Director Tarun Mansukhani on why he has watched Crash 20 times
Crash, a 2004 Hollywood film directed by Paul Haggis, is a classic simply for the way it’s made. It’s brilliant on all levels. The script brings out the complexities of relationships, intermingling of lives and race issues very convincingly. The story is done complete justice by spectacular performances. The characters are varied and yet each is significant to the story. Each falls fantastically in its place. Its technical qualities are also on par with the story’s impressiveness. The simplest of shots have been done perfectly and yet in no way does the technical finesse overwrite the narrative.
I identify a lot with the emotions the characters have, just as anyone would. At one moment, they feel powerful, at the next moment, they feel down. Very real emotions indeed.

When I first saw the film, I was intimidated and overawed. I wondered whether I would ever be able to make such a grand and yet so honest a film. I have watched the movie 20 odd times.
Am I inspired by the film? Well, I would never copy a scene from it and paste it on to my film. But I truly want to capture, in my films, the characterisation and interplay of characters Crash has.