Puneet Issar

In prose, if you forget a line, you can say something else in the same context.

Unlike the victims of 9/11, who received plenty of relief aid compensation from the government and charitable institutions, those who suffered hate crimes were given very little. As tax-paying citizens of the country, they too deserved similar compensation.

Americans need to embrace Sikhs more and Sikhs need to take the initiative to educate people about their religion.

In 2004, I was visiting my cousins in San Francisco and we were in a restaurant talking in Punjabi. We suddenly saw heads turn. And one of the Americans at the restaurant abused us and called my cousins, 'turban-headed Osamas.' That strengthened my resolve to make a film that highlights the issue.

In 2017 I started writing 'Mahabharat An Epic Tale' and it took me two years to write it and prepare the production with Rahul Bhuchar of Felicity theatre, and we launched it on the 17th of Nov 2018 and it was a super success.

Tulsi Ramsay has been my mentor. In 1982, he and his brother Shyam Ramsay, came to me for 'Purana Mandir.'

See, my relationship with Salman is of mutual love. But just because he is a good friend of mine, I wouldn't want to use him for a cameo in my film or ask him to endorse my film. That is not me.

With newcomers in your cast, any producer would allocate a budget of not more than Rs 5-6 crores. But the scale I wanted was big and Sardar Peshaura Singh Thind left no stone unturned in the making of 'I Am Singh.'

I played Duryodhan, the young prince, 28 years ago. People still identify me as Duryodhan. But at 55, I cannot hope to play a 25-year-old.

My dance was really appreciated in 'Bigg Boss' and Colors TV has approached me for their dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.' I hope to take part in 'Jhalak.'

History written by the victims trickles down in the form of folklore.

'I Am Singh' is primarily about mistaken identities that led to racism post the 9/11 attacks.

'My Name is Khan' saw the post 9/11 scenario from a Muslim perspective. In fact all films dealing with the post 9/11 conflict - whether 'New York,' 'Kurbaan' or 'Khuda Kay Liye' only showed how Muslims were victimized.

At a broader level, 'I Am Singh' is an anti-racism film.

In the heady days that followed the success of 'Mahabharat,' I was young, vain and didn't care much about the story. But in the next two decades, I read a lot on the epic.

You cannot have another 'Ten Commandments' or 'Ben Hur' or 'Sholay' or 'Mother India.' Likewise you cannot have another 'Mahabharat.'

Parshuram's is a very detailed character. People generally know him as an angry man who goes around cursing. What they are not aware of is the undercurrent of pain behind every curse of his. I bring out this pain in the character.

I'm an actor and I keep changing my roles.

A man should keep inventing and re-inventing himself.

I have done amateurish stage during my college days.

I am an artist. An actor performs, whether it's in front of the camera or a live audience.

It's wonderful when you're performing and the audience responds to it.

I used to work out for eight hours a day, which includes running, boxing and martial arts.

I was a diction, speech and method acting professor before I became an actor.

I was nominated 13 times during my 15-week stay in 'Bigg Boss' but they couldn't get me out. That is because I was truthful and entertained the audience with my good sense of humour.

Given a chance, I would love to host a television show as I have good communication skills and am fluent in Hindi, English and Urdu.

'Bigg Boss' is a game and not life.

'I Am Singh' underlines the fact that every guy who wears a turban is not an Osama Bin Laden.

It should be easily admitted that every hero is only as great as the villain that he prevails over.

Indian mythology and its characters have always fascinated me and I find the antagonists especially very interesting.

I feel it's a great challenge to play Raavan.

I like to believe I play tragic heroes - characters that are torn between the good and bad, the black and the white.

There is nothing wrong with falling for someone.

Artificial intelligence is taking over a lot of things. Jobs are going to go but artists and theatre are not going anywhere because it is live performance.

Every antagonist is a protagonist in his own right.

The turban is a Sikh's honor, pride and art.

I find the character of Jarasandh, the King of Magadha, captivating and challenging since he was invincible.

Sikh is a 500 year old community and they have been living in U.S. for the past 114 years. Yet the Sikhs were mistaken to be Arabs in the post 9/11 scenario and beaten up. Doesn't this sound bizarre? I mean Sikhs and Arabs are as different as chalk and cheese.

I had read the 'Mahabharat' thoroughly even before meeting B. R. Chopra Sir. I knew the most important character was Duryodhan. Without him the 'Mahabharat' would not have happened. I straight away went and asked for that character itself.

I feel I am the reincarnation of Duryodhan. There are lots of similarities between me and him.

Every House has a Duryodhan, Dhritarashtra, Shakuni, Arjun, Karan, Gandhari, Bhishma . That's the Beauty of 'Mahabharat.'

Being in front of a live audience is like taking an steroid shot. The applause, the claps in each and every dialogue , people being mesmerized by the performance, and the standing ovation is unparallel. This kind if a feeling you can not get in any other medium!

I have always had a heavy built and have been into all sorts of physical activities like weight training and martial arts.

I am on a ketos diet so I avoid sugar, dairy products, wheat, grain or pulses.

Age is just a number. It's all in the head.

I would work out seven hours a day - 3.5 hours in the morning and 3.5 in the evening.

I feel Karna is the noblest character in the 'Mahabharat,' and Duryodhan is reason for the war between cousins.

There is no meaning to light if there is no darkness.

I believe that history is written by the victors, but what about the vanquished? They also have a story to tell.

As you age, you should be graceful.