Where does "Water" go from Canada?

Our international distributors Fox-Searchlight have had innumerable shows. Lisa Ray is being featured on all the international magazine covers, including Vogue, Harper's, Vanity Fair. The Westerners love her. She is going to go places. John too will go very far.

And you?

I can't rate myself. I know the Canadians love "Water". Let's see what happens in the rest of the world. I just want the freedom to continue doing what I want to.

Are you saddened it didn't get released in India?

It's a disappointment. But it is out of my control. The Indian rights are with the Canadian NRI Ajay Virmani. Perhaps the baggage of the past controversies surrounding the film is taking their toll. What else could it be?

Fox-Serachlight's first Indian film, phenomenal box office success in Canada... then why not in India? I am baffled. No one here has seen it. Even private screenings are not in my hands. I don't have the right to make any decisions. I can't make my next film until "Water" is released everywhere. I have to be travelling in the US for four weeks to promote it. John, Lisa and I will go to the US, Spain and Australia. But emotionally I have moved on.

And your next?

"Komagata Maru" must have (Amitabh) Bachchan. It already has John and Seema. And I want Jagjit Singh to do the gurbani.

You are really enamoured of Seema's histrionics?

On the contrary it's her lack of histrionics. She just makes me so quiet. Seema's performance as Shakuntala will take her beyond "Bandit Queen".