I would like to make a film in the four South Indian languages.
I have acted in all four film industries in the South. I speak all four languages because of my upbringing in various cities.
My native place is Belgaum and I understand Kannada and have a flavor for acting in South Indian languages.
Being a South Indian, I think it was easier for me to pick up the languages on the go.
We south Indians are clannish and comfortable about our languages.
In the history of Indian cinema I am the only South Indian director who has survived for 12 years and 25 films in Bollywood.
Be proud that thou art an Indian, and proudly proclaim, "I am an Indian, every Indian is my brother." Say, "The ignorant Indian, the poor and destitute Indian, the Brahmin Indian, the Pariah Indian, is my brother."
I decided to remake 'Sairat' and contacted Nitin Keni of Zee Studios with a plan to remake the movie in all south Indian languages.
Language is not a barrier, specially Hindi. It is the only language I read, write and speak in and so it is far easier than South Indian languages.
There are quality films being made in all languages, whether in Hindi cinema, Bengali or the south. Bollywood doesn't represent Indian cinema, per say.
I am pleased about making a comeback in Bollywood, but then I really cannot think about leaving South Indian cinema. Whatever I am today is because of South films, and I cannot give up on that.
Anything, really - I'm as comfortable playing an Indian as playing a black woman or a South American.
When I hear myself speak French, I look at myself differently. Certain aspects will feel closer to the way I feel or the way I am and others won't. I like that - to tour different sides of yourself. I often find when looking at people who are comfortable in many languages, they're more comfortable talking about emotional stuff in a certain language or political stuff in another and that's really interesting, how people relate to those languages.
I am proud of the fact that I am the first South Indian director who has been accepted by Bollywood wholeheartedly.