Delhi 6 premiere at DIFF - Storyline

"I belong behind the camera and feel most comfortable there," said Indian director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra during a Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) conference on the unveiling of his film Dehli 6, slated to hit the theatres on February 21, 2009.

Mehra was accompanied by Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor, the movie's leading actors.

"This film is a journey. It's Bachchan's journey (who plays Roshan) who comes to drop his ailing grandmother from the US to India. He has to go back because his life belongs there [US]. Little does he know that this short trip will turn into the longest journey of his lifetime," said Mehra, adding that: "The longest journey for anyone of us is the journey within."

His previous films include Rang De Basanti (Color of Sacrifice, 2006) and Aks (The Reflection, 2001). His Paanch Kaurav is under production.

Delhi 6, titled after the postal code used for old Delhi, is also about Kapoor's (Bittu) ordeals, her securities and insecurities that are faced by most Indian girls of her age.

"I gave away the film to the actors, and then I became an observer…. They took over from there. I'm happy to confess that the two main actors [Bachchan and Kapoor], did not do a single thing that I asked them to do. I accepted this fact on day three of the shoot."

Mehra and Bachchan first decided to make a movie together 12 years ago. "That film never was made. But, it was worth the wait," Bachchan said.

The Rs400 million (Dh31 million) production has meant a lot to both the actors. Bachchan said he immediately felt connected with the script because he himself spent the majority of his childhood abroad in a boarding school.

"This is the story of a young man who comes to India for the first time and discovers his country and more importantly himself. The script is almost a foreigner's point of view of what India really is. The best part of it is that it's far more beautiful and enchanting than any news channel or magazine may make it out to be. There's a magical quality to India and it is the people who make it magical," Bachchan said.

"I hope that when people see the film, they experience what I experienced while making the film, because it was a life-changing experience. I truly discovered myself as a human being after working with Mehra," he added.

Delhi 6 is Kapoor's second film. "I was completely enthralled by the script and by this girl who represented the youth of India. I liked her stupid quirks, her eccentricities and the fact that she was so Indian. It is the best experience of my life."

Bachchan made a point that Dehli 6 is not an autobiographical film based on Mehra's life despite the fact that the director is a "Delhi boy". It is not a social message conveying unity either. "It's about asking questions like 'why'," he said.

Mehra said: "The film is [not just] a microcosm of India, but also of Pakistan and Bangladesh. We're trying to figure out how the hell does this country [India] work?"

On the recent Mumbai attacks that killed over 170 people, Mehra said: "We pay a big price by avoiding politics. We can't avoid politics," he said and added that the film must not be made relevant just because of the attacks.

Mehra said he's very happy that his film is part of the DIFF. "Dubai is truly a modern city, and very well connected. It can serve as an important bridge between the East and the West. People are warm. You can feel the energy."