From your first home production Khudgarz to the recent Krrish, you have always played the dual role of producer and director. What made you give the director’s baton to Jaideep Sen for Krazzy 4?
After Krrish, I was really tired so I decided to only produce and let Jaideep direct. He assisted me in Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish and I wanted to give him a break.

Your daughter Sunaina who has co-produced Krazzy4 went through a rough patch recently.
She had cervical cancer during its production. But thanks to her inner strength and cheerful persona, she is fine and going to assist me in all the projects of Film Kraft. I shall retire soon and she will take over my work.

Shah Rukh Khan is doing an item number in Krazzy4 but why isn’t Hrithik in the movie?
Hrithik suffered a leg injury then. So I asked SRK who readily accepted it. If I had taken Hrithik as one of the patients, then I would have had to rope in other superstars for the film, which has Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav, Rajat Kapoor, Juhi Chawla and Dia Mirza. It would have not only become a high-budget movie but also a star-filled one. I wanted to keep it very simple without much glamour, so that its social message remains intact.

There’s buzz over the sequel of Krrish starring Hrithik.
I have plans of making it but right now I want to start my next project, Kites, which will have Hrithik, Kangana Ranaut and Latin American actress Barbara Mori. Anurag Basu will direct this romantic thriller.

Why aren’t you directing it?
This movie involves a lot of production work as it is going to be shot in Las Vegas, New Mexico and Los Angeles. I won’t be able to handle both production and direction. Anu is talented and has done a good job in his last two movies—Gangster and Life in a Metro.