Now that things have been amicably sorted out between Viacom 18 and T-series, producer Abhay Deol is happily looking forward to the success of his latest film One By Two starring himself and his lady love Preeti Desai. We got chatting with this dimpled actor on movies, turning producer and the 100 crore club. One By Two is a very quirky title. What is the movie all about? (Smiles) As you must know, people usually say One by Two while ordering soups. The same is however symbolically used in my movie which basically is a story about these two people (Abhay and Preeti) who have a profound influence on each other’s lives. They shape each other’s destiny but they are complete strangers to each other and they don’t realize that they are doing things which are affecting them in some way or the other. Why did you choose this particular script to turn producer? I didn’t choose it. I called Devika (Bhagat) to develop an idea of mine into a script. But then she bounced off her idea which was better than mine. So I thought of developing her idea into a film. And that is how the entire train of producing came up. But Abhay, why this sudden urge to produce a movie? See, as an actor you just understand the director and producer’s experience. But you never understand it from their point of view. I wanted to understand filmmaking from the producer’s point of view. And it has helped me in a lot many ways. Production has taught me how to be more patient in life. It has also made me go out more, meet new people, experiment with marketing and many other things. Also as an actor, there were many kinds of movies that I was passionate about doing and as a producer I plan to make them. As a producer, what do you bring to the table? I am good at finding subjects and developing them, finding directors, finance and getting talent. My partner Sanjay Kapoor is good at putting together a crew, getting systems into place, organizing stuff, stretching the money as far as we can and organising everything else into motion. As a producer now, what’s your take about this 100 crore club? (Attains a serious Deol tone) It is sad to see that along with our film industry, the media too plays it up more than anyone else. You are doing it to sell your paper. Tomorrow, if one movie gets hugely critically acclaimed and another one is commercially acclaimed, which one of the two is going to be on the front page? Of course the one that has made pots of money because that will sell your paper. There is no point in blaming the filmmakers alone for the number games. If the industry is responsible so is the media too for promoting this number game. But it’s the producer and director themselves who shell out these figures to the media… (Cuts in) Right now people are enamoured with money. Once that attraction fades away, they will start appreciating things that have nothing to do with money. Right now anything to do with money will get you a jaw dropping reaction. (Gets animated) Oh My God! 200 crore, 300 crore, (in a shrill voice) 500 crore. No one is saying that I have seen this film again and again. Even awards will go to these films. It’s funny how award organizers had to come up with critical and popular category so as to have some integrity at these functions because obviously the movies that have made money will finally have to be given an award. Ultimately everyone is worried about the TRPs. Even the jury will pick up those stars whom they want to work with. It’s really tragic. But I have never been a party to it. I have never pandered or catered to such things. I don’t have the backing of a big producer. I am just surviving on the goodwill of people who like my work. And my films will never make that much kind of money Why do you say that? See it’s simple. A film that releases on 1000 screens will never make the kind of money that a film releasing on 4000 screens will. And then everyone will compare the two. It’s like comparing a Ferrari to an Ambassador. Somehow, no one talks about all this in the media. The margins of profit for these bigger films are far less as compared to smaller films which are hits. A small film made at a budget of say 10-15 crore making about 300 percent profit is huge as compared to a 70 crore movie making about 5 to 10 percent profit. For a 70 crore movie, you will have to make somewhere around 140 to 150 crore just to break even. Now if a 15 crore movie makes 100 crore, the total profit margin will be 85 crore. So which one is a bigger hit? Unfortunately this 85 crore looks smaller in front of 150 or 200 crore. So it is shown as a bigger hit whereas the truth is the smaller movie is the real hit. Point taken Abhay. Tell us why despite being a Deol, you haven’t really done action movies? I would love to do the usual action packed movies. The stunts, the jumps and kicks involved with it. But it so happens that when I get a script for an action film, two things happen. Either there is a lot of action and no story or a great story but no budget to produce that action. I still have to come across something which has a great story, great action and a good backup in the form of budget. As an actor, what do you look for while choosing a script? Relatability. How much can I relate to this character? How real is this story? And how entertaining is it? I look for these things. You have been called a method actor. What do you have to say about it? (Laughs) Yaar, firstly I don't understand what method acting is. It perhaps means taking a method and developing it. May be, I am a method actor. Acting for me, on one level, is not hard. It's similar to real life. For instance, if there is a dramatic moment right now, then imagine it with background music, lighting to set the mood, an editor who will be cutting in and out. Just be honest and real with your character. And don’t act by yourself and look at how your co-actor is talking to you and respond and react to that stimuli. Were you nervous while acting with Preeti? Be it my girlfriend, father, mother, brother, sister or anyone who knows me really well, I find it difficult to put on a character that is someone else. They know me so well, how can I play someone else. That's the only shyness I experience. Finally, tell us one thing you like and dislike about Preeti? There is nothing as such I dislike about her. The thing I like the most is that Preeti is a very real person. There is nothing fake about her.