You've been shooting Sarkar Raj and editing Aag at the same time?

Yes. But it isn't as if I was suddenly saddled with these two jobs. It was Abhishek's idea to shoot Sarkar 2 in Hyderabad. We decided to shoot there firstly because of the rains and secondly because we could get the whole unit at one place. Everyone went to Hyderabad fully prepared. Every member of the cast had a script and everyone knew his or her lines. The whole crew just ate and breathed the film. Such was the concentration and focus that we finished the project five days ahead of schedule. Aag took a much longer time. It's a formula film with a lot of action scenes. On the other hand, Sarkar is a very dramatic film.

How different was the Amitabh-Abhishek pair this time as compared with Sarkar 2?

Both were incredibly professional both the times. Mr. Bachchan with his commitments and distractions gave all of himself to both Aag and Sarkar 2. The moment he's called for a shot he's all there. I've done three films with Mr Bachchan and I still can't get over his concentration.

What was the interaction like between Abhishek and Aishwarya?

You must understand they aren't antagonists in Sarkar 2. They're two strong individuals looking at the same project from totally different perspectives. He brings about a change in her character.

Did you fraternize with the Bachchans off camera?

Not really. I respect Mr Bachchan, and Abhishek is too professional for back-slapping. All three are very serious actors. I'm not concerned with my actors beyond what they can give me on camera. All the three Bachchans will shock audiences with the intensity of their performances. During the last twenty minutes of the narration, I truly believe that Amitabh Bachchan has given the best performance of his career. And I say this as a diehard Bachchan fan rather than a director.