Nature’s call

Your first film,Kaal,was shot at Jim Corbett National Park and Luck,in South Africa. A liberal budget?
Budgets vary according to the script. Kaal was scripted with Jim Corbett in mind and Luck required a versatile backdrop. At the script stage itself,the movie changes terrain every five minutes. So at one point in the film you’ll see one character scaling the mountains and five minutes later it’ll be another character exploring the waters. I’ve used all possible terrains in the film. Ashtavinayak (the producers) and I knew that only South Africa could provide us this versatility and that too at driving distance.

But both your films,Kaal and Luck,use natural backdrops.
Both employ very rugged backdrops maybe because I have a penchant for those. I’d say natural settings set the pace of thrillers very well and are also very picturesque. But the two films are nothing alike. While Kaal was a dark thriller,Luck is a masala movie.

What made you sign on such an ensemble?
The story required actors from different age groups with nothing in common. And I didn’t want six heroes standing out in my film poster so I went by my instinct and approached people who’d best suit the characters without their personalities overshadowing the others’. So you see Danny Denzongpa,Mithun Chakraborty,Imran Khan,Shruti Haasan,Sanjay Dutt and Chitrashi Rawat.

How did Haasan fit into the picture?
I was looking for a fresh face opposite Imran Khan and someone who could carry off action without making it look overdone. Imran suggested Shruti. She has an amazing presence and confidence and has done all the stunts herself. She has even sung the title track for Luck.

Does having worked with both Karan Johar and Ram Gopal Varma help cast interesting names?
I would not say that is true. The industry has matured and today,good scripts rule the box-office.

They have very different working styles. What did you learn from both?
With mentors,one discovers technicalities and learns the ropes. But it is up to oneself to discover their style,their genre. I may have a penchant for thrillers right now,but that may change over time.

You used to be a part of the Karan Johar camp.
Well,let bygones be bygones. I respect Karan and I did learn a lot from him. I want to leave behind what’s over.