How did you end up working for Yash Raj Films?
I had a ready script that reached Aditya Chopra through common friends. I did not have any access to Aditya, per se. He liked the script and called me, saying that he would like to produce it. It was a dream come true for me, considering I’m an outsider with no filmi connections. Were John Abraham and Arshad Warsi Aditya Chopra’s choices?
Arshad is a close friend and I had him in mind when I was writing Kabul Express. I met John before Adi came into the picture. Even back then, John had agreed to do the film.

Adi had no issues when I told him that John and Arshad would fit the bill. The film is loosely based on the experiences that my friend Rajan Kapoor (who is the executive producer of Kabul Express) and I had in Afghanistan during the making of a documentary film in 2001. That was the time when the Taliban was collapsing.

So who plays who?
When I first wrote the script, John was me and Arshad was Rajan. John is as sensitive to suffering and human destruction as I am. Arshad and Rajan have a subtle sense of humour. But slowly, I weaved a bit of both (Rajan and I) into the characters. But yes, John is like me; he likes to take risks just like I do.

Didn’t John panic during his stay in Afghanistan?
We were facing death threats and John was the high-profile target. Any terrorist organisation obviously looks for the most impressive target. The Taliban bumping me off wouldn’t make as big headlines as they would if they bumped John off.

The Taliban always highlighted his name as the person they wanted to target, so Bipasha’s (Basu) concern was fully justified. Mini (Mathur, Kabir’s wife) was also very worried. We were equally concerned. We had stopped shooting for six days, which led to security arrangements being made. Thereafter, we had 60 armed commandos 24×7.

How confident are you about your first film?
After I finished shooting Kabul Express, the Taliban has increased violence in Afghanistan. The whole world is aware of this, and I am sure that they will want to see what it was like.

There is no heroine in the film.
That’s simply because we haven’t compromised on the script. But there’s an American actress, Linda.

There are some cuss words in the film. Omkara suffered because of foul language…
Our characters are realistic, but that’s where the similarity ends. The language in Kabul Express is not even close to the kind of language used in Omkara.

Why has the film been delayed?
This is a misconception. We never announced the release date. One must take into account the fact that it has been selected for many international film festivals.

Tell us about its selection at these film festivals…
In Indian cinema, regional and art films are selected for international festivals. This is the first time that a film from mainstream cinema with mainstream actors has been chosen for the world’s top festivals. We have been to Toronto and Pusan, where we had a fantastic response. I signed about 200 autographs there. Then there’s the

London Film Festival coming up on November 2. A day before the release, we’ll be showcasing it in Dubai Film Festival. The film releases on December 15. We have invitations from at least seven more festivals after that, which we will go for after the film is released.

Does it help a showcase a film at festivals?
It helps to profile the film and the maker. And it helps to increase overseas collections. I have met top directors and actors from across the globe, thereby increased my network. To top it all, you get their perspective on your film. Few debutants would be lucky in this respect.

How much freedom did Yash Raj Films give you?
We had to file a production report every day. We spoke on the phone every two or three days. As for the freedom, Adi did not make any changes in my script. He believes in this film.

Where do you go after Kabul Express?
I have a three-film contract with Yash Raj. I have two stories and I need to decide which one will go through first.

Will Rajan be a part of those films also?
Yes. We work together and understand each other very well.

What if a big producer calls you to his camp?
Who is bigger than Aditya Chopra?

Say, a producer who gives you more money than Adi?
This is common, but haven’t we also heard horror stories of directors who have broken away and decided to venture out independently after barely one film?

What Yash Raj provides you is not calculable in terms of money.