Victor Banerjee

First of all, we need to condemn violence and terror without prejudice towards caste, creed or community. All citizens of all religions have been victims and perpetrators at the some time.

People believe I am selective. I am not. Directors pick me, not I them.

Commercial Bengali movies are all crass imitation of Telugu and Tamil movies. There are only a handful of directors like Rituparno Ghosh, Aparna Sen and Gautam Ghose who make quality films.

If you watch some movies, it would appear that India has free gun license like the U.S.

David Lean is very, very easy to get on with.

Dr. Aziz is a very deep and meaty part, a gift part for any actor.

I badly wanted to play Dr. Aziz but I knew I wasn't going to get it. I didn't go to be interviewed until I finally was forced to by the director I was working with in Calcutta. I thought, they aren't going to give me that part. I didn't want to go there and be told I wasn't good enough, or that I didn't suit the part.

I loved Peter Sellers whenever he played an Indian.

At a time when the Nation is becoming a more parochial concept, Tagore's view of a liberal, open and a nation without borders and boundaries can give us hope and inspiration.

I am quite excited to play the role of Tagore.

When I don't have the time to be in the Himalayas, I am in Bombay, Los Angles or N.Y. or Paris or wherever.

I am a card holder of Uttarakhand. I fought for their freedom.

I grew up in the North-East so identifying with mountain people - their simplicity and honesty - comes naturally to me. I even call myself an honorary Garhwali.

I am delighted that young filmmakers want me in their films. They have open minds and a fresh take on old attitudes. I derive a lot of energy from them. Most of all, I find their love and respect utterly disarming.

Street food has always made life and living in Calcutta so much more easy and attractive.

'Apne' was a disaster. Anil Sharma hired me for three months, but it took a year-and-a-half.

I want to settle down in Mussorie. I'm in love with the Himalaya.

Democracy in a socialist country is freedom in chains.

My opinion of our Parliamentarians is shared by all of us who are victims of governors who have ruled over us selfishly.

Our armed forces, not our parliament of dunces, are our pride. Doubting our armed forces' integrity and honesty is a disgraceful travesty.

I got 'Jogger's Park' perhaps because one fellow Bengali Sachin Bhowmick, who's the writer of the movie, recommended my name. Then Ram Gopal Varma was kind enough to offer me a role in 'Bhoot.'

Sometimes I am surprised by the kind of roles that are offered to me.

I don't market myself too well. I just get odd offers once in a while.

Playing an Anglo Indian was very easy for me because I have grown up in Kolkata, and I have many Anglo Indian friends.

I personally think our national anthem is not patriotic enough. There is another poem by Dwijendralal Ray called 'Dhono Dhanne Pushpe Bhora,' which is more soul-stirring as a national anthem.

Hollywood represents a great deal of security for my family, and that is what I've come in search of.

I can play lots of nationalities: Greeks, South Americans, Arabs, all sorts.

The Calcutta public accepted me and put me where I am. I will always be grateful to them.

Creating one unified body in addressing the issue of disability will help the disabled.

Hindi commercial cinema has denigrated women. We owe a debt of ingratitude to Bollywood for having insidiously polluted our culture covertly.

Bollywood is a cancer.

It's one thing to be chosen to play Dr. Aziz, but to play Christ, which is traditionally regarded as a blond and blue-eyed part, was a great thing.

My heart belongs to the Dimasa people and to the people of the northeast.

Whenever I go to deliver lectures in IAS academies, colleges and schools, I always try to bring in the northeast. It may be the bamboo of Mizoram or the various beautiful tribal cultures of Misings or Bodos.

My connection to Dima Hasao has been very old. As a child I used to visit the place and have always been mesmerized by its breathtaking beauty.

The Dimasa people are one of the gentlest people I have come across. They are wonderful people.

I've been involved with disability activities for over 40 years. I have done programs with several disabled children and involving them makes the performance genuinely heartwarming.

I was very fortunate I was able to live at least a few years of my life in the tort of opulent Victorian era. It helps romanticize your view of life.

I find peace in the forests and mountains.

One of the greatest attributes most Hindus have is acceptance.

You know, the last time America sensationalized an actor from India, the man died a poor, miserable soul: He was Sabu, the elephant boy. He came here and was the toast of Hollywood. And he just went back to India and died a pauper.

I think I needed to move on from Bengal.

With age you tend to become intolerant and it becomes difficult to give your best in trying circumstances.

Both Ram Gopal Varma and Subhash Ghai are great directors and it was a great experience working with them.

Bollywood offers great opportunities to actors who are willing to try out different kinds of roles.

I have acted in 'Unfreedom' and I know that I will be there in 'Ayodhya.'

The worst thing is that filmmaking is an expensive medium and money corrupts cinema right at the beginning.

Tagore almost invented the term multiculturalism. It's good to see it taking form.

While representing violence on screen, some directors tend to gloss over it while others glamorize it.

Age isn't an attraction. Imagination is.