You've got to understand that in Bollywood, every actor is an instrument, and yet a human being. They come to the set with a set agenda, believing, 'This is who I am, this is what I want, and no, I am not going to become that character you want me to.'

Truth is more peculiar than fiction. Life is really a startling place.

I grew up in a small town in India, but through books I knew the world.

If we don't tell our own stories, no one else will.

It gave me a lot of pleasure and pride that 90 percent of the crew for 'Monsoon Wedding,' and most of my film, are women. We get the work done, you know, much lesser play of ego... And I really believe in harmony, I believe in working in a spirit of egolessness and that the film is bigger than all of us.

It's only at this age that I can say the word 'art' without flinching.

Americans are not used to being bombed in their beds, but if you come from anywhere outside America, it's not highly unusual.