Your new film Hijack with Kunal Shivdasani is your first action film?
Gangster had a lot of action as well, so I guess I can’t call Hijack my first action film. But, this is my first film with tons of action sequences and stunts.

So did you get to do a lot of your own stunts?
Yes I did. I clung on to helicopters, jumped down from them, raced in cars and did a whole lot of other high octane stunts.

How challenging was it for shooting a film that requires you to do such stunts?
It was very challenging and intimidating, but I must say it was also fun and exhilarating at the same time. In one of the scenes I am hanging from a chopper. And the way I got there was that the chopper took off with me standing on one of its skids (the chopper’s stand). After we took flight I had to climb down from the skid and hang under it. I did all of that at the speed of some 100 odd miles an hour. Trust me, at such speeds just sitting in a chopper with a open window can be taxing , let alone hanging from it.

How did you prepare for such daredevilry?
Well, one has to be physically fit that is the foremost requirement of doing your own stunts. But beyond that one has to be mentally strong as well. The first time I did my own stunt in Hijack I was extremely scared. There is always a chance of ‘what if?’ But I decided to back myself and once I got through it, I felt more relaxed and assured of my ability to do my own stunts.

Was action the reason you joined the cast of Hijack?
In part it was, but I did this film because of Kunal. He is a very dear friend of mine and a long time ago I promised him I would work with him. When he narrated me the story of this film, I saw a passion and conviction in his eyes that made me say yes.

It is said that Shiney Ahuja does only intense roles. Was Hijack an attempt to break the stereotype?
I know most of the roles I have done so far have been near the same mould of an intense character driven by emotions. But I did not do those roles with an agenda in mind. Neither did I sign Hijack to break any moulds. And anyway Hijack has me in an all action role and another upcoming film Harr Pal has me doing some comedy. So change is on the cards.

What does Shiney Ahuja look for in his roles and films?
I know everyone says this but it’s true that every actor looks for a good story in their film. I do too. As for my roles they should be exciting.

Did you think Khoya Khoya Chand offered you an exciting story and role?
Khoya Khoya Chand (KKC) had a great subject and I was very happy with the film and my role. It’s just that the film did not appeal to a wider section of the audience. Things can go awry for any film and it’s really sad that a good film like KKC lost out.

Were you disappointed that one of your three releases in 2007 went kaput?
The interesting fact about 2007 is that two out of my three releases were ‘thank you’ films. I did KKC because I had to thank Sudhir Mishra for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and I did Life In A… Metro so I could thank Anurag Basu for Gangster. The success or failures of these films did not matter. Bhool Bhulaiya was the only film I chose as a commercial project and it turned out to be a blockbuster.

The headlines more often than not talk about your spats with colleagues. It seems you have earned yourself a ‘bad boy’ reputation with the media.
It shocks me to see so many things written about myself. Sometimes I think the media has something against me. Let me tell you, all those headlines about my spat with my directors and co-actors are all made up.

Why do you think this happens?
I cannot multi-task. If I am acting I can only act, if I am partying I can only party. So I am shooting for a film, my character research and rehearsals are the only thing I can make time for. At such times I am completely inaccessible to the media. Perhaps it is my unavailability that makes the media think that I do not want to talk and that I am arrogant and have problems.

How’s life as a father to a newly born?
Life is great. My baby girl is a few months old and we have named her Arshya. I am looking forward to spending a lot of time with her.