Is the film industry more relevant to society now?
You don't make films to moralise, to lecture people. Nobody would like to be lectured to. When you take a movie, no matter whatever be the theme -- everybody has some theme, whether comedy or otherwise -- what do you want to say in the film? There's no deliberate effort to do this and that. People won't like it. I was recently at the Cannes Film Festival. They honoured my film Guide. It was made in 1966. Now, after 42 years, Cannes shows the film in front of the international audience. And I loved it even more. They loved it too.
So, emotions are the same. Times have changed. From small homes, we have big homes. There was no electricity before. We now have electricity. But man is the same as he was 1,000 years earlier.
There are lots of things you don't have to change. Script levels have changed.
Some people are concerned about increasing violence and sexuality in Hindi films.
Don't forget sex is an important aspect of man's life. Sex attracts. A man attracts a woman. A woman attracts a man, no matter wherever you may be. A movie without sex, and if there's no romance in the film, is as dry as dust. Romance is part of sex. If there's a deliberate attempt to flaunt sex, the movie will not run. But sometimes, if a bedroom scene is required, it is required. If it is your honeymoon, we have to portray it! It is a very thin line. Such controversy was there hundreds of years before and it will continue a long time after all of us are gone.
But is a film with sex good for families?
Why not? It all depends on the families. Sometimes it is a very modern family. The boy is young, very modern and he gets married with a modern girl. Parents have separated. Children have separated. So, should we make films for such parents, for such children, for whom?
If you are within the norms, say what you have to say, but don't say too much. If you are saying beyond that, people will understand and they wouldn't like your movie. Bear in mind that the cinema-going audience is a young audience. They are between 17 to 35 years of age. >
What is your next movie?
Charge Sheet. I am one of the characters. There are 19 others. For lead roles I have Riya Sen and Jaggu Dada [Jackie Shroff]. Some other names are being finalised. As a director, I have written the script for this film. I will finish it by December and maybe by April, May it will be released. I am also doing a film in Scotland. This film will be in English. It is a love story.
Why Scotland?
I'll tell you why Scotland. I went to Croatia. They invited me two years back. Something there didn't work out. I went to Scotland to release my book, Lord MacKay was present and in fact the whole town was there for the release of my book. I did a film in Scotland 10 years ago. So, I am enthused. And why can't I do the film in English? I know the language.
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