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When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person? Being born in pre independence India and having a very famous poet for a father, whose poetry inspired a nation to fight for its independence, people expected me to be a fiery child. However I was very shy and would come up with creative ways not to interact with people around me. When I needed to interact with people I donned the personality of people I perceived to be braver than me. The mechanism to cope with being shy lead to me entering the realm of writing and acting at a very young age. In school I was most comfortable in the drama club. It was a home away from home for me. When did you know that this was what you wanted to do with your life? How did you get started? My school’s drama club and the characters my father created in his books and poems inspired me. My dad’s characters were brave and strong. I liked to enact scenes from his plays. They made me feel like I was contributing to the freedom struggle by proxy. What traits, if any, do you think that creative people have as compared to people who are not creative? I don’t think people are born without creatively. Every one is creative in their own way. A mother who pacifies a child who is crying for a toy she cannot afford is creative. Creativity is not confined to actors’ writers or musicians. Each one of us is creative in our own way. Creativity coupled with determination and perseverance is a recipe for success. Do you believe that your training has influenced what you create? When I started acting I did not have any formal training. I was trained in the profession of accounting. I was a certified CPA. I guess observing people and trying address their needs did help me in my chosen profession of acting Have you ever felt that your personal expectations have limited your creativity? If so, how have you dealt with this? In 1982 I suffered a massive injury on the sets. I was on the brink of death. My family was adamant about my giving up on acting because of this accident. However I felt that after I stopped acting there was a void in my life. I tried my hand at production to cope with the loss of purpose. However I did manage to coax my significant other and get back to acting Have other people supported or inspired you? Please explain. My parents, my wife and my children all inspire me. I have been supported and blessed by the 1.3 billon people of India. How have you dealt with any criticism you have gotten because of your creative endeavors? I am actor. Criticism is part of my job. Every music note by Mozart is not liked by everyone. Similarly I don’t expect every single man women and child to enjoy my movies. Criticism just based on the fact that someone does not like the cut of my chin, means nothing to me. I never pay heed to such criticism. However constructive criticism actually inspires me to work harder Do you ever feel that you have to censor your creativity because you don't want to offend anyone? My art provides people with fun and pleasure. My creativity lies in entertaining people. My creativity and passion for the art of acting will not see the light of day if I offend the sensibilities of my audience. Thus I do not call the parameters society sets as censors but guideline set by my patrons. These guidelines are based on their choices. As a cook you are not going to serve your patrons shellfish (even if they are allergic) just because you think you created the perfect shrimp. My not following the guidelines set by my society is as outrageous as a cook trying to cram shrimp down someone’s throat. Do you do anything special to get your "creative juices" flowing? Please explain. I don’t believe that creativity has a very restricted realm. Living can not be sustained if the creative juices were not constantly flowing. So I guess I just live Does your work convey a specific emotion or message? In every movie and every character I portray tries to pass on a positive message. If you could be any object, what would you be? Why? A Page in one of my dad’s books. These books inspired a nation to fight for its freedom What are your words of wisdom for someone starting out in your field? Hard work always pays. |