Kareena has always said that you are her favourite director. Kareena expressed grief on not being in this film. Deepika is also a fine actress but what made Deepika your choice for the movie "Love Aaj Kal"?

I am very happy to hear that Kareena thinks so highly about me and she is also my favourite actress, most definitely. But just for the greed of working with your favourite actor, one cannot cast them wrong as it would be like doing injustice to everybody including the actor. My role as a director is not to make those mistakes as much as possible. Deepika has a certain sense of silence, perception and draw in her which I cannot really explain very well in words. There is a certain quality about her nature which can very well relate to Meera in the script and that made me choose her for the role.

Your second film "Jab We Met" broke records because of which people have a lot of expectations from your next venture. How are you feeling as the release date comes closer?

There is always so much of work around to do that the feeling of nervousness never seeps in. Nervousness is a privilege that directors do not have. I just try not to embarrass myself in every film I do. Till now I don't feel I have embarrassed myself anywhere with "Love Aaj Kal".

How did the story idea of the movie "Love Aaj Kal" evolve?

In every household or every set of people, older generation always say something about their times to the younger ones. One of the hot topics in that discussion is love. They say 'Hamare zamaane mein aisa hota tha… hum aisa karte the aur aisa jazba tha… that is what passion was…' and stuff like that. The younger generation kind of retaliates saying that you didn't even know her name and you say that was love. So I guess hearing them talk about love and seeing the generation today react to love helped the story evolve.

How was it working with Saif for whom "Love Aaj Kal" is the debut film as a producer?

For me Saif was not the producer of the film but completely the actor of the venture. He was very happy only being the actor as well because he didn't really want to be anything else. He strongly came up with his common sense and extremely creative ideas during publicity. But during production he was only the actor. In a movie like this, just being an actor, meant he had a lot to do.

Why the movie is titled "Love Aaj Kal"?

I wanted to keep the title as "Aaj Kal" but that was sounded a little boring. We had loads of debates over it. But since the story is depicting love of different eras, it was finally decided to be "Love Aaj Kal".

What message are you trying to give the audiences through the film? Are you judgmental about love then and love now?

I am not judgmental about love then and love now but I am just a witness to love then and now. There is really no message that I am trying to pass but trying to make sure that people have a great time in the theatres.

How do you think has love changed over the years since you have depicted that in the film?

I can't really comment conclusively because I am not in a position to do so. But I can only tell you that if you feel there is no innocence and love now and there was love only back then, then it is not true. I see a lot of innocence even now and the fact that people are physically more intimate now, doesn't mean that the intensity of pure feeling between two people is less today.

How did you convince Neetu Singh to act in "Love Aaj Kal" since she has denied many roles in the past?

Well, she was supposed to be a secret in the film and would be revealed only after the release. I convinced Neetuji by going down on my knees and since Rishiji was acting in the film, his good word was also somewhere the reason for her to act in the film. She has been refusing roles for a long time now and it was our privilege to have her in our film.