S. S. Rajamouli

After my second film, 'Simhadri,' which was a very big hit, I made 'Sye,' a small college movie with a rugby union backdrop.

I like all kinds of films; 'Bommarillu' is a favourite film. But I can't make that kind of film.

I really want to complete films in a shorter duration, but somehow it does not seem to happen.

After 'Maryada Ramanna,' I wanted to make a quick film on a shoestring budget.

I am now confident about attempting a Hindi film. I believe if you have a good story to tell, audiences will watch it.

When I was in Mumbai for the promotion of 'Makkhi,' I met Ajay Devgn, Kajol, and Shah Rukh Khan, and I wanted to meet Aamir Khan. He was shooting out of India. I also met my favourite director, Raju Hirani. All of them showered praises on 'Makkhi.'

To be very frank, I never got very good offers from Hindi cinema until 'Eega.' Now, I'm flooded with offers.

In theory I know that if you have a universal theme and a good story told well, it will work everywhere.

Audiences are always open to an interesting story.

'Bahubali' did not happen overnight. The producer Shobhu Yarlagadda, Prabhas, and I kept talking and discussing and imagining.

'Bahubali' is not about big budgets, big visuals, or massive marketing. If a hero, producer, and director in Bollywood can have that kind of trust, something even bigger than 'Bahubali' is possible.

The consolidated appreciation that 'Eega' is the pride of the Telugu film industry is the biggest award I can get.

People like to see Ravi Teja as a vibrant, massy character. We needed to do something more. So I gave him the extra flavour of the cop character and high emotions. And Ravi did a good job.

After the blockbuster 'Magadheera,' I made a film with comedian Sunil as the hero. If I am interested in making a film - big or small - I will go ahead and make it.

I was very happy when I was doing my first two films: 'Student No.1', 'Simhadri'. I had absolutely no doubts - I would just place my camera at one point and say, 'That is the right way.'

I am a filmmaker. My job is to make films. When something excites you - a story or characterisation - you immediately forget about everything else. You only think how to make a movie out of it. The economics come only later. You shouldn't let money dictate the kind of films you should make.

If someone makes an inroad into a new territory, a new market, people will follow their success. That way, I think we will be getting more pan-India films and not restricted to a region or a language. More and more films will come out on a bigger budget, on a larger-than-life scale.

I am always in self-doubt... every moment of my filmmaking. I am supremely confident when the story is being written and everything is in our head. But the moment we get into the filmmaking, I start doubting myself - from the camera angle to the re-recording to getting the actors to do their shots.

I shoot a scene, edit it, and then, two days later, I doubt whether or not it has turned out right. I reshoot a small part of it, go back to the first edit of it, and do all sorts of things.

You go to the edit room and see one scene which has come out fantastically, and you feel the film will set records. By evening, you look at the budget figures or something that hasn't worked out and ask yourself - what if this doesn't work?

Rajinikanth is humility personified. He's a huge star in India, and people are dying to just see him on the screen.

To make a film with Rajinikanth will be a dream come true for any director, and I'm not an exception. But I always believe that it's the story that should drive you. If I come up with something like that, and if the story inspires me, I would be happy to work with him.

Indian epics are full of violence, and such stories have shaped India. As filmmakers, I don't think anyone in India would tone down violence, keeping in mind the censorship.

I would say the most important aspect of direction is that you, as a director, and your producer need to be on the same page, the same line of thinking. If that doesn't happen in the beginning of the film, then that will show in the final product 100 percent.

I did work with Ajay Devgn and Kajol, who did the voiceover in 'Makkhi'. I wanted a couple with easily identifiable voices but with an image for being family-oriented. Ajay and Kajol fitted the bill. You get a good feel about them.