He points out that the biggest filmmakers in the country — Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar , Sanjay Leela Bhansali — would ideally pitch for Shah Rukh Khan , Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan first. “If things don’t work out with these guys, then perhaps they’d come to me,’’ he says very matter-of-fact. “However, with setting up my own production house, I can make the films I wish to and give myself the parts I want to play. No other producer can give me the parental love that my own production can.’’ 

His maiden venture releases today and within a couple of months, he’s all set to get into Sriram Raghavan’s Agent Vinod, a spy-action-high-on-adrenaline-thriller with lady love Kareena Kapoor playing his screen muse. “Film production is an exciting job,’’ he confesses. “Balancing that in itself, apart from real life in terms of family and getting things done on time, has been challenging.’’ 

Personally too, he confesses to being blissful: “Life is a growing and changing process. I came into the world of interviews when I was 20 at a room in a Mumbai studio. In 19 years, I have grown, and the last two years have been very eventful. Personally and professionally I find myself in the right place. The rest of my life lies ahead of me but I feel confident and equipped to deal with most situations.’’

And the mention of sunshine (Kareena) brings a smile to his face. 
“Everything is beautiful right now,’’ he says. “Kareena and I are on a path let us enjoy that. For me, priority right now is to set up this production house, and I want Madam to stay the biggest star in the world for as long as she enjoys it. Everything else will follow in due course.’’ 

Deepika is the youngest actress you've worked with and Kareena is the youngest girl you've been involved with. That's new! “Yes, it is new. Definitely.”

And? “(Smirks) And it makes you health conscious. Like on hand, I will say, "I think I should be much fitter and healthier." And on the other, I am really happy being 38.”

When you are with these 20-plus women, do you feel older, wiser and smarter or there is some connect? “Oh, I connect with them completely. Why it works is because I am quite juvenile and they are quite mature. (Laughs) So it balances out just fine. But seriously, I do feel very happy for the people I have met, the things I have seen, and experienced. I really think I have matured. I have had a really interesting history, even though I say it myself. So if you ask me, being with Kareena or working with someone younger than me, it is a non-issue for me. I really like being me. And I am very confident in that. I am so lucky that I am doing okay in movies also. Because it is another world.” 

You recently said you and Kareena didn't plan to stay engaged forever. Does that mean you're already engaged? “No. I mean I feel like I am engaged. But I don't believe in engagements as such; they are a bit old-fashioned.” 

Your mom said in a recent interview that you both have the family's blessings.
“I am sure mom wants me to settle down. Parents like to tie up everything and they think it's done. But it is not done even if you are married. Today, marriage is another form of engagement. It is a legal commitment that it is quite easy to get out of. It's not like: It's all over and now we can all go to sleep. And anyway it is very important in a girl's career for her to focus on that. And marriage alters your image; your marketability and people lose interest in you. I'd much rather people kept asking, "When are you getting married?" The minute you are married, you are yesterday's news. And I am not in any rush to get married. Because I am loving this.” 

Is it tough to manage being together with your tough schedules? “We are balancing our lives beautifully. We are working hard and Kareena is more than a wife, because she loves me. There are so many wives who don't love their husbands because they are pakaoed after 10 years of being together. Bebo gives me all the time in the world. And when I get done with these two days and the film releases, I will give time. We manage. People laugh at us saying, "Oh you are turning up on the set; she is coming here" but that's how we manage.”