by Subhash K Jha

Rang De Basanti grows bigger by the week, if not the day. Now director Rakeysh Mehra has taken the film on a tour through US universities.

"It's a ten-day tour beginning from the 15th of April. I'll be joined by A.R. Rahman, " says the still-reticent director.

"We first go to the university in Eastern Michigan on the 16th. On 17 and 18th I'll be interacting with the faculty students and academicians, discussing and analyzing the film. We then move to Ohio and probably Miami too."

There's no doubt Rang De Basanti has gone way beyond borders. "I'll have to agree with that. One of the themes that they want to discuss during my US visit is how the film has connected with the youth all over the world. I must say I'm humbled by what's happening to Rang De Basanti, though I'm still very shy of acknowledging its impact."

Judging beauty contests and signing autographs still make Rakeysh very selfconscious. "I'm here to make films, not behave like a star, or be treated like one."

The shy introspective director is now readying his next project. "It will most probably be Delhi –6, an autobiographical look at my childhood and young days at Delhi's Chandni Chowk. I need to do something intimate and inward-drawn after Rang De Basanti before I go on to my other more 'epic' projects Paanch Kaurav and Bhairavi."