She's his wife Bharathi who has edited both his films Aks and Rang De Basanti so far, and has just begun to edit Rakeysh's third film Delhi 6.
And Rakeysh has surrendered the material completely to his wife to edit.
"I'm dying to see what I've done in Delhi 6. I haven't entered the editing studio yet. Since she's doing the editing she first needs to be happy with my work. I need to let her do her work.
It's the same with any other technician on board. I can't sit on Rahman's head when he's composing a song. Or I can't instruct Binod Pradhan on the lighting when he's shooting. To me editing is the purest art-form in cinema.
It's the only vocation that's truly related to cinema. If you see cinematography it originates in photography and painting. Screenplay writing originated from plays stories and literature. Acting has its roots in folk and theatre.
Direction is also derivative. Film editing is the only pure and original art form. It's the only vocation born for and out of cinema.So I'd rather let it be dine by someone who knows her job."
Rakeysh Mehra believes screenwriting and editing are the backbones of a movie. "The way scenes are cut determines the film. I don't know her job better than her.So I let Bharathi take care of the material. What would I do sitting with her? I've got better things to do in life."
Rakeysh is far from fatigued. "Am I tired? Tiredness is a state of mind. But yes I did need a break. So I'm writing and that for me is a break from direction.
While directing I was reaching the sets every day at 8 am and leaving at 10 pm. Writing requires a different discipline. It requires a different energy. I'm already writing my next film."
Whom will he cast now? " I never think of whom to cast while writing. The characters get cast on their own. The script chooses the actor. The one I'm writing now needn't be the be the one that I'll direct next.
What one makes depends on so many factors including the availability of the actors that I want. Yes, I do have a wish-list for my next film. But one has to have options.
Suppose I don't get A R Rahman for the music, I might go with Vangelis. And it'd become a totally different sur. And if it's Om Puri instead of Amitji it's a different film."