Dhirubhaiji (Dhirubhai Ambani) was one. I always admired him. And I've been very much influenced by Mahatma Gandhiji, whom I really worship.

Before Munnabhai came out?

Of course, much before Munnabhai . It happened after I saw Gandhi (by David Attenborough).

You started with almost nothing, and at some point you mortgaged your wife's jewellery.

Yes, I started with just Rs 2,000. And I had to mortgage my wife's jewellery. And that's the reason that after every occasion, birthday or marriage anniversary, I give her lots of gold jewellery. And she tells me now to stop it. And I say, that's psychology working in me.

So there's whole room (pointing to Roy's bungalow) filled with all that (Both laugh). It's a lovely house. There are stories about your house, also about Sahara Shehar. It's grand, but the stories make it sound grander.

It's good naa , if that's the story, then it's good.

For someone who started with Rs 2,000, you now have crores. And crores of depositors, many of them poor people. Do you feel a certain sense of responsibility?

Very much. That's the first responsibility I have because we are custodians of public money. I tell you, people go for all speculative type of investments. We never went for such investments. We never went for investment in the share market or unsecured loans, right from the beginning -- for I've always said it's better to have sukha daal and roti . We are custodians of public money.

... contd.