||Bonding with so called 'Intellectuals'|| #CC14 IO - Page 108

I don't like the term heroine oriented film. I think a film is a film, is a film. It just depends on who is doing the lead and if the film is good it will do well. Unless of course it's a Shah Rukh or a Salman or an Aamir Khan film where just the name draws the audience to the theatre. I don't think anybody in the industry has reached that status yet, except for Amitabh Bachchan, where you go and watch a film because of the actor. I think if it's not a good product people understand that and if it's a good film it doesn't matter who the lead is. Anyway since a film is a work of collaboration, I cannot take credit for its success or be blamed for its failure. The only pressure I have is that the film should do well because everyone works so hard on it.
Having said that, I think the onus is always on all the actors of the film, because Friday decides on what kind of work you are going to get. Fortunately or unfortunately for us there's a lot of money involved in film-making and if people have to invest in you, then you need to show that you are successful, or that you are going to get returns. Basicaly the pressure is that if a film doesn't work than maybe I won't get the kind of work that I want to do.

After having worked with Shashanka who is known to be a very fun-loving person, you are now working with Sooraj Barjatya a more staid personality. How different is the working atmosphere on the set of these film-makers?

Honestly, there's not much difference. The professionalism and the general attitude of both Shashanka and Soorajji is the same. They are pleasant people and give their actors a lot of love. There is no shouting or chilumchili on the sets. They are passionate about making their film and always inspiring their actors to give their best.
In fact, in the past one year, I have had the opportunity to work with wonderful people like Shashanka, Aanand Rai, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and now Sooraj Barjatya. They are all such amazingly pleasant, nice people and talented directors. You realise that if you are talented it does not mean you can be temperamental and have mood swings. They do their work with such passion and love, so it's great being on a set like that. I choose to work with them because of that. You don't want to wake up in the morning and go to an unpleasant set. You want to go to a place where you are respected, given love and work with people who really want your talent to flourish. I think when there are positive vibes while shooting, the film works.