Though I have an idea about the climax, it always changes when we start shooting.

I know how irritating it is when a producer puts his hand in everything.

When I was approached to remake 'Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya,' I felt that it was a good way to reach out to a wider audience, every director wants that.

No matter how liberal or modern a family is, there will always be resistance when someone discloses that they are dating someone.

I sneaked out of school to watch 'Nayakan.' I must have watched it at least 15 times at Anand theatre.

There are people who've told me cinema is a visual medium and you don't need to say so much. When I write the script, all these lines of what the characters are thinking are written. Once the film is shot and the lines are dubbed, I tone it down in postproduction if I feel it gets heavy.

I try to be a friend to my boys just the way my dad was with me. Subconsciously that reflects in my writing.

I'm okay with suggestions but I want to do what I believe in, because I'm inspired by an idea.

I do a film because at that particular moment, I want to make a film. It is my attempt at moving away from the ordinary.

If I know somebody's right about something I take it from them.

Even when 'Kaakha Kaakha' was released, there were people who gave it an average rating and said they couldn't figure out what was happening. Three days after its release, the producer called me and asked me to remove all of Jothika's scenes from the film. I told him; in that case, you can also remove my name from the director's slot.

I may have got a little carried away and many critics found fault with some aspects of the film, but as a coming of age film of a character, 'Vaaranam Ayiram' worked with the audience.

I put my heart into 'Vaaranam Ayiram.' I lost my father when I began the film, and the tragedy turned my entire script around.

Unless it's a song and something fancy, I would rather shoot on location.

I drove past one of the houses in Tiruvanmiyur and asked them if we could shoot there for 'Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya' because it seemed straight out of the pages of the script.

I don't like to shoot on sets at all. As much as possible, I try to shoot on location.

I would seriously love to do a Malayalam movie.

You need stars to create the buzz and bring audiences to the cinemas.

Even though I love Hindi films, I don't remember any backdrop visuals that are really striking.

I would like to make a film in the four South Indian languages.

Bollywood is a different ballgame. I am quite used to Tamil and Telugu films.

The lead character in 'Yennai Arindhaal' is like an extension of the protagonists of 'Kaakha Kaakha' and 'Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu.'

Though I'm happy with the response to the film, I've been hearing the feedback that 'Yennai Arindhaal' has traces of my earlier films. It was meant to be like that. Since it's part of a trilogy, hence the reference to the other two films in the franchise.

Vipul Shah wanted me to do the Hindi adaptation of my film 'Kaakha Kaakha.' I declined the offer.