'I WANT TO BE IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP'

'I am writing two films. Something very different from Rocky Aur Rani.'

'I know I'm back on the set next year.'

“When I look at my filmography I feel this cannot be my seventh film in 25 years. It’s not a great record to have for any film-maker. I should have made many more films,”.

Have you seen how the audience reacts to Tota Roy Chowdhury and Ranveer Singh dancing to Dola Re Dola?

I have! Just like in the song Tum Kya Mile I pay homage to my favourite filmmaker Yash Chopra in Dhindora Baje Re and Dola Re Dola, the entire set is a homage to Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Someone asked me if I got inspired by Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s aesthetics.

My response was, ‘No. I copied it.’ Inspiration is a mild word. I copied it as I am a huge fan of his artistry.

So you consciously leaned towards the aesthetics of Bhansali?

When I was creating that Durga Puja set it was only normal that I lean on the genius of Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

So there is a homage to two of my favourite film-makers in this film: Yash Chopra and Sanjay Bhansali.

Also, a lot of the family values are derived from my growing up in Sooraj Barjatya’s cinema.

The use of old Hindi songs in Rocky Aur Rani is amazing. 

My mother trained me to love Hindi film music.

At the age of 6 when my friends were listening to Wham and Madonna, I was listening to Lataji, Ashaji, Rafi Saab and Kishore Kumar.

I remember Lataji’s Lag Ja Gale and Tujhse Naraaz Nahin were the songs that touched me deeply at the ages of 9-10.

As a child I felt different from the others. My work is always looking back to the time I was growing up with deep impressions of Hindi cinema and music.

You have used vintage songs so effectively in Rocky Aur Rani... especially Abhi Na Jao Chhod Jar?