible power they exude."