Mahesh Manjrekar

Salman is a man with the most humble heart. I love to be with him.

With the advent of multiplexes, the audiences coming in are not bothered by who's in the film. We need not run after stars.

When I signed the contract, I told Salman I am doing 'Bigg Boss' in Marathi. He was more than happy and is hopeful I will enjoy doing it.

The fact that 'Bigg Boss' doesn't require any script is phenomenal as then you get caught between lines; here I can be all out and express my true emotions.

When I got to know 'Bigg Boss' is being made in Marathi, I knew the show would require a host, who has a lot of character. At the back of my mind I knew I would be able to do it but with so many big faces already there in the Marathi industry, I did not know it could come my way.

Personally, I might be all for parallel or experimental cinema, but when I'm making a film, I don't mind adding a commercial tadka.

I don't make Mills & Boons kind of films.

Why would the moneyed be granted higher education and an intelligent student be deprived because his father has no money? This is, after all, a democracy.

In many ways, Bengalis and Marathis happen to be very similar. Both love theatre, literature and seafood.

Amitabh doesn't surprise me because he has been there, done that.

When my daughter went to school, her last name was mine. The school insisted that her father's name be added to hers, not her mother's. The fact that the mother kept her in her womb for nine months is forgotten. Women don't have an identity. She has her father's name today and will have her husband's tomorrow.

I just hope that everyone tells their children, especially daughters, to fight for their rights!

I'm not the ideal male. But when my daughter was born, I became more aware of the society she would grow in.

We call out-of-tune singers as 'Aurangazeb singers.' I wouldn't say I'm as bad as an 'Aurangazeb singer,' but I'm definitely no singer.

I do not want to waste my time by counting films of other producers as I have better things to perform.

Army wives sacrifice a lot, we need to salute them because no matter what, they always put up a brave face.

Audience today like an honest approach to cinema; if you try to please the audience they come to know.

In Marathi cinema, people have never ever run after stars, there is no star in Marathi films.

I would love to feel satisfied doing a Hindi film when there is no restriction of commerce, which is song and dance, item numbers.

There were reports that my elder daughter Ashwami was in 'Dabangg 3,' but she is a chef, and never wanted to be an actor.

'Pawan & Pooja' discovers new aspects of love, it taps into the typical problems faced in today's fast-paced life.

Working with people like Deepti Naval and Siddharth Malhotra is always a delight because they understand the craft and the script is their topmost priority.

Earlier, I did sing for 'Kaante' and a couple of other films but I had never done rap before. Marathi rap is something new and I enjoyed it.

Sometimes we might feel that a soldier's duty is to protect us and he doesn't have any emotions, but he has. He is vulnerable and close to his family just like us. But what makes him different from us is the fact that he has the will to die so that we are safe.

Nothing can replace cinema halls.

As a child, I would attend shakhas, and the discipline and love for the motherland it instilled in me has helped immensely.

I have my own set of friends with whom I discuss better story ideas, views and scripts. So I channelize my time in a productive way.

I don't party after working like others.

One night, at 2:30 A. M., I got a call from Salman Khan. And when I answered the call, he asked me if I will host 'Bigg Boss' Marathi. As I was in deep sleep, I don't even know when I said a yes. Also, the next morning, I wasn't sure if it was a dream or reality and eventually I forgot too.

Every filmmaker has a family to feed. They have children whose college fees need to be paid.

The industry and audience always expects filmmakers to do everything morally right. Why? We are all here to do business.

Public posturing notwithstanding, when trash becomes a hit no filmmaker worth his salt takes it seriously.

There is always that extra bit of thrill when you try something new, you get into it thinking you have nothing to lose, at the most you will fail.

I love to experiment, I don't have a fear of failure.

Hey, I do take breaks between my shooting schedules! But then, my schedules are like a month long.

I never come on the sets unprepared. I don't come here and then decide what I have to shoot. I prepare myself well in advance.

I did not choose 'Kaksparsh,' the film chose me.

Marathi film producers conveniently blame the audience. If there are 70-odd flops in a year, there are a few that are hit because the same audience comes to the theatres.

Yes, I would not like to see censorship on OTT content but there are some people who really take advantage of this.

When I'm making a film, I only go by the script.

It is absolutely essential that we take care of ourselves and our loved ones.

Everybody should spend some quality time with their family members and try to make the best out of bad situations.

I believe that being fit is more important than being successful.

There was time I was 105 kg, and whenever I used to see myself in the mirror, I used to ask myself, 'What is this?' So there was only one solution and that is controlling your diet and then hit the gym.

Social media is important but it doesn't deserve the importance it is being given.

My dream is to make a movie on 'Vyakti Ani Valli,' a play based on the famous book written by P.L. Deshpande.

Priyanka Chopra has produced a Marathi film. Even John Abraham announced he wants to make a Marathi film. Suddenly everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon. Shah Rukh, Rohit Shetty also want to do a Marathi film. There is an awareness. But I hope they don't come and spoil the market by making their kind of cinema.

It is not easy acting and directing yourself because you have to face the camera as well as look at the scene through the lens.

I find songs today very fake. I can't write according to the meter, but I can write from my heart.

In fact, I started my career as a theatre actor, along with Sachin Khedekar, with a musical play called 'Aflatoon,' where I sang quite a bit. So, singing isn't alien to me, but over the years, because of the constant abuse of smoking that I've put my throat through, my voice doesn't sound as good.