Rakesh
Roshan
confesses
to
this
correspondent
that
if
Hrithik
Roshan
was
not
there,
he
could
not
have
made
either
a
Krrish
or
for
that
matter
a
Koi
Mil
Gaya.
In
spite
of
being
an
acclaimed
director,
why
did
you
ask
Anurag
Basu
to
direct
your
own
film
Kites?
It
was
not
a
conscious
decision
on
my
part
to
assign
the
task
of
directing
Kites
to
Anurag
Basu.
It
was
totally
unplanned.
It
so
happened
that
I
used
to
see
only
the
name
of
Anurag
Basu,
besides
the
three
names
in
the
list
of
nominees,
including
me
in
every
award
function,
the
year
I
was
nominated
as
the
Best
Director
for
Krrish.
I
was
intrigued
by
Anurag"s
film
Gangster,
which
figured
in
the
list
after
Lage
Raho
Munnabhai,
Rang
De
Basanti
and
Krrish
and
was
keen
on
watching
it.
I
got
a
DVD,
watched
the
film
and
liked
it
immensely
and
after
I
called
Anurag
over
to
my
office,
I
told
him
that
he
knew
the
pulse
of
film
making.
Did
Anurag
jump
at
your
offer
instantly?
Interestingly,
when
I
asked
Anurag
if
he
could
direct
a
film
with
Hrithik
Roshan,
he
said
that
he
has
never
made
a
film
on
a
big
canvas
and
every
film
of
his
had
till
date
cost
only
around
three
to
four
crores
of
rupees.
I
told
Anurag
that
I
had
a
story
idea
for
Kites
and
narrated
it
to
him.
When
he
told
me
that
he
liked
the
story,
I
asked
him
to
direct
the
film
because
I
did
not
have
to
achieve
anything
more
and
just
wanted
to
make
a
good
film
under
my
banner.
Anurag
said
that
he
was
shocked
and
asked
me
for
some
time.
Did
he
come
back
in
a
few
days?
Anurag
came
back
to
me
exactly
after
25
days.
I
realised
that
he
had
his
own
thought
process
and
vision
of
Kites.
When
he
narrated
to
me
and
Hrithik
the
story
and
screenplay
of
Kites,
both
of
us
liked
it
immediately.
If
you
think
of
it,
the
story
is
the
same
but
what
makes
it
different
is
the
way
Anurag
has
presented
it
by
giving
it
a
new
angle
screenplay
wise.
There
are
two
types
of
filmmakers.
One
makes
a
straight
commercial
film
whereas
the
other
does
things
in
between
the
screenplay
and
makes
it
interesting.
I
asked
Anurag
to
concentrate
on
the
screenplay
and
assured
him
that
I
was
there,
as
far
as
business
was
concerned.
How
did
the
idea
of
Kites
emerge?
I
saw
two
kites
flying
in
the
sky
and
felt
that
it
was
quite
romantic.
It
struck
me
that
it
was
a
nice
plot
for
a
romantic
story.
When
the
winds
are
stronger,
the
kites
soar
higher
in
the
sky.
The
biggest
message
that
I
have
set
out
to
drive
home
through
Kites
is
that
love
has
no
language
or
for
that
matter
boundary.
It
is
a
film
which
gives
its
own
message.
Kites
is
a
very
simple
story
which
has
been
narrated
in
an
interesting
manner.
How
would
you
describe
Kites?
Kites
is
out
and
out
cross
culture
love
story.
We
wanted
to
make
it
as
a
global
film
by
taking
Spanish
or
for
that
matter
even
a
Russian
actress.
If
I
had
cast
an
Indian
actress
she
could
not
have
spoken
in
Spanish.
We
decided
to
settle
down
for
a
Spanish
actress
because
I
am
assured
of
a
wider
market
in
the
sense
that
I
have
assured
audiences
in
not
only
Latin
America
but
also
the
USA
where
50%
speak
Spanish.
Kites
is
a
thriller.
Since
Anurag
Basu
had
made
Gangster,
I
knew
that
he
could
make
Kites.
There
was
no
question
of
my
interference
in
the
film,
because
I
was
just
the
production
manager
of
Kites.
I
am
happy
with
the
film,
having
given
a
big
break
to
a
director
who
has
till
date
made
only
three
films.
I
am
happy
with
the
way
my
film
has
shaped
up.
Anurag
will
be
the
most
sought
after
director
even
if
my
film
does
little
business.
Tell
me
about
Barbara
Mori!
It
was
a
blessing
in
disguise
that
we
cast
Barbara
Mori,
because
besides
the
fact
that
she
is
a
popular
actress
in
Mexico,
she
could
merge
with
her
character
beautifully
because
in
real
life
too,
she
did
not
know
English.
Barbara
Mori
is
a
fine
actress.
I
did
not
know
that
she
is
the
No.1
heroine
in
L.A.
She
was
stunningly
beautiful
in
the
film
My
Brother"s
Wife.
Barbara
has
done
seven
to
eight
films
there.
Anurag
went
to
L.A.
to
narrate
the
script.
The
day
I
signed
her,
I
showed
her
Jodhaa
Akbar
and
she
spoke
highly
of
Ash.
Didn"t
the
fact
that
she
is
married
and
has
a
child
out
of
wedlock
deter
you
from
casting
her?
So
what
if
Barbara
is
married
and
has
a
child?
A
girl
has
to
be
good
looking
and
also
in
good
shape.
I
had
translated
the
script
in
from
Hindi
to
Spanish
and
sent
her.
She
had
absolutely
no
nakhras
except
that
she
said
she
would
not
do
the
dance
number
or
sing
because
she
is
not
used
to
singing
and
dancing
in
films.
Do
you
regret
having
asked
Raja
Sen
to
direct
your
film
Krazy
Kiya
Re?
I
feel
that
it
was
a
mistake
on
my
part
to
have
asked
a
new
director
like
Raja
Sen,
who
had
assisted
me
for
five
years,
to
direct
Krazy
Kiya
Re,
though
the
subject
as
well
as
the
actors
were
good,
because
it
was
like
asking
a
Basu
Chatterjee
to
make
a
Amar
Akbar
Anthony
or
for
that
matter
a
Manmohan
Desai
to
make
a
Khatta
Meetha.
Raja
wanted
to
make
dark
films
since
his
genre
was
different.
Do
you
miss
acting?
I
do
not
miss
acting
at
all.
The
last
film
in
which
I
had
acted
was
Koi
Mil
Gaya.
I
am
out
of
the
rut
now,
because
as
an
actor
I
just
cannot
wait
for
two
years
for
a
film
of
mine
to
come
up.
I
am
happy
being
a
producer
or
a
director.
What
do
you
have
to
say
about
Hrithik
Roshan?
As
a
director,
Hrithik
has
given
me
a
lot
of
confidence
to
take
up
different
subjects.
If
Hrithik
was
not
there,
I
do
not
think
I
could
have
made
either
a
Krrish
or
for
that
matter
a
Koi
Mil
Gaya.
Hrithik
looks
every
inch
a
super
hero
in
Krrish
or
a
king
in
Jodhaa
Akbar
or
a
mentally
challenged
boy
in
Koi
Mil
Gaya.
I
knew
he
would
suit
the
role
of
Jai
in
Kites
too.
It
is
only
if
you
are
a
good
actor
that
the
beauty
of
the
character
will
come
through
in
a
film.
I
have
not
given
any
tip
to
Hrithik
at
all,
because
I
am
of
the
opinion
that
you
learn
only
when
you
make
a
mistake.
What
is
your
approach
as
a
director?
As
a
director,
it
excites
me
to
make
different
films.
I
had
sleepless
nights
when
I
set
out
to
make
a
film
like
Kaho
Naa
Pyaar
Hai
with
new
comers.
I
take
on
subjects
which
given
me
sleepless
nights.
I
do
not
plan
my
films.
The
subject
dictates
the
casting
in
my
films.
I
get
the
guts
because
my
son
is
there
with
me.
Today
I
feel
that
it
is
very
risky
to
make
a
normal
film
but
easier
to
make
a
film
with
a
new
plot
to
give
the
audiences
something
new
to
see.
I
liked
3
Idiots
a
lot.
I
have
always
liked
to
shift
genres.
After
Khudgarz,
I
did
not
make
a
film
with
two
friends.
Then
I
made
Kishen
Kanhaiya
and
Khoon
Bhari
Maang.
Both
were
dynamically
different
from
one
another,
genre
wise.
How
do
you
feel
when
you
look
back
at
your
career?
I
have
struggled
a
lot
and
have
not
forgotten
those
harrowing
days
of
mine.
That
is
what
keeps
me
going.
Today
I
work
ten
times
more
than
ever
before
because
I
have
ten
times
more
responsibility
as
a
filmmaker.
You
will
be
in
the
forefront
if
you
keep
on
making
good
films.
We
should
always
think
that
the
audience
is
more
intelligent
than
we
are.
My
first
film
as
a
director-
Khudgarz
ran
well
and
gave
me
the
confidence.
Had
it
been
a
flop;
I"d
not
have
been
in
the
industry
today.