Opportunity has knocked on Javed Sheikh's door again, and he is not taking any chances this time. The dimpled actor-director, who gained tremendous popularity when an entire generation of audience grew up on his work on TV and FILMS. From Muskhil, Chief Saab, to Mujhaye Jeene DO and Yeh Dil Apka Hoa, the director has more sensible than merely successful films featuring bold in his resume. Much has been said and written about Javed's fourth directorial effort and it's only a matter of days that the verdict on Yeh Dil Aapka Hoa will be out. Whether the film will lay a gold egg at the box office or receive a thumbs down from the public, is a question that excites the film buff, but leaves Javed unruffled. His poised demeanor suggests that he is more than confident that his investment will reap in high yields, even if it's just on critical acclaim front. Here we talk with Javed Sheikh.

On Yeh Dil Aapka Hoa:
"As a director, I am proud of this film and I am sure that after watching it, audiences here and abroad would be happy about the fact that it has come out from the Lollywood filmmaking machinery. We have made every effort to match the international standards of filmmaking.

YDAH boasts of production values, which we hope, are far greater than that of any of the films made here so far. We have used the silent blimp camera Arri BL4, which spared us the hassle of dubbing. Our Spanish production company 4U2 has produced a techno pitch like Mummy II. We got all the printing done from Bangkok, and the publicity hoardings were produced in Malaysia.

All through the making of this six crore project, I was very clear that I would not compromise on anything, whether it's the script or the look. It took us around 10 months on the scripting stage and the film itself took another two years in the making. People scoff off at the way scripts are executed in our films. YDAH is a tender story, given a sensitive treatment. Audiences should have no reason to ridicule it."

On not following the conventional casting trend in the Industry:
"I don't cast people to add to the star power. My actors and actresses are there to do their job and that is to act. My cast from Saleem Sheikh to Sana to Badar Khalil is there because they suit their characters. I wanted my female lead to be an eastern looking girl who would stand out in a crowd to Europeans. Sana with her churidaars successfully lends the eastern touch. Similarly Saleem Sheikh appears well built enough to look like a matador that he plays here. I play a businessman while Babar Ali acts as my rival. So its not about what suits me, but what suits the film."

On the Jugga and Gujjar culture prevalent in the industry:
"Jaggas and Gujjars are being made for one particular province only and they are not even in the national language. When we have a population of 150 million in the country, why can't we make films for all of them, why just limit our market to one province?

One area, I feel, we have gone wrong in our films, is that we never updated the industry according to the times, We just followed the track left for us by our pioneers. There was a time when our films had names of the caliber of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and Ahmed Faraz attached to them. Many such respectable names faded from the credit lists of our films, when they weren't given enough incentive to stay on. Unfortunately, the industry was then invaded by the unskilled lot. They didn't even have standards high enough to go up to people like Faiz and Faraz and get them to write for us. One thing led to the other and the audience is now left to watch a bunch of buffoons who believe in the "guzara karo" (make do) policy.

Given the fact that not much quality work has been done in our industry, there's so much scope that it offers. On the other hand censorship on certain subjects doesn't leave much room for experimentation. Still, I feel that there are a host of subjects that have not been tried out here and our industry gives ample opportunity to take advantage of the scene."

On the Pakistani audience:
"Audiences want to see films. It is wrong to blame the audience for the generating the trend for action packed or vulgar films. They will just see what you show them. They would see a Titanic with the same excitement as a Gujjar. It all depends on what is being given to them."

On his film being repeatedly postponed:
"There's no controversy attached to it. We initially announced 5th April as the date for the release, but I wasn't able to complete the film by then. 21st June was the other date we were planning to release this film on, but due to the war threat at that time and the FIFA world cup hype, we thought it best to postpone it. It is now released on 19th JULY, and being shown successfully.

It is being said that we put off the release of YDAH in April to save it from being pitted against Chalo Ishq Larain. There's no truth in it. We didn't release the film in April because it was not complete at that time. Its wrong to draw parallels between both these films. There's no similarity between the two in terms of story, cast, production or anything. So where does the question of competition arise?

My film took time longer than anticipated because I was in no rush to present a half-baked project. There's so much effort gone into its making and I wouldn't have compromised on production values, in a big to make it on time. At the end of the day, the audience is little concerned about the delay. It's a good project that they want to see, no matter how much it has been delayed."

On direction:
"Direction is all about executing one's vision with conviction. Not everybody can sit in the director's chair. At least, not without a clear vision, some aesthetic sense, and sufficient technical know how. Every person has a different angle in looking at the same thing. Ten people can direct a certain scene in ten different ways. A director's job is to convey his vision aesthetically and convincingly to the audience."

On the alleged hitch for filmmakers - censorship:
"I have no problems with censorship. It suits our cultural requirements perfectly. I just feel that the restriction on making films on certain topics curbs our freedom to experiment."

On television:
"Though the silver screen's glare far outshines the glint of the small screen, TV is an emerging and strong media. With the advent of private channels this medium offers a great potential for diversification.
 
Regarding the feeling that TV, like films, has fallen prey to banal ideas, this is something that happens all over the world. As soon as a certain formula clicks with the audience, it is used and abused ruthlessly. But with all these new channels cropping up, I am sure the competition will compel our TV producers to get their acts together."

What if YDAH fails?
"I am absolutely prepared for whatever fate my film meets at the box office. Whether people like it or reject it, I will continue to make films I believe in.