S. S. Rajamouli

Bahubali' is not about big budgets, big visuals, or massive marketing. If a hero, producer, and director in Bollywood can have that kind of trust, something even bigger than 'Bahubali' is possible.

To make a film with Rajinikanth will be a dream come true for any director, and I'm not an exception. But I always believe that it's the story that should drive you. If I come up with something like that, and if the story inspires me, I would be happy to work with him.

Without my family, I'm nothing. They kept me in the right place. I believe that I'm the luckiest person in the country when I'm with them.

In childhood, we used to read stories from the Arabian Nights. Why were we so interested when it happened somewhere in Arabia, in a different culture? Until now, we hadn't gone to the Hindi audience with a good story.

Any hit films, impact-creating films, leave their mark on the industry. It is in human nature to try to follow something that is creating an impact.

I wanted to complete 'Maryada Ramanna' in a short time, but it took me almost a year, and now 'Eega' took double the time, but in the end, it was worth it.

I really want to complete films in a shorter duration, but somehow it does not seem to happen.

I am always in self-doubt... every moment of my filmmaking. I am supremely confident when the story is being written and everything is in our head. But the moment we get into the filmmaking, I start doubting myself - from the camera angle to the re-recording to getting the actors to do their shots.

As a film enthusiast and a lover of stories, I have read biblical stories and I've seen biblical films with the same zeal as I have read and seen my own country's stories. Most of the time, the creator doesn't know where he gets his inspiration from.

Rajinikanth is humility personified. He's a huge star in India, and people are dying to just see him on the screen.

I did work with Ajay Devgn and Kajol, who did the voiceover in 'Makkhi'. I wanted a couple with easily identifiable voices but with an image for being family-oriented. Ajay and Kajol fitted the bill. You get a good feel about them.

In theory I know that if you have a universal theme and a good story told well, it will work everywhere.