Sajid Khan

Cinema is not about changing lives, or the environment. It is purely about entertainment.

How much do your films express you?

Heyy Baby expressed my sensitive side. Many feel Om Shanti Om should have been my first film and Heyy Baby Farah’s film.

Did you achieve your goal in Housefull?

It’s turned out better than what I expected.

You’ve repeated actors from Heyy Baby.

When you work with a cast and crew, it’s important to enjoy being with them. Professional actors are not the kind I’d work with. I prefer an actor who is not so talented but a good human being.

You’ve paid tribute to your favourite Bollywood directors in this film.

When I watched the final copy of Housefull, I felt directors like Manmohan Desai, Hrishikesh Mukherji, Ravi Tandon, K. Raghavendra Rao, Brij etc would be proud of it. I’ve never been to film school but whatever I know is from their films.

You learnt from them?

Of course. The entertainment quotient of a Manmohan Desai film, the drama of a Prakash Mehra film, the style of a Feroz Khan film...I learnt from them all.

What kind of filmmaker do you want to be known as?

Definitely not one whose films are paintings or whose lighting is superb or who shoots his films well but whose story-telling is weak.

What made you turn director?

I spoke about films and was so judgemental about movies others made that I felt it was time put my money where my mouth is.

Do you and Farah share film sensibilities?

Sometimes. Sometimes we agree to disagree. Like I love Godzilla, she hates it.

Your equation with Akshay Kumar? You always want to work with him.

I am too new to choose. Akshay chooses directors. Once established, I can choose actors.