When I was growing up, I remember having read all the books in the library. I often tried to emulate my favourite writers.

Films and books have been intertwined as far as my growing up is concerned.

Books of exploration have always fascinated me, like somebody going up the Amazon for the first time.

My mother wanted me to join the Indian army, as the army was seen as a decent and respectable career to have. I shocked my mother by telling her that I wanted to be a writer.

Commercial theater, in its agenda to appeal to everybody, is often at the expense of the unique vision of the artist.

Acting is an incredibly gratifying, creative experience when you're doing it. But in the off-season, you want to scratch that itch, and writing has become that to me. It's a really pure form of creativity. It's good for my mental health in the same way reading books is good for me. It makes the day brighter.

As far as I have been able to understand, the Japanese seem to keep things close to the vest. Friendly but remote and polite to the point of being invisible. It is in the music, literature, film and art that the Japanese really seem to express themselves.

I feel like I became an artist by default. I went to art college, but my interest was always more towards film than painting or sculpture.