Q. What is this film "Horn OK Please" all about?
A. This is a very good film. I have never talked about any of my films this way but honestly I really enjoyed working in this film and especially I enjoyed playing the role of a truck driver a lot.
Keep your mind outside for 2 hours while coming to see the film and you will really enjoy it. It's an out and out comedy.
Q. After a long time you are playing a Maharashtrian in a Hindi film...
A. Yes, I have played the characters of U.P., Bihar and others. But I am playing a typical Maharashtrian for the first time.
Q. Is Nana and Gana (song) still two separate things?
A. Gana (song) for me is like the way a child gets happy after getting a toy to play, so like wise I get happy when I get a song because I don't know that thing. I really enjoy doing it as this is the faculty which I don't know.
I get to learn many things from it as it's nice to see young people teaching you. I even touch their feet while coming out.
Q. Are you able to give time to theater now?
A. I have been doing theatre since 35 years but at the moment I am not doing any play since I hardly get time from my film schedules.
Again through films one gets a chance to reach so many people, whereas, through theatre you can hardly reach only thousand people. Though, I want to do a play called Heybadan written by Girish Karnard from a very long time.
Q. What happened to the film you were planning to direct?
A. That got delayed. Because while shooting for an item song I broke my legs due to which, I was on bed for three months. This film was supposed to get finished by January and I was going to start my film in March, but due to my accident everything got delayed. If everything goes right then I may start my film by October.
Q. After 17 years you are directing a film, why such a long gap?
A. After Prahar, I did not direct any film, as I was busy earning money. You will get less money in direction and I had to buy a house. Besides that I had to earn money to fulfill other responsibilities while I am getting older. It is always there in back of my mind that I have not much time left.
Q. Are you difficult to approach?
A. It's not like that. If I like the story I will definitely do it and if not then I won't. First thing that comes is the story, secondly who the director is, thirdly the co-artist, fourthly who the producer is, and lastly, whether I am getting paid or not the amount I demand.
Q. Are you happy with your career graph?
A. Yes I am very happy. It's because of my wife Neelakanti that I am here today. She worked in a bank and used to get a salary of around Rs. 2500 while I used to earn Rs. 700.
It was she who supported me to make my career in acting. When she used to act in theatre, she got six awards whereas I got only one. She also acted in a movie named Atmavishwash, where she got the best actress award. I will always be thankful to her.
Q. Besides acting what you do?
A. I do farming in my village near Pune. I have a big farm house where I grow rice, wheat, Chana etc. I even sit for selling our grown products and share the money with my farmers. - Sabir Rahman