Quotes from Mani Ratnam

When it comes to casting for movies, it is a priority that you cast right. The guiding principle must be what is right for the movie, that is the basis you cast someone, not because so-and-so is a friend.

There are filmmakers who get lucky with the first film itself, and then there are some of us who have to face difficulties.

My job as a director is to communicate, and I want to communicate to all.

A film is between you and the audience. The distributors are the only people in between us. It is a straight equation.

Sometimes casting falls in place easily and sometimes it takes a while. Fifty per cent of my job is done when I get the right actors.

When I made my first film, I was arrogant and over-confident.

A director is a very selfish person. For him, his film is like his baby.

I wish I had gone to a film school.

To catch a piece of life on camera and make it come alive, add layers to it and deliver a product that is wholesome is really exciting to me.

I always look for genuineness. If I feel I can connect with the audience, I will try to develop it. For example, the genesis of 'Kannathil Muthamittal' was an article published in a magazine.

When I did my first film, I didn't have formal training; I didn't work under any director. I really didn't know how to make a film.

I grew up on the commercial film format. I have grown up all my life watching films and they have all been mainstream commercial cinema.

I don't believe that to be mainstream you have to be foolish. I don't think you have to be a buffoon to sell. I think you can be logical, aesthetic and still work within the mainstream format.

Let me be very frank. I make films keeping within the mainstream and my cinema is popular cinema. I love it this way.

Within the mainstream cinema, I feel you can experiment and make sensible films. It's possible to tell a story with characters and emotions which are real, genuine, and which need not be over the top.

I don't believe in giving advice.

I am glad that we can make bold films, different films within the commercial market and still do well.

If you look at any film fest, the setting gives it colour. Be it Goa, Cannes or even Berlin in the winter, the setting makes these festivals special and gives it a definition.

Filmmaking is not a one man show. It is not like I'm thinking something and they are expressing it. I try to pull the actor in and together we try to get the expression. It is not my thinking alone, it is our thinking. The actor also becomes a part of the thought process.

That's the beauty of Mumbai. While some parts have grown rapidly, there are places like Churchgate that have retained their character.

I don't know why my leading men have grey shades. Maybe I am trying to explore that side of me through them.

I work with actors who fit the bill. I have worked with Abhishek in 'Yuva,' 'Guru' and 'Raavan' because he was the perfect choice.

I liked Guru Dutt, the way he used songs and the way he shot songs. He was a class apart.

I used to wonder how anyone could treat a fellow human as God. I never understood why they would do this.