Learning from Life

I wanted the film to give a message about the redemptive power of love and I hope it reaches out to the audience. The film is about the road less travelled by people.

How did you choose the cast for your film?

My first choice to play Dawson’s role was Paul Walker and he had just signed the film when he met with the accident that took his life. He was a great guy. I signed up James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan later, after a few meetings with them. They have performed extraordinarily in the film.

Did you explore any new locations while filming for the movie?

Some of the earlier films in Hollywood have been based in North Carolina. Hence it has become very exhaustive with many movies being canned there. I wanted to shoot in Louisiana because it has its own culture and distinction. If you have 15 movies being shot in Rajasthan, there has to be one from Kerala, right? So we shot in Louisiana as the locations were great and the place has also changed with many Hollywood actors settling there.

Did you face any difficulty while shooting?

No, I actually didn’t encounter any problems as such. I was working with people I knew — the producers, the cinematographer, production designers and the crew, so I was feeling at home. I had a fantastic art director as well and the locations were great as well so we didn’t have any problem. We were efficient, managing time, rehearsing as well, so I have nothing to complain about.

How is The Best of Me different from other romantic movies?

The question about ‘the road not taken’ is depicted in this film. It is actually about how you take a second chance that comes your way. At one point in your life, it may not feel completely comfortable, but all of a sudden you are given an opportunity to go down another path, a path which you had fantasised and should have taken earlier. So now it is for you to decide whether you want to take up the second chance that has come your way or you let it go. That’s the fundamental and dynamic part of the film which makes it stand out from the rest.

What were the promotional strategies that you have used for the film?

The film was promoted massively on social media worldwide. We had a TV campaign and contests were also organised in America. In India also, a few promotional strategies were used but I don’t know what they were exactly.

How has your Indian experience been?

I have visited only a few places in Mumbai. I have been to Colaba, Gateway of India and few other spots. At the Gateway, I chatted with some people about the country and films. Being such a big country with a huge population, I found that Indians aren’t aggressive people. They were very warm and welcoming, which makes the experience more overwhelming. I would like to hang around a few joints in Mumbai and see its nightlife as well.

Which are the Bollywood films that you have watched?

I am a big fan of Satyajit Ray but I haven’t seen any typical Bollywood movie as such. I will be watching Happy New Year in a few days, I don’t know about Indian cinema so this will be my first experience.