Was it difficult directing an ensemble cast which included names like Naseeruddin Shah and Paresh Rawal?
As a director one has to be a parent to one’s cast. I had a tough time negotiating the dates of these stars, but it was a learning experience. I have realised that there is no rulebook for filmmaking, and on a given day anything can go wrong.

Firaaq seems to be an issue-based film like many of your earlier films…
People ask me why I play victims when I have had a privileged upbringing. But then shouldn’t that be a reason for us to ask pertinent questions that really make a difference?

You reunite with Shabana Azmi and Deepa Mehta for the adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. That is a big project...
Yes, but it is too early to talk about it. Deepa will make another film before this. But yes, Midnight’s Children is a brilliant novel, and Padma, the character I am supposed to play, was an interesting character. Both Rushdie and Deepa are working on the script together, so that’s definitely interesting.