'The balance Zakir Bhai created between rhythm and execution...his maths during his performances were perfect, and yet he was a fountain of improvisation.'

'I had to make sure that our much misunderstood erstwhile prime minister did not get a raw deal.'

'I have never met anyone so knowledgeable and with so much conviction, so much humility about everything he knew.'

'I don't think Waheeda had the confidence that I could pull it off, so she said no.'

'I want to be that kind of actor when, if my name is attached to a project, people and film-makers should know there is something special about it.'

'The trolling and negativity were hard to handle.' 'It did affect my confidence and self-esteem.' 'Over time, I've learned to navigate it better.'

When I go to act in a film, I don't think of the journey.'

'I like to sell a dream. I like to tell stories. I'm a very good storyteller. I can convert the most boring topic into a riveting tale.'

'...Shyam had not given me the roles he did.'

'I told him I would send the food to his hotel, he said, "No, I want to experience the hospitality".' 'He came and sat and I just kept staring.' 'He said, "Tu baith mere saath".' 'When I sat down with him we both looked up at the glass ceiling. And do you know what we saw?'

'I never want to play a character that sends out the wrong message.'

'My mother's blessings have been with me all the way. I don't think I would be worth anything without her.'

'There was panic among my friends and relatives since I was out of reach.' 'My son-in-law Govind drove down to my home to check on my wellbeing.' 'When I opened the door, he joked, "Bhoot Bhoot!"'

'I expect it to be the highest grosser of Indian cinema.'

'We first interacted during an event hosted by the OTT platform.'

'That day, I remember I said, can I hug you? And I gave him a big, tight hug.'

'Akhil is a good boy and deserves every happiness.' 'Zainab is a lovely girl and I am so happy they have decided to spend their lives together.'

'When a film goes beyond the specified level of audio standards, it starts affecting the psychological behaviour of the audience.'

''Shoojitda's prep was unique and a nice, refreshing change for me.' 'In the three to four months of preparation that we did, I think we only read two scenes.' 'We spent two, three months where he would just talk to me about life, philosophy, spirituality, and a lot of things, which I slowly realised was him trying to get into my head and understand the kind of person I was.'

'One day, I would love to have a house there.'