(Smiles)...I'm not nervous -- never get nervous. I am enjoying the tour -- it's nice to see so many people... So many Indians, people from the subcontinent. I used to do a lot of theatre -- go on stage and such, so it's not a new experience. Just the old cliché of being one-on-one -- you can directly relate to people.
We are supposed to perform in 17 cities. After this DC show, we have five left... My wife and kid are staying in New York -- I go there every Monday to spend the week with them, so I don't really get homesick... Being on a tour like this is a holiday for me because we... I... work much harder in India.
About the other performers on the concert -- Juhi Chawla, Kajol, and Akshaye Kumar...
I don't follow politics, I just read about it. I think it's a little sad. Bill Clinton -- he's the president. He's doing his job. You don't have to call his wife a dyke! What they do is their personal life -- it's their personal life completely. Tell me how many guys and girls have not had affairs. And how many of us are impeached for that?
If somebody comes up to you and asks you today "Are you having an affair?" while you are married or going with somebody, I think it will be a very foolish person who will say "Uh... yeah!" He's (Clinton's) not the first person on the face of this earth who has lied under oath. Let's be very honest. I find it very funny that anybody's going to stand there and take an oath like "Mein jo kuch kahoonga sach kahoonga " and actually being honest about it! I mean, people swear on their children and say I'm not having an affair. The whole situation of law -- where an oath is taken and complete honesty is expected from the person.. In a way it's dishonest to expect that. You are fooling yourself.
As for Bill, just let the guy be. I think he should say that "Okay, I did it. So f*** it. Go lead you own life. I'll lead mine. What I do before or after my job is none of your business!"
About maintaining his privacy
I don't really think I'm a role model. If somebody is going to follow what I do in real life, I'm not really so nice. (Laughs and continues) I am very unhealthy in terms of my habits. I don't sleep, I smoke. I don't drink water. And I don't work out. I'm not really someone a young guy should follow, if you ask me.
In films also, I'm not very nice in a lot of them.
(Continues after a brief pause) I think being a role model and passing value judgements on people should not be done. It may happen, I agree... But I don't take responsibility for any of the bad or good I might do. If I did a film which I thought was not good enough for a kid to see, I should be a strong enough parent to stop him or her from seeing it.
When people come and tell me ki this film was really gruesome, or very violent, I say, "I'm not telling you to see it, I'm not telling your kids to see it!" I'm doing my job. And I think goodness is boring -- in terms of a character.
If you don't like it (he's discussing films again), don't see it. Love me or leave me. I think finding role models is about finding an excuse. Like blaming it on god. Or pointing fingers and saying, "Well, he did it!"
About his upcoming films
I don't know why other people act, but to me at least, it doesn't even seem like a job. It is very satisfying. I act all the time. I have a lot of fun doing what I'm doing. I don't see myself doing anything else with so much of passion. The logic is that as long as I keep people entertained, I will continue.
When that stops happening, we will see. It's not in my hands to plan it out. If it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, it doesn't. I don't set goals for myself -- just take it as it comes. Money has never been a consideration. I mean, how much money does one need?
...I like working with Anupam (Kher) and Johnny Lever... I like the comic timing we share sometimes... (Laughs) I want to win a supporting actor award next, actually. Josh might be it -- because I'm playing a couple of cameos in that...(Pauses) I am going through a phase where I am a little bored with what I do.
On proposing to his wife, Gauri: (Thinks) I don't really quite remember actually. We had known each other for like eight years. So it was sort of understood that we'd marry. Umm... I just remember telling her I love you. I didn't even date her like you normally do -- she's the only girl I've ever really known. To be quite honest. I remember I just dropped her to her house and just told her (that he wanted to marry her). (Laughs) Didn't wait for her response -- just drove off.
The birth of his son, Aryan: I've lost my parents in hospitals -- so I don't like being in hospitals. And Gauri is quite fragile -- and I've never seen her fall really sick, or seen her unwell. When I saw her in the hospital, they had put in tubes and stuff. And she was becoming delirious and she was really cold. I went with her to the operation theatre for her Caesarean... And (takes a deep breath) I thought she'd die. Didn't even think about the kid at that point in time. It wasn't important to me. She was shivering so much and I know logically that you don't die while giving birth to babies... But still... (Lost in thought)... I just got a little scared.
I don't like travelling, and I don't like sightseeing. And I've never taken a holiday.
Apart from Bombay and Delhi, if there's any place I like, it is London and Mauritius. (Smiles apologetically) I get overawed by America. New York is still okay. I like Manhattan. London makes me feel like I am still in India. There are so many Indians there. They are a little more formal, and I like that.
I'm very shy and can't travel alone. Even if someone comes up to me and says "Hi! How are you?" I get a little nervous. (Laughs sheepishly) I can't check into an airplane!
I think Hindi films will become quite international in another 10 or so years - without having to change their format or the language. You see the Woody Allen film --Everybody Says I Love You -- theWedding Singer. I think 20, 25 years ago, musicals left English films. But now they are coming back. Then Mask of Zorro or the Titanic -- they are totally like Hindi films. If you take them tongue-in-cheek, Hindi films aren't bad.
If I had one wish to make, what would I ask for?? Nothing. It would be too greedy and ungrateful of me to ask for anything more from god.