Aziz clears the dirty waters about Shahrukh

Though considerable time has elapsed since Aziz Mirza made his last film Chalte Chalte, nothing seems to have changed in his life. He first-and-foremost remains a thinking individual with working-class leanings, a filmmaker later.

"But my new film, for which we've found no suitable title as yet, is set in a foreign city. I have made a conscious decision to move out of Mumbai this time. Ever since I last made a film, the process of globalization has been accelerated. I want to see how it affects my protagonist. But yes I'll continue to be taken up with the problems of the have-nots."

There's much speculation in the movie mart about how Aziz and his protege Shah Rukh have drifted apart. Aziz is genuinely surprised. "Not at all. Juhi and Shahrukh are like my own children. How can I move away from them? The only reason why Shahrukh is not in my new film is because this role required a young boy, just out of college. In fact, the minute Juhi heard the role she said she could see a younger Shahrukh in it. That how Shahid Kapoor came in."

Aziz saab lapses into a flashback mode about Shahrukh. "It's wrong to say that I helped his career. Everyone has their own destiny. Shahrukh became an overnight star with Deewana. I remember they had shot half the film with another actor. Shahrukh came into the project only at the tail stage. If that isn't destiny, then what is? I've done four films with Shahrukh. One doesn't have to continue working constantly with the ones whom one loves. Some relationships go beyond the profession. Shahrukh is certainly one of them."

Ever since his wife Nirmala's death, Aziz Mirza has been in a state of seclusion. "Not really. It always takes me time to make my next film. Writing a film isn't an easy process. After Chalte Chalte, I had to do a film that I was comfortable with," says the soft-spoken director.

Shahrukh in Om Shanti Om