Bengali Superstar Jeet - Kolkata, Durga Puja, Food, Culture, Films & Life | TRS

Welcome to the big brother of Bengal, Jeet Bhai.

This is my first podcast and I'm really really keeping my fingers crossed. I hope that people like it, enjoy it.

I want to know about your life.

I was a cable TV operator in South Calcutta. The channels I used to recommend, my movies are on those channels now.

That's where things have begun.

Then you started keeping a price tag but that is also never fixed price tag.

And whether it goes up or down is dependent on your decisions.

Of course, of course.

Friday decides.

Because you're from Kolkata, do you feel a deeper connection? I got so much love, respect from there. But I see that a large number of people, the coming generation, don't want to live there.

Why is this happening according to you? What are your best street food recommendations in Kolkata?

Batata, Puri and Raj Kachori are very delicious. When I see them, I forget what profession I am in.

Oh!

This is a stereotype that there is a lot of black magic in Bengal.

My grandmother possessed a spirit.

Oh really?

Yeah.

So her voice would change, her eyes, expressions, everything would change. Even before death, she said that she wouldn't live after this. She knew that she's going to die.

Do you feel a deeper connection with Durga Maa or Maa Kali?

Of course.

During the pujas, you can imagine that there's a wedding happening in Kolkata. Celebrations are done in this environment.

How is marriage evolving?

Life is like five balls you are juggling with. Four balls are made of glass. Family, friends, health and spirit. And work is made of a rubber ball. Careful with those four glass balls because if they fall they never come back the same. But the rubber ball, the harder it falls, the big brother of Bengal.

Welcome to Jeet Bhai.

Thank you very much Ranveer. How are you sir? I am good. How are you?

Good to be sitting in front of you.

It is so likewise. So much likewise.

Thank you. Thank you sir. In my life, West Bengal is going to play a big role in my life. I am actually going to cover Pooja. I am shooting a documentary series. Unfortunately, we won't be able to release it during Navratri.

But I am so excited. There are some artistic projects that you have visualized for years. So with the grace of the divine, we are getting that opportunity.

It will be an amazing experience. It's a different energy, a different atmosphere. So I am sure you will have a great time.

I have a wish that I want to go to Kolkata and attend a house party. And just talk to people. In Mumbai, the culture of house parties is very strong. Because we have a lot of traffic here. So we all like staying in our own homes. And generally, I think this is a very conversational city.

That too is a very conversational city.

So who all do you want to meet? I can arrange a house party for you. I have no thoughts about people. I will come to your place. I will party with you. Who all will you introduce me to? I haven't reached everyone yet.

But I will try to introduce you to everyone. Just fun people who are conversational.

Okay.

Yes.

And let me also tell you that I'm in the arranged marriage circuit. So if you want to do the honours, feel free. Okay, great. So come to our house. We live in a joint family. We'll entertain you a lot.

Okay, done. Done, done.

My brothers, their wives and all that, they are all enterprising. Done, done.

What are your best street food recommendations in Kolkata?

Raj kachori. Very different bhel puri and batata puri, which you call it sev puri here. Batata puri. So that's very different there. Puchka is very different.

Jhal muri, you will not get it here. Where there's bhel. Puchka is very different. Jhalmuri, you will not get it here. It's like Bhel. Yes, it's like Bhel. And Puchka, which is Panipuri here and the Puchka there. So Panipuri is basically, in a way, a grandchild of Puchka in terms of size. But Puchka is big.

How do you eat it? With a big mouth.

What's your favorite?

My favorite is Batata Puri and Raj Kachori. Why? It's very tasty, irresistible and

Oh! Yes.

You eat it.

Yes, I eat it. So, if you are coming, if we get a chance, we can do anything for you. I was so happy to see that. Thank you. Thank you so much. And I was so happy to see that.

Thank you. Thank you so much. And I was so happy to see that. Thank you. Thank you so much. And I was so happy to see that.

Thank you. Thank you so much. And I was so happy to see that. Thank you. Thank you so much. And I was so happy to see that. Thank you, sir. And you have that serenity. Even now, before starting the podcast,

I saw the prayer you made. I liked it. I liked it a lot.

Thank you. Thank you, sir. I believe that art is not ours. Art is given to us as a gift. Like God has blessed this studio for me. Similarly, God has blessed your voice box

with your voice.

Yes, absolutely.

It's a beautiful voice.

Thank you very much. How often do you get complimented for your voice? I keep saying it's okay. Like you said, these are all divine things. I didn't create it, it came with me. It's God's gift, so it should be thankful and move forward.

Does a man's voice change with time?

Yes, it happens. Everyone's voice changes. Men, women, I think, their voices keep changing with age and maturity. And some people practice and polish it a little more. Sometimes it is taught in theaters. Voice training is given. ...we polish it a little more. We teach it in theaters sometimes. We give voice training.

As I am hosting you on this show...

...I have three perspectives. Yes.

The first perspective is that I am doing this episode for myself. I want to know you and your heart. And we'll keep going forward in the conversation with that intention.

I will try to open my heart and stay in front of you.

On a personal level, I'm loving meeting older guys in life. Because I feel that any person can teach a lot to younger people than themselves. And this should be an age-oriented respect.

And I feel that elders also get to learn a lot from younger people. My daughter is 12 years old. My son is 2 years old. He is still young and he is a beautiful thing in himself. But from a 12 year old girl, I learn a lot from Jane Zee and Jane Alfa.

A few days ago, from Olivia Rodrigo to Sabrina Carpenter. All these names are black pink for me. I learn from them and I keep learning. I am going to concerts.

So, I think learning is for everyone, till the end.

I told you the first perspective. First one is for me. Second one is for Bangla audience. Yes. Okay. All of them are watching this podcast with love.

In our office too, the one sitting here, Mukesh, is a big fan of yours.

Thank you very much.

He was almost crying today that you are coming to the studio. So, he is sitting with his full heart.

I will give you a big hug before leaving. Thank you very much. What's your name?

Mukesh. And the third section is for India. Because, I theoretically know West Bengal from close by. Through shows, culture,

spiritual studies. But I feel, this is our first Bangla culture oriented podcast.

So, where should we start?

You can start from anywhere. Tell me, Bengal, I was born there. I was brought up there. I got so much love there. That's why I'm sitting here today.

What are your earliest memories?

My school days. I've been in Bengal growing up days all my life. And the beauty of Bengal. My school days have been in Bengal, growingal Singh, Hrithik Ghatak, all of them have made films and made paths for us where we are going today. So there has been a lot of contribution from Bengal, it is endless. There have been freedom fighters from Bengal, Netaji Subhash Sundar Kulkarni, Sourav Ganguly. So like Bengal has contributed.

In music, there has been so much from Bengal. So like I am proud to be a person from Bengal, born in Bengal.

When someone grows up in Bengal, what changes in them? For example, if you ask me about Mumbai, I would say that the hustle mentality is in your blood. If you grew up here, you are very hardworking naturally. Here you become lazy. It's one of the two extremes.

But what is the influence of Bengal on a child's mind? I don't know but future generation, I see that they don't want to live. I don't know why. But we don't have any complaints. We've got so much of love. Everything what we are today, it is to do with Bengal only. We got all the love, respect, and blessings from there. So we don't have any complaints. But I see that a large number of people, the coming generation, don't want to live there.

And there is a conversational discussion among people as to why this is happening. Because I have a Bangladeshi friend, Meghdoot Roy Choudhury. He started a campaign called Make Calcutta Great Again. And this is a youth campaign. But I am not from Calcutta.

When I observe Bengal from a distance, it feels like this is the artistic capital of the country.

Absolutely.

So, I will ask you this question. You have named a few people, like Satyajit Roy. Want to begin there?

See, I have seen some of his work. Like, if I want to name a few of them, from that, when I see Pothir Pachali, I feel that, how did this man think in that era that a film like this in those times? There was intelligence, purity and innocence.

That was the specialty of his films. And I liked one of his films, Nayak. Have you seen it? That's the story of a superstar. And the way he presented it, the way Uttam Kumar acted in that film, it's one of the cult movies. You'll see it and think how stylishly that film was shot.

From the storytelling to the presentation of the character.

I've seen a short film of his where a kid is basically showing the contrast between the privileged class and the blue collar class. A kid is at home, drinking a Pepsi bottle and then on the road, he shows a kid. And I found it very very deep, you know, just through the lens. He was a genius, he was a true intellect. I believe that Gen Z especially, Gen Z, Gen Alpha will rediscover Satyajit Roy. I think a lot of his concepts are based on what I've read.

There are some of the pioneers like for example Charlie Chaplin. Even today if you see his work, his thought processes, ideologies through those work, they are so relevant.

Yeah. Mr. Bean?

Mr. Bean. Are you a Mr. Bean fan? I've seen him. Yeah, of course. As an actor, do you pick up anything from Mr. Bean? Of course. Any actor you can pick up, no? Like if there's someone who's good.

One scene is good, two expressions, one expression is good, one eye movement is good. It feels like, wow, how well he did it. And sometimes, as you said, what comes out at that moment, is not in your hands. So, when there is a divine connection with the actor, a magic comes out that touches people.

It is not necessary that the same actor hits six in every ball. Sometimes he takes one or two runs. But when he hits six, the timing should be right with God. That's when he hits six and goes out of the park.

If you had to introduce Bengali cinema to non-Bengalis... ...can you give some film recommendations? And also tell us why you are recommending these films?

I would say that the film that we showed here, which is my film, but it is again a remake of a Telugu film. Okay. But the way the film was made, the way it was shaped,

the way the character was presented, if... What is it? In the rest of India. I have seen and talked to people here about Bengali films. They have an idea that the kind of films that Satyajit Rai made or the kind of films that he made with urban filmmakers, they are still being made there. It is not like that are still made there.

The mainstream action films like Mar Dhaar Masala, Gane Yeh, etc. are made there. There is a film like that, Boss, which was the highest grossing film at that time. When I showed that film to people here, they were quite surprised. I think if that film is shown, it will show that this kind of work is done in Bengal. It will be understood and the show can be driven by the characters. I was seeing that in it.

And the scale was also there and everything was nice. I think that. Rather than bringing in an artistic film, which has a box office connection, I am so happy that this time Shah Rukh Khan got the National Award in Jawaan. I am happy because he got the love of the masses and also got the National Award. So I like this harmony. Just from an artistic point of view, and not reaching the hearts of people and he is getting the national award, somewhere I feel that no.

Where there is more love, you should also go with him. Animal could also have been given Ranbir Kapoor, but again, both of them did very good performances.

Pardon my ADHD kicking in, now we'll switch topics very randomly. No worries. Okay, I want to know about your life.

I think it's a journey one should enjoy. I'm doing that and... I was a cable TV operator in South Calcutta at one time. From there, the channels I used to recommend to people to watch, my movies are on those channels. So, this arc of the journey shows that this is what I have been through.

So, there are many ups and downs and interesting incidents. But, absolutely thankful to God and grateful to God for this beautiful life. I also feel blessed and enjoy living in a joint family. That's one of the rare thing. Where your parents and your brother and his wife and children, we all live together. And that is also one space which I really enjoy.

Let's begin with early breakthroughs. What according to you, what age did you find success at?

What is the definition of success?

You tell me.

If we look at it from a materialistic point of view, Bengali first film Saathi was released in 2002. And it changed things around me for the fourth night. It changed the environment and the situation. For example, for understanding, for those who don't know about Bengali films,

for understanding, for Ritwik Roshan, as they say, love is like that. In my life, it was the same. Yeah, so this is how it is. And otherwise, success has its own definition. When I had my second child in 2023,

I have always wanted to have a second child. I wanted a sibling for my daughter.

Late congrats.

Thank you very much.

Late congrats.

Yeah, thank you very much. So that is also a sense of success. So success has its own definition.

Okay.

I would like to ask you that before that, you were a cable TV operator.

After that I tried in films too. I used to supply building materials.

Oh wow!

Yeah.

Hustler. Sindhi hustle mentality.

Yeah.

Right? Is this it?

Yeah.

Try it. Try it. Try it.

Yeah.

Yes, absolutely.

Tell us what is Sindhi hustle mentality. You gave me an interesting ball to play. I'll say a couplet. Nahi tera nasheman kasre sultani ki gumbat par. Tu toh shahi hai basera kar pahadon ki chattaano par. So I think you didn't understand the meaning of the first line. Nahi tera nasheman kasre sultani ki gumbat par.

You don't care about your forefathers' wealth. We are refugees. We came from like undivided India. When we came from Pakistan, we came here and settled in Bombay, Calcutta, different parts of India, different parts of the world. But everyone is a hustler.

And there's nothing behind it. world. You are a king, that bird is a king. You can go to the top of the mountains and make your nest. You are that human.

Adaptability.

Yeah.

Right?

Yeah.

I have a lot of Sindhi bros.

Literally a lot of them.

Yeah.

And I have seen a commonality in all of them. That they are all relentless. They keep doing things. And I would also say that I don't know a single lazy Sindhi.

I'm proud of this breed. I'm proud of this breed. But anyways, this is the philosophy of life. I was telling my colleagues a few days ago, that the first two lines of a song are that from the womb of a mother to the grave

is your story, my dear. Dangal Dangal. So that's there. Life is always full of challenges. You can't let go of it. I say, without aspirations, it is as good as death. No life.

Without aspirations, life is as good as death.

Yeah.

Need to keep thinking of the next jump.

You have to keep doing it.

Right.

In the early materialistic breakthrough, you switched in your career. Switched from one industry to another. You must have been in early 20s. Yeah. What was your mindset?

Did you ever think about the future in general or you were just working hard?

I was working hard. There was a television show here, Jai Hanuman. I had played a role in that, where there is a soldier who says that Mithila Naresh Janakpuri is on his way. This was my dialogue.

Wow. Yeah.

Wow.

That's where things have begun.

Yeah, yeah.

So, I always used to say, what work do you have for me? Tell me, I'll give it to you. Later I started to understand that, okay, fine. After Shathi and all that, when you started getting a huge acceptance, then slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, you started to understand that yes, you can be sold now. People come in your name. So, when you started to understand this, then you started keeping a price tag, but that is also never fixed price tag. No actor or talent comes with a fixed price tag.

It's not Bata.

Hmm.

999, 95.

And whether it goes up or down is dependent on your decisions.

Of course, Friday decides.

Oof.

Of course, yeah.

How did you create an opportunity for yourself?

I used to say this when I was in Mumbai. It's like you're walking in a tunnel. Where thousands of people are going and a light is visible. That light is limelight. Lucky are the ones who reach there. Rest of the people are wandering in that cave.

Keep walking, keep chasing that light. Keep digging, when will you get gold. Cinema is like that, film is like that. One film, one film can change your destiny. One song can change your life. One century can change your skating career.

It can add a lot of value. Have you met Saurav Ganguly? Yes, many times. Have you met him? Many times. He is like a friend, family.

What kind of equation do you guys share? Because you both have...

Very nice.

Long-term vision, hustler, tiger mentality.

Very nice. He's the Dada of our state. He's Dada of country. He's Dada of the world.

Explain to India what Sourav Ganguly means to Bengal.

He's a glorious man.

Do people understand him now? Especially Gen Z's, Gen Alpha's who haven't seen his cricketing career. Do they understand Sourav Ganguly?

He has been relevant, I think. He has been relevant. Quite relevant because of his… If he is not playing cricket, he is doing something in the TV also. Okay. And he is doing lot of commercials also. So, he is always around. Yeah, people know about him, even today's generation.

Maybe not so much because of cricket, maybe ex-cricketer. But of course, he's very relevant and always there in the news.

Okay. Suppose you have a best friend who has never seen Calcutta and that person lands

in Calcutta. So where will you take him? First of all to my house. Why? After that I will arrange for all the highlights of Calcutta. If they don't ask me to get down from the car, I will go with them. And if they ask me to get down from the car, I will send someone along.

But where will you take me?

You can start from the iconic points. If you start from old Calcutta, then Havra Bridge, Victoria Memorial, Birla Planetarium, Brigade, Fort William, some lanes of Bada Bazar to understand what is the Ginginess. What happens? It is a crowded area, market, wholesale, kiosk, small lanes, that is interesting. New part, New Town, which can be shown.

Eastern Bypass, there is a lot of growth there. There is a lot of development there. We can take you there. We will take you to Kali Mandir of course. First of all, we can take you to Kali Mandir. Kali Ghat? Yes, Kali Ji's Mandir or Dakineshwar Mandir.

Whatever it is. Our Kali Ji's Mandir. I will take you there. Yeah, many places. The food there is very special. I am a special guest there. You must be knowing about it. I have a lot of Bengali friends. Bengali food is amazing.

Amazing food.

I have eaten Mishti Doi since childhood. Ilish curry. Steamed fish.

Koshamong show. It is called Bhapa.

Bhapa.

In leaves.

With yellow mustard paste. Paturi. With yellow mustard paste.

Paturi. Paturi. Paturi. Paturi. Paturi. I like all kinds of food. I like all kinds of fish. Prawns? Yes, prawns. I like Bengali soup. I like plain dal bhat. I like Bengali food.

Bengali sweets are a different space. Sweets reach here. There are some good Bengali restaurants in Bombay. But sweet Bengal is very famous here. But the Nolen Gur Sondesh that you get there, I don't know if you will get that taste here or not.

Hmm.

And I, even though you didn't ask for it, I want to send you once.

Oh sure sir.

Yes, I will take your address. Done done. It comes around November, it is available only in winters.

Okay, Nolen Gur Sondesh. Nolen Gur is like a little darker colored gur, right? If I'm not mistaken. Or caramelized.

Yes.

Okay, looking forward. Is that your favorite dish?

Yes, I couldn't resist myself. If I wasn't in this profession, I would have eaten a lot.

Yes, I can totally understand this feeling. You are a foodie.

Yes, absolutely.

Okay.

Yeah.

You cook too? A little bit, but I don't like it. I learned to cook for survival.

Okay.

I cook only when I need to.

Okay.

But overall, I think Bangla food is quite healthy.

Very healthy.

Steamed and...

Yeah, very healthy.

Hmm...

Like and you usually... At least all my Bengali friends are quite fit.

All of them are fit.

Okay.

Yeah, they are like very... Intellect also... Umm... They are health conscious and that's why the food is good.

Yeah.

Umm... Intellect also, we are health conscious, food is good. If you are from Bombay, you have a deep connection with Lord Ganesha. Every year.

You know, when Salman Khan dances in Ganpati, there is deeper meaning behind that. Because in some ways, I feel that Lord Ganesha rules this region, Maharashtra. You know where I'm going with this. Okay, let me get there. In Bengal, yeah. It's Maakali. Maakali and Durga. Maakali and Durga. Yeah, and also Swaraswati Maa is also celebrated there. Devi, Devi Upas. I think it's the...

There is a lot of matriarchal energy there. Yes. Both, I want to talk about Durga Ma and also let's talk about this Matriarchy energy. Yeah, it's there in Bengal. I also feel the same. That energy is more, comparatively.

Very powerful women.

Yeah.

That's what I feel. When did you realize that as you were growing up?

Thankfully, we grew up with 8 brothers and 8 sisters. We were all cousins put together. We were 8 brothers and 8 sisters. So we had such a balanced growing up. Maybe after I got into movies, I started realizing this that yes, that Matriarchy energy is a little comparatively on the higher side.

Because you're from Kolkata, do you feel a deeper connection with Durga Maa or Maa Kali?

Of course.

Of course, my father goes every day, 365 days, to the temple.

Kali Ghat?

Kali Ji's temple. We were born in Kali Ghat.

I was kidding.

Yeah, yeah. So we feel that we have Kali Ji's blessings, which is why we I got this. My grandmother, Kali ji. My mother's temple. The center of the temple is the Goddess of the temple. The Goddess of the temple.

Those who don't know about the Kali Ghat temple, tell them a little. How is the energy of the temple?

It's very good. It's very powerful.

Very powerful. very giving, very nurturing. That's what I have understood. I ask them at home and it used to seem a little mysterious, over time it feels nourishing. It's almost like mummy is feeding me food. In a very nice divine way. Saying it with a lot of respect. But I think, we are talking about Kali Ma on a national podcast. She has found her way to a national level. And I think India is again getting to know about her from a very close distance. That I am also saying as a content

creator and I see the kind of content people are interested in now. This kind of content wouldn't have worked 5 years ago. But people are hungry for these kind of conversations.

And after Covid, people have become more spiritual. Don't you feel so? Yeah. You'll be surprised, in the last 8-10 years, in Bengal, especially in Calcutta, there are a lot of pandanesh Chaturthi pandals. A lot of people are worshipping Ganesh.

Why is this happening according to you?

I think people are starting to check the reality.

As life moves forward, what happens? I was asking a question with a negative tone.

Okay, tell me.

There is an English word called melancholy. It means keeping sadness in your heart. But your relationship with that sadness is positive. Melancholic.

Okay.

I think you have to move past melancholy also. Feel melancholy. You feel melancholy after sadness. And you have to go beyond melancholy. But sometimes the most beautiful art comes out of melancholy. The best poetry, poems, songs, all come out of melancholy.

So I was asking you from a slightly melancholic perspective. This is not about a name or a fame. Until it doesn't break in love, the heart is of no use.

I remembered my breakup. It's good only, no? Dil kisi kaam ka nahi ho. Oh my! Breakup ki yaad aagayi na.

It's good only no? Yeah. In retrospect, when you get far enough, it's all good. Man ka ho toh accha nahi ho toh aur bhi accha types. Most of the beautiful creations

of life, they have come out of pain only. Giving a birth to a child by a mother, that also goes through a pain. So, biggest of the creation, they come out of pain only.

Pain is the soil for art.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

How was the heartbreak before life?

I learned something, it's good. And I feel that any fallout, you have to do do to move forward, then it becomes very easy.

Hmm. What you have to do is to understand. Like learn from your mistakes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Right? Yeah, yeah. Hmm.

Did that heartbreak inspire you? That heartbreak? Again, I said that the heart is not useful. So, definitely my heart matured. It became more useful. It became more sensible. Before that, I was a bit naive.

Teenage?

No, no. Post 20s. Just after 20s, I had my first relation. And then, after that there was another one uske baad main shaadi kar liya.

Commitment oriented human being.

Always yeah. Ab joint family mein bhi rehte hai toh kahi na kahi and I am the eldest of the family like that way. Toh yeah woh toh hai imbibed hai.

I think serious commitment is a spiritual act in my eyes.

I agree.

Are you open to sharing your love story?

How did you meet?

Yes, it was an arranged marriage. My sister got married in Raipur. Her mother-in-law was a Neelu ji in Lucknow. People used to call her Neelu Guru. law, So my sister's mother-in-law had told that Guruji that this is the case, I have a daughter-in-law, she has a brother, and if there is a girl suitable for her, then please tell me. And then she recommended about this girl who used to come there and sometimes she used to sing bhajan there,

my wife sings. So we were introduced to each other and after talking, I went to Lucknow and met him. The next day I went to meet the woman who is no more, Neelu ji, Neelu Bhagwan, Neelu Guru. I thought I should meet the person who introduced me to him. I went to meet him and thanked him. So this is how we connected and yeah this is how things happened. It looks

very fairy tale story like maybe but yeah this is how it was. So you are also looking for the right path for yourself. I hope that I can be a catalyst here. I hope so too. But okay, you went alone for your arranged marriage date. Yes.

Without your family.

Yeah.

What was in your mind as a guy?

I don't know. I also think sometimes how... I was even told to take someone with me, my brother or someone with whom I am comfortable. I don't know, I went alone.

Like this?

Yes, I don't know why.

You were confident?

I don't know what was it, what was pushing me. It could be again that power. And now it's been 14-15 years, two kids, everything is fine. By God's grace, it's all good. How is marriage evolving? I think marriage is the biggest institution of understanding.

Sometimes it feels like you love the most and you hate the most. Sometimes it feels like you love the most and you hate the most the same person. Sometimes it feels like that. If you keep looking for harmony and peace together, there is nothing more beautiful than this.

You have to find harmony and peace together.

Yes, and what is the meaning of being together, the companionship. And the involvement with that. In the beginning, the music is played on both sides. Then, slowly, the music becomes less on one side. The music is played on the other side. Then, slowly, both of them understand that a different tune is being played. That sounds very melodious.

Tell us about that tune.

Yes, it sounds very melodious. When things are smooth, when there's a most loving space, that's what inspires.

Wow.

A few days ago, I was talking to a colleague. She was telling me that she won't compromise. My female colleague was also saying that she was looking for me. She was telling me that she won't compromise. So I told her that there is a difference between compromise and adjustment have a difference. Compromise always comes with pain and adjustment always comes with love. Wow. Right? Wow. So when you have love in your heart, you will

adjust. If you don't have love in your heart, you will compromise and the pain will remain hidden. Wow. You said a very beautiful thing. And if there is no love in the relation, then compromise What are the qualities you would like to see in your would-be husband? And she came up with a few, five, six, seven things she had in mind. She wanted a presentable, sense of humor, a good income. I wasn't expecting anything more from her. So I just said, I just want one quality in her.

She said, what? I said, she should love me.

If she loves me, everything else will adjust on its own. I just want one quality in her. She said, what? I said, she should love me.

If she loves me, everything else will adjust on its own. So I said it in the flow, but now the wife understands how difficult it is to love. But today's generation, I think, like marriage is in the early 40s, just late 30s. Boys, girls also some mid 30s.

I don't know why people run away from marriage. I don't know why. Thankfully, you're not running away.

I want a wife, a house.

Same, same, same. That was my vibe too. I want kids. I saw the love and excitement with which you spoke about the birth of your second child. That's my goal.

Right?

How does marriage change after having kids?

Bonding is better. Partnership. And unknowingly it becomes a bridge. Sometimes, your thoughts may not be personal, but when it comes to your child,

I was learning about a friend of mine a few days ago, husband and wife, there were differences. Suddenly, the son had a wrong relationship. So, the father and and mother they both came together saare apne ego hassles yeh wo sab bhula ke just to get that kid out of that shitty relation. Okay. To ultimately maa baap ko close lane me

bachcha bridge bana na. Like that. Maybe it binds the marriage even more. It brings the two people way closer. I think. Do you have any bros around you? Yeah, pre-film days friends are there. Who you know from? Yeah, pre-films, pre-celebrity status. What is the role of bros in a man's life? According to you. A guy said that imagine life is like a five balls you are juggling with. What are those five balls? Work, family, friends, health and spirit.

So he is saying that remember that family, friends, health and spirit, these four balls are made of glass. And work is made of a rubber ball. So when you are juggling with them, be careful with those four glass balls. Because if they fall, they never come back the same.

They will get scuffled, snaked, and they might break also. But the rubber ball will always bounce back. The harder it falls, the harder it bounces. So now.

Oh, wow.

Deep. So, every person, including family, friends, brothers, sisters, everyone has an equation. And you only know what's inside when you stand in front of the mirror. And no one should know everything. It doesn't happen. I will tell everything to my wife, my girlfriend.

If someone thinks like that, it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen and you shouldn't do it either.

You need to know what to say to whom.

Yeah.

You seem to be very fond of poems.

Sometimes I get it in the flow.

You get it? But do you read poems or...

I remember the ones that I like. The ones that fit the situation.

I am asking you this because recently poetry has been a very forceful entry in my life.

Really?

Yes.

So we keep bringing it up on the show nowadays. Because I have come to know that poetry, poetry and ghazal play a very big role in a person's life.

Yes.

But it only blesses you if you end up finding it.

The place where art and literature are removed, Human evolvement slows down. Maybe Javed sahib said this. So I liked it. Why do you think that is? Why does it happen?

For self-awareness. A person should have a philosophical side.

Why?

Often, those people who have achieved something in life, if they don't give a philosophical angle, the other person who can't get out of that journey, won't be able to inspire him. Won't be able to make an example story for him. That's why it's important for them to stay. For their evolvement. If the other person can't get out of that journey, he won't be able to inspire him.

He won't be able to make an example story for him. That's why it's important for them to evolve.

I've done a few podcasts on evolution. And I've learned that all the animals, there's a difference between them and humans. Animals work through instinct. And even an evolved animal to a large degree is instinct driven. The most evolved animal is probably an elephant, dolphin, whales.

Even they are instinct driven to some degree. But human beings are not instinct driven. They are intellect driven. But with life, we are also finding that human beings also have a spectrum. I feel the upper spectrum, the most evolved human beings are the spiritualists. One level above that is the artists and poets.

And any profession can make you an artist.

You reminded me of a good line. Sometimes when I travel, people ask me, What do you do to avoid situations, not to tell it directly or make it interesting? So I tell them, I'm into business. They ask, what business? Then I tell them that I'm into business. They say, what business? Then I tell them that I sell emotions.

Oh wow!

I think we're selling emotions.

That's the... So only those who understand emotions will be able to sell. And artists, I think, understand emotions comparatively better. Because they have to portray it as well. They think about emotions.

Whether it's through music, acting or poetry. I'm talking about artist person not actor.

How's your mental health?

I feel fine and good.

Great no? Have you faced bad mental health?

It happens. It's low. Bad is a part of life But sometimes we feel low. About? Things not happening your way is the reason. I don't know.

If expectations and reality don't match. Things not happening your way. Then you feel low. Then you have to push yourself. Motivate yourself. Back yourself.

Few days back I had a betting app. They were offering very interesting money. I hadn't used it for 2-3 years. So I was calculating for 3 years. The other person was continuing the relationship. So I was thinking, he has made so much money.

A few days ago, everyone got an AD call. Nationally. So a lot of things like many such things in life. When you look back, you find the reason behind it. You just have to keep your faith. And hard work.

Faith plus hard work. Hard work is a thumb rule. Without hard work, no one will get anything in such a competitive world.

Do you think with maturity,

you can handle bad mental health phases Hmm. Um, do you think maturity is up? Up?

Bury mental health phases.

Or as I need to some hollow seek little G.

That is what experiences. Bura, but we didn't go to Jenga, the valley, our Duraga Pooja or Kali Pooja, and both are the day he owned it.

Oh yeah.

So we know that, okay, every phase has its own expiry date.

So maybe the real question is how do you become more mature in life?

With time.

Just time.

Yeah, and how beautifully you are handling failures, how wisely you are handling it, it also depends on how strong you are evolving and how mature you are evolving. strong evolve hor rahe ho, kitne mature evolve hor rahe ho. Jab aapko yeh kaha jaata hai ki screen pe romance showcase karo,

aapki duniya ke andar kya chal raha hota hai?

Wo maine kaha thodi dir pehle ki agar aap focused hain toh aap maximum time connected rahenge, true to the character and you just have to be there in the situation, feel the situation around you. Understand the character and deliver.

Whether you are doing an intense scene, action scene, romantic scene,

your process remains the same, you just tap in the flow state. Prepare yourself. Before you hit the floors, you go through your lines and everything, set that. You will need to sit with the director if you get the chance. Sometimes it doesn't happen. Like in Khaki, I didn't get much opportunity to sit with the directors. But thankfully, in Khaki, I got the appreciation for the show and my work.

I feel so blessed about it. So here, we didn't do the homework. But when I started working with the director, I was able to understand his vision. And thankfully, I could deliver what they were wanting. So, sometimes...

...in film making, in content creation, I feel that... ...writing and direction, both have a huge role. An actor... ...in a bad direction... ...the same actor does a bad performance.

If hypothetically, you could only show your children one film of yours... ...which film would you show and why?

Shathi, my first film. The content is very good. The story is very good. And that boy... ...what all he can do for your love? What kind of sacrifices? Giving is another name for love.

So, that is giving. And how much giving is there, and how beautifully it is told in the story. Not because I am the part of that film. But that story itself is a beautiful story. The same story that was super hit in Tamil, the same story that was super hit in Telugu,

the same story that wasugu, in Bengal, in Udia. It's such a strong story.

Keeping this tangent on, I will ask you one more question hypothetically. If you could only teach your children one lesson, out of all the possible lessons out there, what would that be?

First of all, be a good human being. Be a good human being. Be a good human being. Good human being most importantly. Most importantly, good human being.

What does it mean?

Be with whoever you are, but be good from inside. And the beauty that a human being should have, like a human being should have an inner consciousness, self-awareness, reality check and humble, grounded, God believer, spiritual.

What is spiritual for you now sir? Like at this stage of your journey?

Not today. My grandmother used to do spirit poses. Oh really? Yeah. Can we talk about those a little? Your grandmother? Yes, my grandmother.

She used to do spirit poses and she used to get that spirit. We have a Kulguru, he used to come. We had a connection with him. Our family guru is Sai Vas come to the temple. I had a connection with him. Our family guru is Sai Vasanth Ghodkar. He is also a pre-independence guru.

He has a temple in Kulhasnagar, Kalyan. I had a connection with him. He used to do poses. His voice and expressions, everything changed. And we have seen and I have also got a chance to serve her for a lifetime. And I think that I said a while ago, I said that Kali ji and my grandmother are her blessings.

So this is why I feel because she could possess spirit. So we are spiritual from the beginning. When she possessed, all the children and beginning. When we used to possess, all the kids and all the family members used to sit near them.

Like casually people say, mother has gone up. But it's a very divine experience.

And they have never done anything professionally about it. It used to stay inside them and some people knew that they used to come to meet them.

Do you remember? About like you know the first early times when you saw it. What was going on in your mind?

Faith.

Devotion.

Faith and devotion. I was getting the same energy and vibe from my elders. That's how I came.

Did you ever interact with them?

Yes, I have seen people doing it.

No, you?

I haven't do it directly. We just sat together and joined our hands. But people have done it. And we did it at a very young age. We were young then. But the people who have seen it before, I have heard a lot of stories from them.

I have heard a lot of stories from my mother too. They used to talk about it. She was a very big soul. Even before death, she knew that she was going to die. She said, this is my last. I won't live after this.

Do you think the fame and wealth you have seen is also because of her?

It is her blessings. For sure. Does she come in your dreams? But I think of her, I pray, I pray her everyday. When I do prayers, I pray to my grandmother.

If you don't mind me asking, do you know what Ishtadev is? Ishtadev is, when you close your eyes and I call you God, who do you see? For me, Kaal Bhairav. I don't know if you know. Kaal Bhairav is my God. Krishna for some, Ganpati for others. Who is God for you?

Oh, that's a good question. Depends.

On the phase of life?

Yeah, depends. But if it comes quickly, a call from Kali Ji. Because you were born in Kali Ghat.

This is a different level.

Yes, yes.

The same Kali Ji. You've attended the pandals? Of course you have. Yes, yes. Before I was a celebrity. I've become very less of a post celebrity. But this time I'll go to 2-3 places.

Okay, maybe I'll meet you.

Of course, come. Durga Puja is absolutely festival, fun, frolic, happiness, joy, energy, craziness. I tried here this time, but I couldn't. I heard that day there was a PM visit or CM visit.

Lalbagh?

Lalbagh. I couldn't do it that day. Lalbagh is really big and crazy. Very big.

And it's a very old pandal. Ganpati pandal.

I didn't think it would be so difficult.

I think it's the most beautiful time of Mumbai's full year. People say the same about the puja. Here, in Mumbai and with Ganpati.

At that time, you can imagine that Calcutta is getting married. Celebration is like this. Everything is there. Full of decor, happiness, new clothes, people spending money, celebrations,

full of festival.

Amazing, amazing.

You can't move out much. Jahaan bhi jaaoge aapko time lagega. Personally, I definitely want to see a lighter Kolkata, jahaan aaram se move around kar sako. Aise time mein humare haan bhi jo pooja hoti hai, the puja that we have in our area, during Durga Puja, it becomes a chokalwag. For 6-5 days, the movement becomes very slow.

A 15-minute journey takes 1.5-1.5 hours. Sometimes. Sometimes, yes.

Okay. Okay. We'll manage this. I'm very excited to hear all this.

Experience it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I'm attending with a Bengali kurte. Abhishek Roy, my friend. Oh, Abhishek is making it. I thought of it till there. He's making it for me too.

Saif Ali Khan also wears it. He's spotted in it often. Abhishek made it for him.

Okay. You've been to West Bengal outside Kolkata.

Yes.

What is that like?

The second city of the state of West Bengal can be called Siliguri, which is in the North Bengal. Besides that, in the rest of Bengal, may second city, third city, fourth city, but yes, now there is a city called Durgapur, Asansol, Bardwan. Yes, I did a little bit of growing.

Otherwise, yeah, villages just a whole thing, fun. I'm looking for a shows. I'm going to a concert. So concerts, I'm looking at the interiors. And I'm not a is deeper than Kolkata in terms of with audience.

Masses. Yeah, masses.

It's more peaceful.

I see more innocence in the people there, in the interiors, in the villagers. I see more innocence in them. Where there is more innocence, there is more divinity. There is also purity.

With Bengal, my heart is saying that first cover Pooja, then I want to travel to Bengal. Where would you direct me to?

You can go to Sundarbans. You can go to Diamond Harbour.

Have you been to Sundarbans? You can go to the zoo. You can go to Diamond Harbour.

Have you been to Sundarbans?

I haven't been there for work. I've been there for shows and shoots.

Have you seen a tiger?

No, I've seen a tiger in the water once.

Oh really? Are you scared?

No, I haven't been able to roam around freely. Whenever I've been there, I've always had an escort team with me. People have been there. It has never happened that a few people went alone. I have never gone with friends or family.

I would like to ask you a very key question.

Tell me.

It's an intense question. Tell me. Tell me about 4-5 Bengali sweets that are close to your heart. We talked about Nolengur and Saundesh. Nothing We talked about Nolen Gur and Saundesh.

Yeah.

Nothing can beat Nolen Gur and Saundesh. And since it's seasonal, you don't get it for 2-3 months. So, it's craving is a little high. But otherwise, Mishti Doi, you can't miss it. And you will not get it anywhere in the world, the same taste. Okay. And

Kolkata's sweets, normal sandesh, rasogulla, Rasogulla, although there is a conflict between Bengal and Odisha, but rasogulla is also

one sweet. So, mishti doi, nolen gudar sandesh, rasogulla, and one is any sweet of Bengal, you can do an ensemble of all of them. But if I have to name them, I like Saundershi more. Langcha.

What is Langcha? Langcha is a sweet, a dessert. It's like Cham Cham. It's like that. Here, in all the Bengali shops, you get an item called Malai Sandwich. I always like that. Here in Bengali shops, there is an item called Malai Sandwich.

I always eat that. There must be Chhana inside. I don't know what it is. It's called Milk Cake.

It's not Chhana, it's love inside. Milk Cake probably. You know, when you ask someone what is their favorite food is, according to their answer, you can learn something about their life.

That's why I'll ask you, what is your all-time favorite dish? I don't like lentils, rice and plain vegetables. Sometimes I eat fish, chicken or something high in protein. And I know that my body needs it, that's why I eat fish, chicken, and other high-protein foods. I know that my body needs it, so I eat it. But if you ask my soul, it's dal, rice, and plain vegetables. I don't know, I feel a strange thirst.

I feel like it's my food. I feel like it's what's giving me peace. But the rest of the muscle qualities, to improve them, we have to intake protein. Keeping all that in mind,

you can't eat it much. But otherwise, once in a while, when you eat it hot,

it's amazing.

Is there a specific vegetable? Any vegetable, be it okra, or any vegetable, anything.

Do you miss your family?

I eat at home. And you don't eat that kind of food outside. You don't eat plain rice, lentils outside. We don't know if we eat it or not. We go out for delicacies. Something spicy, something spicy and interesting.

Yeah.

You know, this is a downside of the media. That we can't eat enough sweet dishes.

Yes. You are also very fit. Thank you. What do you do for your health? Good sleep, good exercise and good food. Proper exercise, proper food, proper sleep.

What do you do for exercise?

I do strength training and cardio.

And eating clean generally?

High on protein and less on carbs. And if you have a target, then you can alter your diet accordingly.

There is a connection between Sindhi and Punjabi. Because we are close to each other.

We also come together in the national anthem.

Yes.

Right?

I think there is an unsaid brotherhood.

Underlying brotherhood.

Yes.

Even though Punjab is next to some states, Sindh is next to some states.

And we used to go to the Gurudwara since childhood. You will be surprised to hear that I know a lot of Guruvani. Why do we do this? We were taught this in our childhood. I used to wear this Kada in Sindh and Punjab. Did you go to Gurudwara before? Yes, I still go.

Explain to the people who haven't entered the Gurudwara, please explain to them. Every pilgrimage has its own divinity, its own energy. So, going to the Gurudwara feels very serene. It feels very serene. Especially, the Gurudwara

we go to in Kolkata. We went to the Gurudwara in Char Mangla. It feels very good. It creates a different connection.

Mona Punjabis and Sindhis have a common cultural trait.

We are basically two sons of the same bhakti. Right, right. There is only one God for us. So we are basically two sons of the same mother. Yeah, yeah.

You know, the one thing I love about Sikhi is it welcomes everyone. It says, come. There is nothing, there is no one who is prevented from entering a Gurudwara.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, true.

Because you are from Kolkata, but you have also spent time in Mumbai. Yes. What is your perspective on Mumbai?

I love the city. I like the energy here. And especially people like us in the profession, Mumbai is a hub, we all know it. South is very dominant today, but because of our language, our connection is more here.

The more easily we can work in Hindi, in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam, the challenges will be more for us because we are not worse with the language. So yeah, and it's more giving here. Through Hindi, you get to reach such wider audience.

I was listening to our audience after doing the Netflix show. And they tell us their own data. But the viewership of Hindi content is worldwide very good. And especially in the Middle East, UAE and all that, it's very high. So, you get a lot of reach from here.

Sometimes I feel like the word Kal mother puts a word in my mind. We are just having a random conversation. And so many times we are talking about spirituality.

Yes, yes, yes, I am also watching. You are also saying.

Yes.

It is said that the interests of every age are different. Toys, lovers, status, then God.

Oh, oh, wow.

But do you see people around you also, like from your age group getting into spiritual thought? But not from my age group. I have told you that I saw my grandmother when I was 6-8 years old. So, we are spiritually connected since then. But the deeper you get into life, the deeper you understand that okay that is

somewhere so much true.

I believe that a spiritual wave is going to come in all film industries.

In all industries and all film industries.

I think a wave will come in India where there are more philosophical concepts. That is a spiritual film for me. But again on a surface level, Kantara, Mahavatar Nandseema, I think there is a Hindi film about Kali Maa, it's an out and out religious film, like Santoshi Maa, some modern day version of that is being made.

I have heard that.

I have a subject, if it works, I'll develop it.

Something related to this one?

Yes, on spiritual power.

At the right timing. Don't mind me asking you this. Because this is a podcast theme. It's our podcast theme. We always have a little occult conversation.

Okay, tell me.

And for Bengal, I have a lot of love. We do some occult conversations. Okay, tell me. Okay? And I have a lot of love for Bengal. Because I have a lot of friends in Bengal. But there is a meme template in the meme world. That Bengal has a lot of black magic. This is a stereotype, right?

What is the reality?

I don't think it is like that. But why do they say that when I have been to Mumbai or travel anywhere in India? People say that about Bengal. But I have never personally or my Bengali friends or associates, even myths are included in stories. I have never seen it. I definitely feel that there is a hub of Sadhana and Tantra.

But people's misconception is that Tantra is the same as Kala Jadu. Very different things. Tantra translates to technique. Like when there is martial arts, the capital of Kung Fu is Shaolin Monastery. Similarly, I think the capital of modern day Tantra is Bengal.

But that doesn't mean it's black magic. It's a spiritual path.

It's important to reach these people. Tantra is not black magic, right? Very well said. I think this message, tantra as a word should be more positively understood. This is very important. I think it's happening through the internet.

By the way, sir, we've almost reached the end of the podcast. Just wanted to be in your presence. That's all I'll say. It doesn't feel like I'm talking to a fellow professional. It feels like I've met an elder brother.

Likewise, you also give a very brotherly vibe. Very, very brotherly vibe.

My effort is always that if I have a guest coming in, I treat it like they're coming to my house for a dinner. A lot of people say, why aren't you more incisive with your guests? Why don't you ask difficult questions? But I believe that when I reach the end of my life, people won't remember the intense questions I've asked. They'll remember how I made them feel. And for me, that human connection is very important as compared to getting a few good short

comments. And that's more of a mass connect also, no? And the more we can reach people with simplicity and complicated, the more we won't be able to reach people. Right? If I had to describe your energy in one word, I would say simplicity. Simplicity? Simplicity.

You know, with confidence.

Thank you very much. So you also have it at your age and the way you are conducting and not today only, otherwise also I have seen you.

Thank you. I think it's an outcome of meeting people like you. Jeet bhai, it was fun.

Likewise. I hope you had fun. Yeah, absolutely. This is all content for second viewers. I feel that whatever we have created, the viewers will like it. And once again,

this is my first podcast and I am really keeping my fingers crossed. I hope that people like it, enjoy it.

Honored. Just thank you. Thank you for being in our presence. Thank you for giving us your time.

Thank you. Thank you. Likewise.

And hope to meet you again in life, perhaps in Kolkata. Thank you. Just looking forward to being in Bengal and we will attend a house party of yours.

Yes, let me know. Connect please.

Done.

Please connect. know, connect please. Done. I'll do that. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Time and presence meant a lot.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.