Alok Nath

I shot for 'Gandhi' for three days and got paid Rs 20,000, which was a huge amount in 1981.

I vividly remember my first interaction with Sir Richard Attenborough, I was in my final year at NSD (National School of Drama) in 1979, and casting director Dolly Thakore got in touch with me. We weren't supposed to work outside NSD but special permission was granted to the students who were shortlisted for the audition.

Sir Richard Attenborough was a wonderful human being and an amazing actor and director. He was a British who really loved India, its people, the culture and the conscience. He lived a great life.

It always feels good when people around shower love on you.

In this age of social media, everyone is connected to everyone else.

Gone are the days of letters and I miss them. My fans used to wish me via letters and I loved reading them.

I was concerned about the viewers' acceptance. But people have found a comic slant in me, which I was never aware of.

'Sinskari' is an adult chat show, which will include questions about their deep dark secrets. Some dialogues may have to be beeped out.

Everything happens for a good reason, and see I am a known actor today. 'Buniyaad' taught me a lot and I am happy.

The best thing about 'Maine Pyar Kiya' is that it has not turned vintage or old yet. People still remember, love and watch it whenever it is played which in itself is a stupendous feeling.

The satisfaction that one gets from entertaining live audiences has a different feel.

The last time I met Sir Richard Attenborough was while dubbing for Gandhi in Mumbai. My interaction with him was short and sweet but definitely a memorable experience.

I am feeling like I have completed the circle. I started with serious roles, done a grey shaded role, did fatherly roles and now a comedy.

I'm truly excited to be a part of 'Tu Mere Agal Bagal Hai' and SAB TV. This will be my first tryst with a comedy TV series on the small screen.

I'm a chilled out dude.

When I was younger I did some pretty wild things with the limited options I had.

When I did theatre in Delhi, often the parts were of older men.

I came to Bombay in January 1981. It was primarily for 'Gandhi.'

I am a totally private person. I don't go to Bollywood parties.

I am not a tech savvy person at all.

It's because of all the jokes that I became popular and got roles in comedy shows like 'Nadaniya' and 'Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hain.' I thoroughly enjoyed doing these shows because I got the chance to step out of my comfort zone.

As an Indian and as a Hindu, I have been taught to see God everywhere right from my childhood.

Suddenly, if I were to be seen in a sex comedy, it wouldn't be acceptable to my fans.

I wasn't doing any movies because I was not getting the offers.

Films are deprived of the conventional elderly figures now. They are more into yo moms and dads.

In television, we are still catering to the middle class audience, I would not say regressive, but rooted in traditions. They still have babujis and dhoti-kurta clad characters. But in films the maas and babujis don't exist anymore.

As an actor it somehow gets monotonous to play the same role again and again. But I can't say no to them as I earn my bread and butter from this.

I have tried making the roles that I have played in my career look different with my attitude, diction or my beahviour.

On television, I have always been paid a better sum than the main leads to play a babuji.

I am absolutely okay with jokes on me now, but initially, yes, I was perturbed ki why me? I am not a personality on whom jokes are made randomly. Later, I was like, if everyone is enjoying jokes on me, even I should laugh it off instead of opposing them.

A couple of times I experimented with negative roles but they didn't work for me, and I went back to playing the good old Babuji.

I had some crazy friends, girlfriends too. We had our share of parties and drunken escapades as well. Once when in college I ran out of money and had to sleep at a bus stop. It was fun, as all of us on Delhi's Hindu College campus were happy children of the Beatles' generation.

I've been to all the Dhaams, Tirupati, Shirdi, most of the temples in the Northern belt, but I go there for religious reasons. Pilgrimages are not my idea of fun!

I didn't have a bachelor party, but even if I did, I wouldn't go to Vaishnodevi!

I personally feel that an actor should not take an important part in politics.

After 'Buniyaad,' I acted in a few movies as the main lead, but that did not work out well.

When I started with Ramesh Sippy's 'Buniyaad' in 1985, I was in my mid-20s and within a year, I was elevated from a lover to a father and then to a grandfather. By the time the show finished, I was portraying the role of an 80-year-old man.

Don't get taken in by the superficiality of sanskaar. You can smoke, drink and have your share of fun. What matters is to do good deeds.

I could've made more of an effort to go back to theatre but I fell into the trap of recognition, fame and money.

Even after coming to Mumbai in 1981, I did theatre for some time.

I was an integral part of school plays. And when I was in the ninth standard, Om Shivpuri directed me in a play called 'The Miser.' It was a huge hit.

I am happy that people are spending time on creating jokes on me.

It's all about making a right deal with the reel and real.

I can bring some of my life experiences as I act, but it may not work vice versa.

I now realize the parts I played are too good to be true.

It's always like I am carrying a heavy cross with me on the sets. So it was important for me to try something new.

I did schooling and graduation from Delhi and then went to the National School of Drama.