Why did you change the title of your film from Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur to Welcome To Sajjanpur?
The marketing people of UTV felt that Welcome to Sajjanpur would be a more welcoming title.
Won't the dialect used in the movie, Bhagelkhandi, be difficult for the audience to understand?
It is a kind of semi dialect of Bhundelkhand. But it is understandable, and delightful.
How was it working with Shreyas Talpade? When did you think of him for the role? Was it after seeing Dor? How would you rate him as an actor, among all the fine actors you have worked with? What does he need to do to go far?
Working with Shreyas was lot of fun. He seemed the right choice when we were casting because of his looks body language, his smile, the expression on his face. All these things were absolutely right to play the central role of Mahadev.
After watching Iqbal, I thought this is a boy that I must take in a film. He is a very good actor among all the actors I have worked with. You have to see the film for that. He is very persuasive and convincing.
What about Amrita Rao, the first aamchi (Saraswat Brahman) you have worked with after Girish Karnad? What made you think she would be apt for the role?
Amrita Rao was perfect for that role. She is very good and pretty. She has the right qualities of innocence and warmth. She is a very capable girl. She has not done too many films yet for people to know what she is capable of. I saw Vivaah and a couple of her films and I like the way she looked. She has a very good face-cut. When I met her, I discovered that she is also a capable actor.
The others were also apt for their roles like Ravi Kissen, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Illa Arun, Yashpal Sharma, Ravi Jhankar Lalit Tiwari and Divya Dutta.
Yes, she is a Saraswat Brahaman and that too Chitrapur Sarswat, a particular sect from that like me and Girish Karnad. Deepika (Padukone) and Isha (Koppikar) are also Chitrapur Saraswats with whom I will like to work.
It is fun when you work with them because then you can speak to them in Konkani if you are angry, then other people need not know what you are saying.
Also read: 'Making films is not meant for wimps'
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