Q: What's the one best thing to have happened to you in 2004?
A: Definitely the huge excitement of working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I never talk about myself and my roles. But Black has been a very important chapter in my life.

A creator of such depth, sensibility, aesthetics and technical wherewithal has seldom been a part of my life as an actor before. Sanjay provoked and challenged me to go into areas of my capabilities as an actor where I've never been before.

The film provided me with a wonderful canvas where I was able to reach into emotions within me that I had never connected with before.

Q: I've never heard you getting so passionate about a role before!
A: Black has been extremely rewarding. It has been the most challenging and satisfying role of my life, and purely for the genius of Sanjay Bhansali.

Black gave me space and scope to do things I had never done before. I never want Black or my performances to be compared with Hollywood.

Every second journalist wants to know when am I going to Hollywood.

Arrey, Hollywood nahin koi khudai ho gayi!

Q: In 2004 you had nine releases. Quite a chequered year....
A: Not chequered at all. Very, very clear... the whole year has been a big zero for me.

Q: What are you saying?
A: Aur kya? I did get critical acclaim for Dev and Khakee. In the earlier phase of my career there was a lot of criticism about not working in the so-called art cinema. It was believed that my presence in such films would help the genre.

But we actors aren't here to change cinema. We want to work in the projects that give us creative satisfaction. I don't believe that any particular genre or section of cinema can gain by my participation. I was happy with Govind Nihalani's Dev, that's why I did it. I didn't do it to improve the quality of life in the country.

There are government policies to take care of that. I'm part of the entertainment industry. It's my job to entertain.

Q: Dev made a large difference to the way cinema is perceived....
A: Yes, certainly. I'm surprised to see Dev being seen as one of the important events of the year. It had the guts to give a visual to the Gujarat riots. In 2004 I got to work with a very talented director like Govind Nihalani for the first time.

In fact, Veer-Zaara was my only film with a director I had already worked with. Most of the other directors in 2004 were young talented people like Farhan Akhtar, Samir Karnik and Milan Luthria.

Earlier I was criticised for working with the same patent set of people like Manmohan Desai, Prakash Mehra, Ramesh Sippy and Salim-Javed. Now when I work with new talent, this happens.

Q: What happens?
A: The trade is very critical of me. They've been hitting me on my head for six months for doing too many films. They think I need to take it easy now. One trade magazine has made a career out of satirising my career.

Q: The more valid criticism this year was about the volume of ads.
A: That really needs an explanation. My company needs an income. We've just resurrected ourselves. We're now on the verge of paying back all our debts.... only itsy-bitsy amounts remain to be given off. We've paid back huge amounts. And I need to work to make back that money.

Q: But ads for hair oil? They don't befit your stature.
A: The products I endorse are decided after deliberation. I'd rather do hair oil than alcohol, I'd rather do Hajmola than tobacco.

Q: Will you cut down on ads this year?
A: I cannot tell ad-makers to stay away. I cannot overlook the fact that Dabur sales have doubled. Nerolac Paints became No 1 and sales of Parker pens increased by 120 per cent. Cadbury's sales went up by 20 per cent. Could it be a coincidence that all this happened after I endorsed their products?

Q: Abhishek's career has taken off in a big way....
A: As a father I'm very excited, more for the fact that he has gradually improved as a performer. Jaya and I were criticised for not launching him. I admit we did nothing for Abhishek.

We didn't have the resources or the expertise to launch him. But we're proud of him because he learnt to stand on his own feet. We let him fall and get up. He has learnt from his mistakes and continues to do so. He's now walking.

Hopefully he'll soon run. He has a long way to go. But yes, there's a vast growth in him as an actor. That's encouraging. I'm happy Dhoom has got him the confidence of success. But I wouldn't call that a performance-oriented film when compared with Yuva or Phir Milenge.