I wasn't really sure about the kind of films I wanted to be a part of. That's when I saw 'Aaranya Kaandam.' I was stunned; it was such a stylish film.
When you only have $15 million, you have to talk about something interesting. You can't just cut to a helicopter exploding.
I've worked with some of the greatest filmmakers in the history of the medium, and they all have something in common: a quality that is creative, comfortable, and thoughtful.
But you don't hire Ang Lee to do a typical children's movie. But it's such an interesting combination, whoever thought of getting Ang together with a comic book, that was just great.
Any director who's willing to be brave not only in terms of subject matter but also in terms of being emotional and moving you is what inspires me.
The five directors in '5 Sundarikal' experimented, and it was a very personal exercise. Amal, Anwar, Aashiq, and Sameer have done things that they have never done before. Debutant Shyju has also made a beautiful film.
When you're a director, and you look at Scorsese's work, he's always challenging us to push the envelope and break the rules. Someone like that is necessary and a godsend.
We were grooving, at that point, in the same direction, but remember, Roy Hamilton and myself were going into a path and a direction that had no programming.
These new-age directors like Karthik Subbaraj are bringing about a change that I want to be a part of.
What musicals need is a new me.
It's always interesting to see a director trying different things, and on top of it, doing it right each and almost every time.
