Are you still bitter about The Legend of Bhagat Singh?
The fact is that Rajkumar Santoshi took scenes out of my play on Bhagat Singh, Gagan Damama Bajyo. I wasn’t given any credit, except the courtesy thanks. It used to rankle me to see “written by” Anjum Rajabali, but now I’m at peace.

Why didn’t you say anything during the Aaja Nachle song controversy?
Yash Raj Films instructed me not to comment since they were sending out an official statement. I found the whole thing ridiculous. Mochi ko mochi nahin bolenge toh kya bolenge! There is this shoe firm called Mochi, go and shut that down. This is going out of proportion. Imagine telling them to remove the word barber from Billu Barber! I was prepared to apologise for Aaja Nachle but who do I say sorry to? I refuse to be a part of this debating society India is becoming.

Do you miss theatre?
I don’t. I gave 20 years to it and I’ve moved on to cinema. I humbly accept that unlike cinema, theatre is not an industry in our country.

So no regrets on missing out on Maine Pyar Kiya?
(Smiles) Can you imagine? In 1986, when I was in my third year at NSD, Professor (Mohan) Maharishi called me to his office and introduced me to Rajkumar Barjatya. He was launching his son Sooraj as a director and needed a new face for the hero’s role. He gave me his card and told me to come down to Mumbai. It’s a mystery why I didn’t. It took me another 11 years to get here. I presume it was for Salman Khan’s role. No regrets, since that was the beginning of my grand obsession with theatre.

... contd.