It is. But Munnabhai is great. I mean it’s a total turnaround in my career. It’s such a great character today. And specially Circuit with him. Have you seen?

• Yes. I hope you know, how many dogs in this country have been named Circuit! The country’s favourite sidekick now.

Absolutely. But Munnabhai came along, and Raju is such a soft director.

• Raju Hirani.

I used to wonder in the first schedule that, ‘Matlab, kya baana raha hai, what’s he making?’ Because he was too soft. But then, as time went by, I just knew he’s making landmark Hindi films — Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai — to spread the message of the great Mahatma Gandhi in such a beautiful way.

• But given the complications you were carrying in your life, you weren’t hesitant playing a gangster again, picking up the gangster language? You did Vaastav shortly before your incarceration. This never bothered you?

No, it didn’t bother me because Munnabhai is a lovable gangster.

• Right.

Munnabhai wants to become a doctor. Munnabhai wants to spread the word of Gandhiji. And what Gandhiji taught, I think, everybody has forgotten, and he revived it. Total Gandhigiri, peace, and all those things.

• Tell me, when you were in jail, did you ever read about Gandhi? Did your father ever talk about Gandhi? Did you ever think about peace, because Arthur Road Jail is a tough jail. It’s not full of nice guys.

... contd.