I hope, I could be friends with an ex: Ayan

Mumbai: The fact that real life ex-lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone have not only come together on screen for 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', but they have also become friends inspires director Ayan Mukerji and he hopes to follow in their footsteps.

"I respect Deepika and Ranbir. In some way, they represent a slightly new generation. They were ex-lovers and had some drama, and now they are able to be friends, this shows that they are part of the younger generation," Mukerji told IANS.

"I hope that I could be friends with an ex. You bring so much to each other's life. Then it's sad if you can't be friends," he added.

He admits that their past relationship is adding to the buzz around the movie, but feels people will come to watch the film only if it is good.

"I guess it is adding to the vibes around the film... I don't know why. The only reason I would go to watch a film is if the film is good. But people keep telling me that people are excited to see them on screen," he said.

"But if people come and spend money to watch your film, they will come because they like your film. If Ranbir and Deepika were in a really bad film with bad promos and songs, I don't know people would come to watch it," added the director who had teamed up with Ranbir for his directorial debut 'Wake Up Sid', one of the biggest hits of 2009.

While dating each other, Ranbir and Deepika did 2008 romantic movie 'Bachna Ae Haseeno'. Mukerji says that the two sorted their differences much before teaming up for 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', their second film together.

"The ice had broken before the shooting. A year-and-half before we started shooting, we had sat down and things had been normal. Today, Ranbir and Deepika are good friends," he