What was the reason behind going to the Sigiriya jungle in Sri Lanka?
There is no jungle scarier than the Sigiria Jungles. The place is so scary that every minute one fears any creature may be coming your way. Big animals like tigers and small animals like snakes could be the intruders.
One always fears that a creature may pop up from beneath the bush and bite you. One fears the bushy jungles, as we needed to shoot at the wee hours.
This Jungle is the most suitable fearful jungle for this horror film of mine. Setting the camera in the early hours was really fearful. But the work pressure and the deadlines made every one forget the scariness.
Well Have you frequently spent most of your holidays with your family in the jungles? Why holidays with family?
I am not a family man. And more over, I will never go on a holiday especially with my family, as I would not like to spoil my holidays. Fights at home is tolerable and enough. You want me to carry problems to my vacation spot too.
If you want to know why I prefer more of locations in jungles, then you have to understand that the most fearful places are forests. To create the psyche of fear among the audiences is the reason I chose such locations.
There has been a buzz that Priyanka Kothari was no more interested in working with you after the flops you gave with her. Comment.
Yes Many people have asked me this question. But she readily accepted my offer. She was most suited for the character.
Out the films you have already made which one scares you the most?
Bhoot scares the audiences, but the outcome of my favorite film Aag burns me, it kills me. Actually it is the state of mind of one individual, to another individual that differs. I liked the idea of Aag, so I am sure that the film was good.
Like amongst you sitting here; some may intriguingly love to carry on the conversation with me, while some others may be getting bored and may want to leave early. But I will love to make Aag again. In fact, the ideas of all my new films come out of the old ones.
Any regrets?
Yes I feel that my actors Sushmita Sen, Ajay Devgan and Amitabh trusted me, and the film flopped. This is one of the biggest regret. Though, the film is close to me. But no worries, I am going to make up for the flops that I have given in the last four years by giving good films now.
Do you think the audiences fail to understand you hence your films flopped?
No, once again, I would repeat that what I may have felt is cute and will be acceptable may not be liked by other individual.
Like in Nishabd, while in the presence of his wife Amitabh Bachchan fiddled with Jiya Khan's toes under the table. Amitabh and I too felt it was cute, but some lady who felt that this was sheer madness and shamelessness is just a matter of one's thought process.
What do you fear the most- the media or the scissors of the censor board?
(Laughs) Media I like them. And the censor board is the necessary evil.
But interestingly on your blog you have aptly been replying back to the articles of the media especially the reviewer's comment?
Yeah The viewer has mentioned according to his thinking, and I always wanted to bring out my thought process. And blogging is enjoyable, as one gets to know more as to what the audiences feel about you.
When will your "Riffle" happen?
I need a suitable girl for the role. Necessarily it is not a sexy gal we are looking out for, but the psyche of the girl if chosen has to suit my character.