Jimmy Sheirgill won’t produce more films

Apart from acting in Bollywood films, Jimmy Sheirgill (right) has also starred in, and produced, several Punjabi movies. However, he’s giving up production for now.

“I’ve stopped producing films because it is a full-time job. You have to be involved in every aspect. Production isn’t just about making a film within a certain budget. It requires a lot of planning,” he says.

Appreciation and criticism are part of an actor’s life. But Sheirgill believes that time takes care of everything. “If a film doesn’t do well, you feel bad because you are emotionally attached to it. But by the time (it releases and gets reviewed), you have already started working on something else,” he adds.

The secret to Sheirgill’s calm demeanour lies in a piece of advice veteran writer Gulzar gave him. “He had said to me while I was working on Maachis (1996), ‘The worst thing for an actor is to sit at home and do nothing.’ He told me to keep doing something or the other, and never let the fate of my film decide my fate,” says the actor.

Sheirgill is glad Punjabi cinema is doing well, and that the Sikh community isn’t subject to “as much mockery in Hindi films” now. “Sardaars are portrayed in a strong manner in Punjabi films,” he adds.