Pep talk

Is it also because you’ve been lying low ever since the Taj controversy?
When everyone’s shouting,there’s no point in talking because you won’t be heard.

How do you view your father then-CM Vilasrao Deshmukh’s dismissal today?
All I can say is that I’m the one accountable for Ram Gopal Varma’s presence that day at the Taj hotel. He was travelling with me in my car,talking about Rann. So when I decided to accompany my dad to visit the site,I asked him to come along. We went there out of concern,just like any other citizen of the city — I lost three people I know in that terror attack.

While the anger was justified to an extent,the issue of our visit was blown out of proportion. But I guess the media was merely doing its job and doing their best to sell the news by editing the scenes with a provocative tagline and adding a background score; it was like cutting a short film of it. Yet,I will repeat: if I have upset anyone,I am extremely sorry.

So what’s your perception of media in India?
It’s a tough job and the media industry is extremely competitive. As in all professions,the media too has both good people and bad. But personally,I’ve mostly dealt with film and entertainment journalists.

You play an investigative journalist in Varma’s Rann.
My character is that of an ambitious,righteous young reporter with a will to make a difference. He joins India 24X7,the channel owned by Harshvardhan Malik (Amitabh Bachchan). The story traces the change in his view of the world around him.

Indians blame politicians for all our woes. Being from a political family,how do you react to this?
I can view things objectively. To an extent,people are justified in blaming politicians because there are many who don’t fulfill their responsibilities. But there are also politicians who work. We often take for granted the work that is being done,like the technological advancements,new airports and infrastructure. But everyone is entitled to an opinion and I don’t challenge that.

What is your view on the Bollywood films that tackle political issues?
Most political films I feel are gimmicky and filmmakers choose to portray characters and incidences that they find comic relief in or which are extremely controversial. Unlike in the West,where political films are made smartly and represent all sides,movies here lack the sensitivity. Sarkar was an exception and I am looking forward to Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti. There’s also an old Marathi film Sinhasan,which is the best I have seen.

Are Rann and Aladin a conscious departure from your comedy image?
I wish it were so. I mostly get offered comedy films and have the option to choose. I still don’t get offered ample films that’ll show me in other light.

You mostly do multi-starrers in an industry that believes you’ve arrived when a solo film does well.
The time has to be right. One has to test the waters to see if one can hold a solo film and then proceed. I’m working hard towards it but I’d rather do a film on its merit than do it because solo films are the so-called criterion of stardom.

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