The movie: Being Cyrus
The director: Homi Adajania, 35
I am from Mumbai and had done my graduation from St. Xaviers college. I wanted to be a professional scuba-diver, but couldn't afford the course in Scotland. So I joined ad-film maker Mashesh Mathai. One year later I quit, and started freelance writing. I went to Lakshadweep as a scuba-diving insttuctor. To make money I did bizarre jobs like the one where I took a fake fakir to Venice, as part of an art exhibition. Now, that is being made into a story by Anand Suparkar! Farhan Akhtar will play me in the movie.
The struggling years: I did not struggle that much. Kersi Kambatta told me a story and thought I would make a great film. But I had no plans of making it, as I was planning to write a book. But then Kersi wrote the screenplay and approached Boman Irani. Then Saif Ali khan was approached, and before you know it, things began rolling.
Why it worked? It was pure timing. I made a movie when there was change in the trend of filmmaking. It was a unique Hinglish movie.
If he could change something... Nothing. The budget for the film was Rs 1.9 crores. Anything more than that would be foolishness. It is good as it is.
Was success expected? No. If I knew it would have been such a big hit I would have asked for a percentage in profit right at the beginning.(laughs)
What next? I am working on a Hindi movie whose working title is Resurrection. It's a thriller akin to those old British whodunnits. But it is not at all English in its look.
Also Read: From scuba-diving to Bollywood!
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