Hold on

Have you too ever liked a girl and never told her?
There was a girl I used to like in school. I’d write her poetry and even keep the packet of chips she’d discarded after eating. It was strange — I could tell everyone else about how I felt but I could never let her know.

Are the characters you play aspirational — people that you’d love to be but are not?
That’s true! I’d like to be this outgoing guy or an angry young man,who’s good with action,rides cool bikes and has a babe at the back.

But you get offered comic roles.
I have a sense of humour and people,when they look at me,find me more apt for comedy.

What took you three years to return to cinema?
I’d invested a lot of myself in Neal ‘n’ Nikki but the movie bombed and I retreated into a shell. What made it worse was that I was not being offered the kind of work I wanted. So I just shut myself in and later,started helping out at Yash Raj.

It’s said that your break-up with Tanishaa pushed you further into your shell.

In fact it’s the other way round. During that phase of my life,my relationship was all I had — it felt right and kept me going. The break-up happened later for whatever reasons but had nothing to do with that phase.

How did you bring yourself out of the shell?
I had begun to learn the ropes of filmmaking by working here but my heart was never in it — I still wanted to act. One day Adi suggested I write. I realised it made more sense than just sitting and waiting for an opportunity.

Did writing come naturally?
Early on,I didn’t think I’d write a film — I just had an idea and wanted Jugal to help me out but he was busy with Roadside Romeo so I had to finally do it myself though everyone around guided me. What’s being made into the movie is the ninth draft I wrote and it’s overwhelming. During the first few days of shooting I’d say to myself ‘Wow! They’re all speaking my lines!’ It’s an immense feeling of power to see that your words are gospel to everyone in the crew. But it later humbles you and you realise that if something goes wrong,you’re responsible.

Where do you see yourself in Yash Raj Films’ big picture?
I see myself play a big part,though not as large as Adi’s. But eventually,I see myself contributing to the big picture of YRF and working towards the vision my father has for our company.