If you approach India in the right way, you have so much to learn there about people, and there's so many people. It's such an extraordinary setup, and it's so bewildering how it manages to get through somehow, you can only wonder at it.

I was brought up a very strict Catholic and I don't practice anymore or anything.

I have a philosophy, a belief, which I can see in many, many other directors that your early work is your best work, because you don't know what you're doing.

I want people to leave the cinema feeling that something's been confirmed for them about life.

I always felt it is not good if you feel like you would know how to do something. I've made mistakes of telling people: I know how to do this. And it should feel dangerous. That is the only way to stay alert, to keep the adrenaline running.

I have this theory that your first film is always your best film in some way. I always try to get back to that moment when you're not relying on things you've done before.

The problem with being British... I don't know if it's me being British or being raised a strict Catholic, but you never really enjoy success.