I am a total foodie and I think it is genetic — my father’s a vegetarian while my mother’s a non-vegetarian. Honestly, I was fond of junk food till I saw an American documentary on its calorific value. My parents always stressed on eating the right food at the right time.

Over the years, I have changed my food habits and I like to eat simple food. There was a time when I would eat impulsively and sweets were a weakness, but now I have learnt to control myself.

At 45, I am now conscious of what I eat and how. I have started to enjoy salads with nuts, green vegetables and sprouts. They say prevention is better than cure. My parents being diabetic, I am careful of my diet to avoid inheriting any genetic diseases. I believe it is up to an individual to take care of his eating habits. As an actor, I have to keep gaining and losing weight. For Munnabhai, I lost 12 kgs, while for Iqbal, I gained some weight.

As a child, my mother would serve me vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alternately. I was an active kid and would exercise a lot and on returning home, then would wolf down a vessel of poha and still want more.

With nothing more to eat, I would never have the patience to go out and buy bread and eggs. So, my mother would make something from the previous night’s leftover. Varan bhaat with ghee and pickle is my definition of comfort food.
 
I love sweets and enjoy everything from modak to shrikhand to poran poli. When it comes to eating out, I like Maharashtrian places in Mumbai — Dattatreya, Prakash, Aaswad and Datta Snacks. I enjoy thalipeeth, kothimbir, aloo wadi and kharvas. In Pune, Lucky Restaurant had this amazing jelly with cream. The biryani at Cafe Goodluck is also one of my favourites — but sometimes.