“I want my films to make money first. Awards and all can come later.”

I believe that anyone with a bit of guidance can act.

Most of the films that I do help me learn something.

I’ve always wanted to do a role based on a real-life person.

I will continue to do films that excite me.

I like to laugh and to make people laugh.

When I choose the scripts, all I look forward to is an impressive narration.

The only thing my famous last name got me was a foothold in the industry. That was the easy part. The biggest problem is survival. As Fazil’s son, I am expected to know everything – acting, dancing, horse riding… I am not trained in all these, and I don’t think I ever will be.

Every character, when it comes to a cinematic representation, gets complicated and layered. You are given a lot of dimensions than a single dimension to an individual. That’s the main difference between seeing something out of the window and seeing something on screen.

I have grown up seeing success and failure.

Failure is part and parcel of the process of experimenting with roles and films.

For me, ‘Diamond Necklace’ is a commercial attempt, as it has songs and glamour.

People expect star kids to be perfect – horse-riding, fighting.

The five directors in ‘5 Sundarikal’ experimented, and it was a very personal exercise. Amal, Anwar, Aashiq, and Sameer have done things that they have never done before. Debutant Shyju has also made a beautiful film.

I would like to look funny on screen, doing comedy.

I’m an actor who evolves once the shoot starts.

I listened to the script of ‘Carbon’ at the end of 2014. I liked it the moment I heard it. I wanted to do it.

If you work at rap and look at it as an art, the money will come. But if you try to get the money, it’ll just always be shallow.

I’m not that materialistic. I like nice clothes and that, but I don’t spend lots of money on stuff. I’m not really into TV, I don’t have an iPod, I’ve got a gramophone.

Money is the fuel for choices. Money gives me choices, so it’s not nothing, it’s something. But it’s not the end all, be all. There are other things in my life that I did not purchase with money that are very valuable.

To be financially wealthy you must have a purpose for your life. In other words, without purpose, you’ll never know when you have enough money, and you can never be financially wealthy.

Let’s say your past is your present and your present is your cash, So I look forward to the future.

I don’t want the money. I don’t want the drama. I just want to do my show. I want to have fun again.

I believe I can make all the money I’ve missed. But I can’t regain the time with fans and family.

I didn’t spend money on nothin’. Besides my daughter, bucket hats, and weed.