What did you have to do to physically overcome the age barrier?
I had to get rid of all the muscle I had built for Ghajini. I had to become smaller. Stopped training, went on a strict diet, drank lots of water, did cardio, played badminton 1-2 hours every day before shooting. When you sweat it out, your face looks fresher, younger. So, I'd text poor IIM- students to come at 3 am or 4 am to play badminton. I destroyed their sleep pattern.

Did Kiran's terminated pregnancy affect you while you were shooting?
Yes, of course. In fact there's a moment in the film...but anyway, let people watch it Fortunately, it happened when I was not shooting. There was just one song left. Kiran and I took a couple of months off together. If I were shooting, I'd have had to absorb it. It is very difficult for me to cancel shooting. The financial repercussions, even the creative repercussions of cancelling are huge.

How do you choose your scripts?
Three things. One, it should excite me. Two, the director should make me confident. Three, the producer has to back the team up, market the film well.

As a director do you have an actor wish list? 
I am not sure whether I am thinking as a director right now. I think at heart I am still an actor. Of course now that I have taken the first step and directed one film, I am more open to listening to stories. Actually I have a very strange answer. While I am not in the mood of a director just now the opposite is also true. I think like a filmmaker. Coming back to your question, my wish list would really depend upon what the script is. So my casting would really be based on who can best play a certain part and who will suit the role.

You have been very critical of the media. Do you see media doing a good job?
I think so. There are different kinds of people in all walks of life, journalism is no exception and I've come to accept it. But because of the power media wields, it has brought in a lot of accountability. It has become much more difficult for people in the government, administration or elsewhere to misuse power.

Apparently there was a time many years ago when Shah Rukh, Salman and you used to meet as a trio, hang out together. What happened?
Yes, we used to hang out together. Over the years, Salman and I have come closer. We have grown fond of each other. We have respect and regard for each other. We enjoy each other's company. In fact, we hang out more than we used to earlier. Not daily, but often. Shah Rukh and I have, over the years, not hung out together so much. We meet every now and then. Again, I have a lot of respect for Shah Rukh as a star, and find his films entertaining.

What's your favourite Shah Rukh movie?
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. My clear favourite.

Does success isolate you?
Success can be extremely isolating and often, for multiple reasons. When you are successful, a celebrity, especially an actor, your stardom is like a magnet. It's like the sun. In fact, I wonder who coined this term 'star' because every star is actually a sun. When you are a star, every one is attracted to you for different reasons, some valid, some invalid some honourable, some not so honourable. But, as a human being our bandwidth is limited. So often what happens is that we need to shut off. It is humanly impossible to deal with so many things. I love engaging with people. But I get tired. How many people can I engage with? That's the nature of the beast. That's the nature of my profession.

How easy or difficult it is to forgive past mistakes? 
Earlier, I was much more unforgiving as a person not only towards others but also towards myself. I was extremely unforgiving of my own mistakes. In the past four or five years, I have undergone a change as a human being. I have become more forgiving of others and myself. I see it as a very positive change in myself. One of the powerful things in the world is the power of forgiveness. It's one of the most healing things. Today we have become very unforgiving people.