I was born in Bhagalpur, where my mother had gone for a winter vacation, but I was brought up in Calcutta and lived there till I moved to Mumbai in 1982.

My childhood was quite enchanting. I lived in different parts of the city at different times — College Street, Wellington Street and Park Circus. I loved them all and the memories of each location are still vivid. Apart from studying, which I truly hated, every other memory is beautiful. The quality of light streaming in through the window grills, the gully cricket, the music I grew up with, the magic moments I shared with my parents and two brothers, the long, fierce arguments we had on the dinner table, the poems I wrote and hid in secret drawers, the bookstalls on College Street — they all made me the person I am today.

I was also a prolific prankster. I constantly harassed people and made enemies. My parents, like all parents, said they disapproved of my pranks and scolded me. But I am sure that they secretly loved my pranks and quite enjoyed them.

I went to La Martinere for Boys, Calcutta. For me, school was like jail — very proper, very boring. But the friends I made there have stayed. The only thing I remember from school were the girls I fell in love with. From the ninth grade onwards, there was a steady stream of them.

I remember fighting a lot with my second brother, Manish, as a child. We never saw things the same way. My eldest brother Ashis, on the other hand, was very special.

My message to those reading this is be brave, be happy and never be intimidated. Do all the things you want to do, and do them your way. That’s the only way to happiness, success, and love.