Dr. Cabbie - Salman Khan produces

{Click to view!}First Person: Salman Khan says, ‘I believe your job should be your hobby’Ben Kaplan | September 12, 2014 |I’ve learned over time that we can control our emotions. For instance: Sometimes there are people that you don’t get along with. At that point, you have to make a decision. As a human being, you can’t take advantage of your position at your job, or in the film industry, to take that man or that woman out, so while you’re doing your job, you become the nicest person to them. Control. And that way, you become friends. You grow as a person, that’s wisdom.

And how you act, even to a person who, at first, you do not get along with, should not be on impulse. That benefits you, not them. Look: the Taj Mahal was not made because the architect hated someone. It was made because he loved them, and he made the Taj Mahal! You can build anything — as long as what drives you is love, not hatred.

Ever since I started working in movies, my life has been a holiday. In fact, I don’t like taking holidays. I believe your job should be your hobby. If it isn’t, change your profession and watch how you thrive. Holidays, to me, are more stressful and tiring than normal life. That’s been the key to my success.

My new film is a Canadian production and I’m proud of that, I feel inspired. We worked together. But I find inspiration from all over. I get inspiration from the pauper who’s made into a prince. And I know history, I study. From Gandhi to Obama, and even today, what’s happening. I think the YouTube boys are amazing. Google, Apple. They had an idea, implemented it, and then boom! You can change the world. Anybody can do that. You just have to know that you have the power. You do.

I do a lot of work now with Being Human, my charity. All of my brothers and sisters have always been conscious. It’s in our genes. But again, it’s also about getting older. I’d want private jets and a big house and to live in a castle and spend money and party — but I do everything just the opposite. I’m always short of money to buy a house and think 10 times before buying a car. I think the people who buy the most expensive cars are trying to do something that buying a car can actually never do. When you want to show off and leave an impression, it’s all a facade. I wore the same shoes for years. I wear the same jeans for the longest times. I don’t care. There are kids whose parents can’t afford to buy them anything, why do I need to impress someone I don’t know? That leads only to disappointment. I’d rather give it all away and sleep with myself comfortably at night.

The truth is — I’m not spiritual at all. I’m just a guy and I don’t believe in these things, faith, karma, not at all. I call my company Being Human. I believe in doing the right thing at the right moment. Now. Not what’s easiest for you, but the right thing. And don’t expect something back for your actions — your actions are yours alone, take ownership of them. That’s what I do. I know I’m not going to always model, always act. Not always be popular. And I’m OK with that and I don’t need anything from what I’ve done. I’m just a man, a person. But I promise you I’m someone who makes an effort to get better all the time.

—As told to Ben Kaplan—Salman Khan is an Indian actor, producer and philanthropist. He starred in more than 80 Hindi movies and between 1991 and 1999, appeared in each year’s highest-grossing Hindi film and co-produced Dr. Cabbie, opening Sept. 19 across Canada, with his company, Salman Khan Being Human Productions.