8216;We both push our point across as much and wherever we can8217;

Pankaj Kapur: We have had amazing support from the IAF. Mausam is a difficult film. There is an action sequence in the film that required extensive VFX work and we could seek IAFs approval only a few days ahead of the scheduled release. By that time,IAF had suggested a few alterations which do not affect the nature of the scene. We could have released on September 16 but chose to delay because we couldnt get our prints across in time for a worldwide release.

You have said in the past that you wrote Mausam keeping Shahid in mind. Did the idea of directing it begin with him or with you?

Pankaj: It began when Shahid asked me to write or direct a film for him. I had been intending to direct for some time and had a few scripts ready. We tried to fit him into one of those,but I realised it would not be fair to him. Also,the scripts were a tad outdated. So I decided to start afresh. I wrote not for Shahid Kapoor,the actor,but for a young boy who represents the new generation. It took me three years to make notes. By the time I started putting them on paper,it was 2009. The deal was that I would write the film and Shahid would look at it. If he wanted to act in it,then we would come together.

Shahid: With dad,nothing can be one-off,so it took a lot of convincing. Ive never been able to train formally as an actor. Whenever I see dads performances,I see a certain finish and an understanding of characters that I realise I miss out on. My intention was to work with him and pick up those nuances. So yes,it did start with me. Also,I had read his scripts and admired his writing. I felt that this mind I talk as a professional now should be out there for the world to see. And I got greedy as an actor and a son.

What took you so long to make your directorial debut?

Pankaj: I wanted to graduate slowly to film direction. I started as a student at the National School of Drama,then moved to acting and directing plays. Then I turned to television. By the time I got into films,a number of years had gone by. The intent was there,thats why I wrote scripts,but then I would take up a good role. When I finally decided to direct,here was my son asking me to make a film.

Did you take a whole year off to do Mausam because your father asked you to?

Shahid: It hadnt started out like that. Dad had asked me to read the script and then discuss the possibility of working together. I loved the script,but I could also see that it was challenging since it spans a decade. He told me that the only way we could do this was if we didn8217;t have anything else on our minds. We could see wed need that time to do justice to the film,and a holiday afterwards laughs.

Pankaj: But we had no idea that it would be such a big film. It came with its own time-frame and pressures,and was physically,mentally and creatively tough.

Shahid: Halfway through,dad kept saying,Well cast the family in the next film it will be dialogue-centric,will be shot in the house and there will only be five characters. I dont know why I thought Mausam would be a breeze.

Everyones rather surprised that you chose a commercial love story for your directorial debut. Is that because you thought the genre suits Shahid better?

Shahid: You know my dads had a love marriage? Do you know how romantic both of them are?

Pankaj: Laughs Well,I am a romantic at heart. I have certain views about romance and how Id like to see it. A love story should be such that it should make you want the experiences to be a part of your own life. Through Mausam,there is something larger that I want to convey,which you will know once you have watched the film.

The relationship between Shahid and you has often been described as complicated,since you and his mother Neelima Azeem separated when he was very young. Has working together changed that?

Pankaj: We didnt spend much time together when Shahid was growing up as he was in Delhi,and I was in Bombay. But there was always a bond. Mausam helped consolidate that. All five of us Shahid,Supriya,our son Ruhaan and daughter Sana have put our best foot forward for Mausam. Each of us has,in some way,handled a certain department of the film. The youngsters have learnt a lot from the process of seeing their father and brother work together. There is another level of interdependence and confidence that we now share.

Shahid: And much of that will be visible in the film.

How did you react when Shahid decided to become an actor?

Pankaj: I did not know he wanted to become an actor!

Shahid: I told him after I got the offer laughs.

Pankaj: I was surprised,and insecure as a father.

Shahid: And worried8230;

Pankaj: Yes,very worried indeed. He hadnt trained to be an actor and had never told me he wanted to be in the field. I did have an inkling because he had assisted me during a television show,but I didnt expect it to happen this fast. Then suddenly,one day,he tells me,I want you to come with me dad,Im signing my first film. And I told him I will not. He asked me why.

Shahid: I was very hurt.

Pankaj: I said,I wont come with you because my father taught me to own up to the decisions I make,and I want you to imbibe that learning. I want you to be able to take credit if you succeed,and should you fail,shoulder the responsibility,learn from it and find a better way to move on. Take on the world if you want,and if you are going to fall,Ill hold your hand. But when you succeed on your own,the confidence will be unparalleled.

Did you,during unhappy times,want your lineage to back you?

Shahid: I came from a middle-class family and had always seen both my parents make it on their own. So I subconsciously imbibed it from them. It was a matter of self-respect.

Did you both get to know each other better during the making of the film?

Shahid: We spend 70 to 80 per cent of our life at work,so there are always aspects of our personalities that may remain unknown to people who know us intimately in personal life. So yes,the film gave me a chance to get to know my father better. One thing we both realised is that,we are very professional.

Pankaj: The journey of Mausam has humbled me. I have until now worked on my terms and conditions and,laughs I will return to it after this film. But having had the opportunity to work with my son,to make up for the time we hadnt spent together in the early years,I can see that we are similar in more ways than I knew. We both try to push our point across as much and wherever we can laughs.

Shahid: And we are both very particular about the way we want things. These tiny realisations have brought us closer.