When I started out as a model, I took things for granted. Because I bagged work thanks to my looks, I didn't give my body any importance. I was a couch potato who'd eat anything. Then, in 2005, a tabloid ran a story calling me fat. I thought, 'I'm famous. How can I be fat?' It was a slap. I decided to get fit.

It's a brutal world out there. If you consider the case of superstar Rajesh Khanna, he was a darling of the masses in his hey days, and his fans resurfaced only after he passed away. Such is the life of actors: one gets so addicted to fame and glory, and then it is very difficult to accept a fall. You are forgotten and only remembered when you die!

I keep my distance from politics. Lots of money has been offered to me for campaigning over the years, and I have always refused. I used to be very politically aware and very opinionated, but I don't want to involve myself.

I do a film if it interests me, has a connect with the audience and some entertainment value. The rest doesn't matter.

It is said that anyone who does commercial cinema is not acting, and anyone who does an art film is acting. I don't believe it. I feel whenever you are doing a film, you are acting. So you need to be applauded for that. I won't do art house cinemas. I want to make commercial films. I want my films to make money.

It was Vikram Bhatt and 'Raaz' that got me interested in the medium of cinema. Before that, I was like any other youngster dabbling with various things - modelling, films - without a definite direction or focus. Now that I'm working with all of them, life has come full circle for me.

I want to do a movie on sports - like a movie on a racer or a marathon runner - as I feel I'll fit that bill perfectly.