Q: There hasn’t been a Ram Gopal Varma release for some months now. Yes. But the epidemic is back. First ‘D’, then my own directorial venture, Sarkar, then two more productions, My Wife’s Murder and James. Basically, too many productions were diluting my productivity. I wanted to get my act together before releasing more films. Hence the gap, which I hope will mean better films. I’ve done my best for all the films that are releasing now.

Q: You think the audience wants to see another gangster flick? The genre has nothing to do with it. A film works not for its genre but on individual merit. If the audience likes the look of a film it would go. ‘D’ has a particular look, and I’d like to think it’s different from my Satya and Company.

Q: Two major gangster epics from your company. Why a third? I could do five more if I want. It isn’t a question of doing a specific number of films from one genre. My films aren’t based on backdrops, but characters. Satya and Company were stark and real relationship films. ‘D’ has a very focused plot. It’s about one protagonist who’s a throw-back to the early Bachchan era. Randeep Hooda in ‘D’ is almost like Mr Bachchan in Deewaar. In a way ‘D’ is my tribute to Deewaar. I’d say, audiences haven’t seen a character like Randeep Hooda’s since Nagarjuna in my Shiva and Sunny Deol in Arjun.

Q: In what way? They’re street fighters basically, with a great instinct of moral rightness. It’s very unusual for a debutant director to make a gangster film.

Q: Why do you believe that? I think directors always give their best to their first film. Your heart is right the first time. Thereafter you stop being spontaneous. I’ve a great deal of confidence in Vishram Sawant. I met him at a photo studio a couple of years ago. I was very impressed by the way he had done-up the place. Though he’s a still photographer and not an interior decorator, when I was building my office I requested Vishram to do it up for me. He agreed on one condition. I shouldn’t interfere in anything that he does. ‘I know your cinema and I know your taste. Please leave it to me.’ I was really impressed by his determination. I knew he would apply the same logic to directing a film.

Q: Isn’t that a big risk? I trust people on instinct. Not that I’m a teesmaarkhan on talent. There are so many people out there who have the talent. When I saw how well he had done up my office I felt it would be an honour for him to do a film for me. I never enquired about his experience. I never had any experience when I made my first film. The big fallacy in the film industry is that only the blessed get to make movies. Anyone who has a desire to tell a story can make a film.

Q: We disagree. Well, too bad. This interview is about my opinions. Not yours. Vishram Sawant surprised me. Maybe ‘D’ doesn’t have the serious intentions and intellectual motivations of my Satya or Company. But the characters in ‘D’ are much truer to life than my earlier gangster films. In terms of editing pattern, sound and background music he has completely surpassed my Satya and Company.

Q: Why Randeep Hooda? I saw Randeep’s pictures long ago. I was very impressed by his intensity and intelligence. I was supposed to cast him in another film that I was making. That didn’t materialise. But when Vishram Sawant wanted to cast him in ‘D’ I immediately agreed. Randeep is the only actor I know who can actually become a character.

Q: Is his character based on Dawood Ibrahim? Certainly not. It’s a fictional character. He isn’t even a Muslim. But a Hindu. Any real-like character you project on screen is bound to have some kind of resemblance to an existing character. When I made Jungle everyone said Sushant Singh’s character was based on Veerappan.

Randeep’s character is life-like but not biographical. He’s an actor who can go a very long way. I plan to cast him repeatedly. He can spawn a whole series of Hollywood-styled thrillers. With his intensity and voice, I don’t think he has achieved even 10 per cent of his acting prowess in ‘D’.

Q: And Rukhsar? She came to me to be cast in my next film, Sarkar. I thought she had a screen presence. Then Vishram spotted her on the sets of Sarkar and wanted to cast her in ‘D’.

Q: Your interest in your discoveries diminishes after the initial wah-wah? What can I do if they go and do the wrong films for money or whatever reasons? Then I lose interest in them. I wish they’d let me project them in the right way. For me an actor is only the image on screen. I don’t care about his personal life or what he thinks of me as a person or filmmaker. When they move on, so do I.

Q: So between your Satya and Company where does ‘D’ fall? I think Vishram has created a completely different take on the genre. Satya and Company were very intense, hard-hitting films. ‘D’ doesn’t take itself seriously. I’d say it’s the most entertaining film I’ve produced. Filled with one-liners and massy elements. Finally, an entertaining film from Ram Gopal Varma!