A bludgeoning performance in Darnaa Zaroori Hai, a stellar role in risk, acting workshop with mentor Naseeruddin Shah.... Randeep Hooda's cup of joy runneth over. He opens his heart out to Subhash K Jha ....

Q: According to Ram Gopal Varma your performance in Darnaa Zaroori Hai is a class act.
A: Did he say that? Wow! All artistes are suckers for praise. I'm no exception. I'm glad he feels so strongly. Given the restricted space for the role I tried to to do my best. It's the role of man possessed.

Some other entity takes over my character. I made it up in my head. It was a bit of hard work. I'd be pretending if I said I didn't enjoy it. I love playing aberrant characters.

Q: Ironically you played a normal singing-dancing guy in your first film.
A: (laughs) Yeah, Monsoon Wedding was normal. I had broken my hand during a terrible road accident. I was confined to bed for three months. Then Mira Nair accommodated my broken hand as a member of the cast, pun intended.

Q: You and Ramu had a stressful relationship during Darna Zaroori Hai?
A: There were misunderstandings. The differences were spoken about too much...no need for that. Creative situations do get tense. So it was between me and my director Chekravarthy. But I had fun doing Darnaa Zaroori Hai.

Q: Are you argumentative on the sets?
A: It's about getting my point across. But now I'm far more relaxed during work. If you don't ask questions during a shot then how can you provide the answers in your performance?

Q: So will you work with Ramu again?
A: Ramu is being very generous with his praise. Of course I'd like to work with him. He's hungry for good actors. I'm hungry for good filmmakers. We have to come together again. I'm sure about that.

Q: Do you feel Ramu's assistants cannot match the master's vision?
A: Yes and no. A lot of them try and execute his vision. That doesn't work out. It can't. But that isn't to take away from the guys who've made films for Ramu. Vishram Sawant who made D with me for Ramu did it all on his own. Ramu gives kids like me and Vishram a lot of room to grow.

Q: You took a risk by moving out of Ram Gopal Varma productions for a film with Vishram Sawant.
A: Yeah to make a film called Risk. But it wasn't a risk. Vishram Sawant was totally in charge during D. Ramuji never came on the sets. Vishram believed in me constantly eventhough we had our differences, so how could I not believe in him?

I was with Ramu because he had a plan for me. I loved his plan. He was supposed to make Ek with me. I was dying to do that film with him. It was the main villain's role. Instead of Ek, D happened. But in the waiting period I wasn't allowed to do any films or ads. So I kept myself busy doing theatre and workshops.

Q: You play a cop in Risk. How different is your cop from the ones played by Amtabh Bachchan or Manoj Bajpai?
A: Earlier the cops were projected differently. If your job is to sweep dirt some of it is bound to stick. So there's nothing like a completely virtuous law enforcer. In any case I didn't play the character. The character was within the script. I just did what he was required to.

Q: Is it true that Ram Gopal Varma offered you Gabbar Singh's role?
A: Yes, he did.

Q: Why didn't you do it?
A: I didn't want to play another gangster immediately after D. I had a different interpretation of Gabbar from Ramu.

Q: Are you insane? That's the one role every actor wants to play!
A: I'm not very sure every actor would be able to stand up to Amjad Khan's performance. I would have definitely tried to take it to another level. Gabbar Singh's role is open to innumerable interpretations.

Q: Direction next?
A: No no. My passion is acting. I don't want to be a director just to facilitate myself as an actor. Being a director is too much work. I'm just starting to grow as an actor. Future? Who knows? I can be a carpenter.

Q: Why are doing a workshop with Naseeruddin Shah?
A: Since I do one movie at a time. I use my spare time to better my skills. Like all my relationships, the one I share with Naseer is also ambiguous. He's my guru, friend and confidante.

I've worked as his apprentice and tried to observe both his good and not-so-good personality traits. I've done three plays with him. Naseer has inspired me.

Q: Who are your other sources of inspiration?
A: I get inspired by even a small child whose oblivious laughter indicates a complete opposite of world -weariness.