Movies not be-all and end-all of my life: director Homi Adajania

In 14 years, filmmaker Homi Adajania has made just four movies, but the director says he is content with his filmography as he believes in having a life beyond cinema.

Adajania, whose next release is slice-of-life story Angrezi Medium, wants to make people happy through his films.

"I am not someone who eats, breathes, sleeps movies. I love telling stories through movies but it is not the be-all and end-all of my life," he told PTI.

"But when I make films, I want to make everyone happy. That's all that matters. I don't want recognition, that's not my trip," he added.

Adajania said all his films -- Being Cyrus, Cocktail, Finding Fanny and Angrezi Medium -- have contributed to his growth as a director.

"With Being Cyrus I wanted to know how to make a film. For some reason no one asked me if I had made a movie before or not. People probably thought I was directing ads but I was a scuba diving instructor. A friend of mine (Kersi Khambatta) gave me the short story of 'Being Cyrus', which he had written.

"I read the story and said I will make it into a movie. Then six months later I made it... If I know it is going to become an experience, then I go ahead. That one or two years of life that you spent, will be a memory."

After his 2005 debut, producer Dinesh Vijan offered Cocktail (2012) to him.

The flavour at that was of rom-com movies. I realised I don't have this experience so I wanted to understand this culture. That lured me into getting into this space."

With 2014's Finding Fanny, the director said, he wanted to make a movie that was like a picture book.

With Angrezi Medium, Adajania wanted to work with his favourite actor, Irrfan.

"I wanted to work with Irrfan, we have been trying to collaborate for the longest time but it didn't happen until Angrezi Medium. The film has a nice soul, some scenarios are bizarre but they are believable."

Angrezi Medium is scheduled to release on March 13. PTI KKP SHD RDS BK BK