Shoojit Sircar

'Vicky Donor' is now seen as a case study and the intelligentsias are looking at it from a strong academic point of view. I keep getting calls from medical practitioners who constantly thank me for making this film.

We make films because cinemas exhibit it, and they exhibit as we make films.

No one is bigger than cinema.

'Gulabo Sitabo' is the biggest release for me. The film is going to 203 countries simultaneously and it is successfully being subtitled in 20 languages including Portuguese, German, Spanish, Russian, French and many more.

It is easier to make a film but difficult to make it on your own terms. In that sense 'Madras Cafe' was a very satisfying experience.

It is difficult to make movies on your own terms and also to make a film and convince somebody to have faith in it.

'Piku' is not at all a film in the Bollywood kind of way.

I think actors do need some hand holding to know what they are doing.

I stopped caring about industry rules after my 'Shoebite' did not release.

I decided that I have certain taste in cinema and I will take it forward. I know there is an audience for such cinema.

I have seen many festival films and I will be blunt, I don't think 'Madras Cafe' was ready for festivals.

It is very difficult to make films like 'Madras Cafe' in India, given the diverse nature of the country.

Enough of the formulaic stuff. I am not saying pot-boilers are going to stop coming, but there should be other quality-centric films to off-set them, to maintain a steady balance.

I am happy that I am back and with a great project like 'Vicky Donor.' I have had a hard time in the past with 'Johnny Mastana' getting stuck but I hope this film brings positiveness into my life.

I don't watch films that are too unreal.

I never got interested in musicals.

I love to do subjects that are very common, relatable.

A mother does a thankless job; they take care of their children unconditionally.

It doesn't matter even if I am slow or fast as long as my films are honest and carries my integrity.

I am lucky that I am surviving in the industry despite the kind of films I have made, which are absolutely unconventional.

I never try and send messages through my feature films; it's always naturally woven in and comes through on its own, as that's the way I think about society.

Cinema leaves a deep impact on the society. As creative people and entertainment film-makers, we have to be responsible at some point as we are also the conscious citizens of this country.

Women have shown their skills and that's why they have been accepted in the industry. It's through their skill that they have managed to make a mark for themselves and also earned respect.

Men have realized that when it comes to the workplace, both the sexes have equal stake because jobs are given based on talent and skill.

Women have initiated the change all by themselves. The credit goes to them. Men have had no role to play in the rise in women's representation on a film set.

Any fictional story will take things from real events.

If I had used real names, I don't think 'Madras Cafe' would have ever seen the light of day because it was a political film, an adaptation of a true incident.

I've done a lot of ad films where an idea can be translated in 30 or 40 seconds. But in a movie, an idea needs to be stretched for two hours, and requires you to draw a bit from your experiences in life.

You can understand the integrity of the filmmaker from his camera angles. You can't hide anything from it.

As men, we can never fully understand the experience women go through.

I can't speak for other people but the budget of my films is super tight to an extent that people can't even imagine.

Actually the writer is the most important part of the filmmaking process. That's why I never hesitate in giving credit to a writer which I don't think even Hollywood does.

All my stories are mainly slice-of-life and rooted to real issues and situations that I have experienced myself.

Foremost is the casting; you need convincing faces. Most of our films suffer from casting.

I never thought a film about a sperm donor could work with audiences in India, but it did.

'Madras Cafe' is set against the backdrop of the civil war in Sri Lanka in the 1990s.

I think as the largest democracy in the world, we have self-conscious filmmakers who can handle sensitive themes.

Once the censorship board clears a film, there should not be any other obstacle for a film's theatrical run.

I call it an ensemble cast or the world of 'Gulabo Sitabo' which is about the lifestyle of my characters. I just go and sit there in a corner and observe these characters through my camera. That's how I shot the film.

My films are completely offbeat.

I hardly watch commercial films but I have nothing against them.

When I got to Mumbai, I missed the Delhi parks and grounds.

I lived in the south near Tughlaqabad. My father was in the Air Force station. I used to go to Tughlaqabad Fort, and there's a huge city park there a big city forest, near the ruins. They were so beautiful. So I have been to those parks.

Delhi is not just India Gate and Lal Qila, its way beyond that. There are a lot of things that's Delhi, which only a Dilliwalla can understand.

Slice of life comedy is something which I enjoy more. These moments make you smile when you think about them. And these moments work for a film as well, rather than slapstick comedy.

All my films were based on sensitive issues, and they were passed without any problems. I give full credit to the Censor Board for being capable enough to do their work well.

Making a film on Mary Kom means that people should be watching it across the globe; it should be that level.

I think Mary Kom should be an international star.

I have been thinking of many subjects to work around football, but nothing has inspired me. 'Sports' is a good subject. But, nothing has inspired me to make a film.

Amitabh Bachchan is an intelligent actor.