You rejected Half Girlfriend for Raabta. Why?
When Half Girlfriend was offered to me, I had already signed Raabta and it had to go on the floor.
You are neither a star kid, nor do you have anybody backing you in this industry. How difficult does it get to turn down films?
It’s often very difficult to say no to someone whom you really like and are close to. But if I do not like the script, I try to be honest about it. This honesty is also the reason why very few people like me in the industry. The first time I met Adi (Aditya Chopra), I had the pressure of proving those who say TV actors are not made for films, wrong. The script that he gave me didn’t resonate with me, so I turned it down. In hindsight, had I taken it up, I would have definitely made some headlines. But soon after I turned down the script, he cast me in another film, which shows how great he is as a producer — I was nobody then.
It’s a well-known fact that celebrities are constantly judged. Since you are so straightforward, how difficult does it get for you?
I don’t know how to communicate and that is precisely why I became an actor. I don’t have an opinion about a lot of things but that doesn’t mean I am not well informed. I just believe everything is very subjective. I am interested in slightly vague subjects that don’t interest a lot of people, so they think I’m a psycho.
I would not behave a certain way just because I think you would like it. I am not arrogant; I will not deliberately insult you. But at the same time, I will not take any extra effort to pretend to be the person you want me to be.
There is a huge debate that stardom has hit you and you are no longer the same Sushant. Your comments?
I was a star the day I dropped out of my engineering college because it takes a lot for a lower middle class boy like me to do that. I had the courage to figure out what I wanted to do and take that drastic step. I have been a star since 2006, so it’s not true that stardom has gone to my head only recently (chuckles). When I did TV, my show was the number one show, it was at its peak, and I was making good money. But that is when I decided to move to films and many discouraged me from doing that. I rejected seven films before I signed my first film and waited. There was no guarantee that it would succeed.
You are a self-made man today. You own a flat in Bandra, you have a luxurious lifestyle but is there still a middle class boy within you which pops up every now and then?
Absolutely not! When I started getting money, the kind of freedom it brought along was overwhelming. Now, I don’t know how much money I have. It’s not because I have too much, but I have more than what is required. My mom has always asked me to make sure I have good education because that would help me in the long run. The ability to think is what matters. I was ambitious and had set a goal of buying a flat in Bandra. Now that I have one, I don’t sit and think how proud I am of myself.
In your opinion, how much does a PR help an actor? Can one do without them?
I know for a fact that no PR will get my next film for me. If anything other than the script helps me get a film, I would not do it. Now this is where there is a certain amount of arrogance, perhaps. PRs help a lot when it comes to conveying exactly what I mean when I say something.
You look a little beefed-up. Is it for Chanda Mama Door Ke?
Yes. It’s a wonderful feeling that I get to play an astronaut. I really wanted to be one. As a kid, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be, that’s the only thing that came to my mind. And for the first time, I will actually get to experience it. I will also be going to NASA and I am definitely thrilled about this next project of mine!
