Actor Ishaan Khatter, set for his big screen debut, comes with no formal training in his field, but he is ready to learn on the job, to listen to the call of his heart and to bat comparisons with his star brother Shahid Kapoor.Excerpts from the interview:Q. Ishaan, I believe you chose not to be a trained actor?A. That39s right. I never attended any acting school, though I39ve done theatre workshops a couple of times and it has been an extremely enriching experience. But beyond that, I don39t want to acquire the skills of acting and use them on camera. I39d rather learn on the job.Q. Yes, which acting school did Dilip Kumar go to?Wasn39t he from a very humble background with no connection to cinema or acting? Even my director Majid Majidi came from a very humble background. He trained to be an actor and could39ve become a leading star of Iran after acting in talked-about films like 39Boycott39. But he chose to direct films. Some of them, which are today regarded as classics, had such a meager budgets there was hardly any money for proper meals for the crew. But he stuck on. I believe it39s always important to listen to the call of your heart.Q. Is that what you intend to do in your career?I will try. I don39t think I can live a life of compromise. If I did, I wouldn39t be able to sleep properly. Not that I am getting much sleep anyway laughs.Q. Are you planning to do as many films as possible? Or would your output be meager like your brother Shahid Kapoor?A. I will do all the films that I want to do. If I like the script, I may end up doing five films at the same time, though I think that would be too much overlapping. I don39t know how actors of yesteryears managed to do three shifts every day.Q. Right now it is the release of one film and the shooting of the other?A. Yes, while I am promoting 39Beyond The Clouds39, we39ve almost wrapped up the shooting of my second film 39Dhadak39. They happened one after the other by providence. I could have ended up not doing one of them if my producer Karan Johar had not been so supportive.Q. How did that happen?A. My debut film was going to be Karan Johar39s production 39Dhadak39. The date schedules and everything was worked out. I was ready to shoot for 39Dhadak39 when I was offered "Beyond The Clouds".Q. I believe you were the first and only choice?A. Majidi sir had considered others. But once Honey Sir casting director Honey Trehan came on board, it was more or less me that Majidi sir wanted. He saw my auditions and told Honey sir to cast me.Q. Was there a lot of preparation involved?Well, I had to lose 8.5 kg almost overnight before shooting for "Beyond The Clouds". Since I was playing a boy from the chawls, Majidi sir wanted me to look undernourished. I stopped going to the gym to get the physique required. Thisnot going to the gym was very unusual since it was an instinctive part of my daily routine.Q. It is interesting that both the characters you play in "Beyond The Clouds" and "Dhadak" are from a strata of society far removed from you. Did you find it difficult to connect with them?A. The whole notion of acting hinges on assuming unknown characters. Isn39t that what I am here for? It was a challenge doing these two films as my debut and post-debut. I hope I39ve done what was required from me.Q. Did you use the same body type for both roles?A. No. For 39Dhadak39, director Shashank Khaitan sir wanted me to bulk up a bit to look like an average guy.Q. How have your brother Shahid and mother actress-dancer Neelima Azim reacted to your performance in "Beyond The Clouds"?My mother is my best friend and my biggest critic. When she saw my performance, she had one thing to say which said it all. "Who are you?" It was her way of telling me I had disappeared into the character. I have to thank my mother for bringing me up on a regular diet of Hindi and American classic films. We39ve been travelling together extensively for the promotion and screening of "Beyond The Clouds". It39s an enriching experience. I feel I am being exposed to all kinds of cinema at a very young age. It39s helping me grow as an actor.Q. What was Shahid39s reaction to your performance?You know, for the longest time he couldn39t watch the film because he was busy with 39Padmaavat39. Finally I had to ask Majid sir to organise a private screening for Bhai. Normally, Majid sir doesn39t arrange private screenings for anyone. But he made an exception for Bhai. It was just my mother, Bhai and I.Q. And?A. It was one of the most memorable events of my life. Bhai didn39t say anything. When the film was over, he took an angdaai stretch and yawn and then gave me a look expressing what he felt. That look said it all. It meant the world to me. I39ve always looked up to Bhai. And I continue to seek his advice.Q. Are you prepared for the comparisons with Shahid?A. They39ve already started. It can39t be helped. We are brothers andA people will try to see similarities between us. I don39t mind. Because on a personal level, I39ve always looked up to him.