“I wasn’t really sure about the kind of films I wanted to be a part of. That’s when I saw ‘Aaranya Kaandam.’ I was stunned; it was such a stylish film.”

I am a bad boy. I don’t come across clearly to a lot of people, so I am bad for them.

I will happily sit at home and take care of the house.

It’s the failure of my debut film which made me an actor, which made me want to succeed in the industry. But that doesn’t mean I regret whatever choices I’ve made over the years. No, not even ‘Kaiyethum Doorathu!’

I often see only my mistakes. I always feel I could have done better. Every artist goes through it.

I’m not a person who goes out of my way to change my look. I like my characters to look as natural as possible.

I want my films to do the talking. I feel if people have to understand me better, I should do more good films. I just want them to know me through my films.

I am not affected or carried away by success or failure.

I love the forest. It is the place where you hear yourself better.

Mistakes happen, and then you try to overcome those. I like that process.

I’ve done only things I’ve liked, and I’m happy that others have liked them, too. I hope it keeps going that way. But l would never want to do films which please just one set of audience; they should connect with everyone.

Mohan Raja is an interesting filmmaker. He is constantly, if I may use the word, contradicting himself. He explains a scene, and then he will try to break that and rebuild it. That, to me, is filmmaking. Every scene is constructed after a lot of discussions.

When I am with my friends, I am comfortable.

The closest encounter I had with films in my childhood was sitting on the lap of my father at a shooting set, and he would say ‘rain,’ and it started raining, and then he would say ‘song,’ and people started dancing. I thought I was sitting on God’s lap.

I don’t expect to win awards while working in films.

I know it’s a big gamble, but I want to do good films.

My films may not have a great opening, but I am not bothered about it. Whatever the numbers be, I want those viewers who come for my films to be excited about watching the movie.

I try not to get analytical in the writing process. I try to just kind of keep the flow from my brain to my hand as far as the pen is concerned and go with the moment and go with my guts.

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed – Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above.

Telling each other the truth and being who we are, and having space for the other person’s vulnerability in being who they are, allows us to move in a kind of dance together that’s very fluid and graceful.

How is it possible to expect that mankind will take advice when they will not so much as take warning.

I believe that a worthwhile life is defined by a kind of spiritual journey and a sense of obligation.

I suffered from ‘No one will ever fancy me!’ syndrome, well into my teens. Even now I do not consider myself to be some kind of great, sexy beauty. Absolutely not.

Be kind, be all sympathy, for each and every human being is forced to fight against himself.

I am not the kind of lost that needs finding. I am the kind of lost that needs healing.