"I never say 'I stand by my baby" - Ram Gopal Varma

If someone claims to have cracked the real personality of Ram Gopal Varma, the person certainly needs to be invited to read a paper on the maverick filmmaker's real self.

Who is the real Ramu? Is he is the one who doesn't think twice about cracking jokes at his own movies? Is he the one who sticks his neck out and says that he is actually contemplating making Sholay again? Is he is the one who claims that though the world is looking at Sarkar Raj as his 'comeback film', for him it is just another film that he has made?

"You are making me sound much more than complex than I really am", says Ramu with his trademark laughter (which by the way doesn't give out on whether he is laughing at himself or you), "Seriously, for me films are like incidents. They happen and I move on to my next incident in life. There are series of decisions I make while making a film and that's about it."

But any man would be disappointed/disheartened by failure, isn't it? Trend is that whenever any film by Ramu fails, he laughs about it and moves on to his next project. Why is that so?

"That's because though for audience and media people like you, it's quite some news/shock on seeing a film fail, inside me I am aware about what could have possibly gone wrong during the filmmaking itself. I know that I have made a wrong decision somewhere during filming and hence I am hardly surprised when my film gets such a response", reveals Ramu who can be found joining the joke about Tashan being termed as 'Aditya Chopra Ki Aag'.

"Isn't it ironic that now I have started receiving compliments around my Aag being a classic in comparison", chuckles Ramu, "Of course I know that no one is serious out there. Everyone needs a punching bag and last year it was me, this year it is someone else. People love pulling others up or down at an alarming rate. However, while they do so, they don't realize that I have already moved on to my next project."

By any chance, is it a way to camouflage his hurt?

"Not at all", says Ramu promptly, "Why should I be hurt per se? My mind is occupied with so many ideas. I may as well nurture an idea rather than be bogged down by my failures. I can't afford to take things deep down my heart. This is why I don't make statements like - 'I stand by my baby'! I rather move on to my next one."