I?m planning two projects. One of them is Beauty Queen here for Navketan. It?s a new subject and very contemporary. It?s against male chauvinism and I?m dedicating it to the women of the country.

There are so many girls who are afraid to step out and participate in these contests ? either due to parental pressure, lack of money or fear of rejection. The film is about a beauty queen and a dancer but the leading man has a fantastic negative role and I play a top industrialist who organises such a contest. It?s a great story.

But I won't launch it unless I feel that the girl is the beauty queen and people say so with one voice. And she has to be new. The real beauty queens who are already in films have all been seen. I can?t take Aishwarya Rai because she?s busy for the next three years and I don?t want to work with starlets.

I?ve got so many calls for the role but there?s always something or the other that just isn?t right. I understand that nobody is perfect but an element of attraction has to be there, especially in the eyes and the smile. Plus a look of innocence and certain bashfulness. She could be anywhere between 16 and 24.

<B> Who scores the music for this film?</B>

Adnan Sami. He?s agreed to do so. He sang a song for me in Love In Times Square and may sing a couple of songs in Beauty Queen too. He?s a very talented composer.

<B> What?s your second project al about?</B>

I'm planning a film in the US and that I look as a graduation. I've made so many films here; let me try one abroad. I've been here for almost 60 years. And after maturing as an actor, writer, director and producer, why shouldn't I try out something I've never attempted in the past? Unless you try, how can you succeed? Who knows what's in store for me? That's my sthat's being planned in the US. I've appointed agents there to take care of everything. The project should take off by September-October.

<B>It?s believed that the film is based on sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and his daughter Norah Jones...</B>

Believe me, it isn?t. I think CNN was responsible for the controversy but let me tell you how the idea came to me. I was in the US and had just released Love At Times Square. I was sitting in the lobby of a hotel when an Indian journalist approached me and asked me whether I was going for the Grammy Awards. I told him I wasn?t interested. That evening Norah Jones won five awards.

I don?t need a story after that. It?s a thought that inspired Song Of Life. Panditji don?t need be upset about it. The film is not based on his life. He?s a great friend of mine, a great musician and one whom I respect. It is not Norah?s story because when you make a film on someone?s life you?re faced with limitations, you can?t let your imagination run wild.

The storyline we?ve heard about does sound like the story of Pandit Ravi Shankar and Norah Jones. Why, the film could be about any Indian musician who?s internationally known, a man who once had an affair and doesn?t remember it. But it is not their story. How can I write a script about them when I hardly know anything about their lives?

Our films are all about song and dance. With this American musical I want to better their earlier musicals like My Fair Lady, Sound Of Music, Fiddler On The Roof and Westside Story. I?ve approached Stevie Wonder to score the music. I need someone of his calibre because there?s a lot of money in music. I?ve sent him the script. I?ve also handed the script to a top female singer there and am awaiting a confirmation.

The international market is something else. If you have the right distributor your film gets released in 7000 theatres simultaneously and you earn on a percentage basis. Here the distributors eat away all your money.

<B> There?ll be an Indian version too?</B>

No, I?m making the film only in English. The same film will be released here too. With the same length ? two hours, five minutes.

<B> Your last few films haven?t fared too well at the box-office. Where do you think they?ve gone wrong? </B>

Only my later pictures have not done well. I cannot analyse why they didn?t do well. No one can say what went wrong. They were all good films. They came out of my head and heart and I stand by them and am proud of them too. I don?t think there?s anything wrong with my scripts just because the films don?t run. After I complete a script I get hold of two or three writers and get feedback on it.

There?s always a lurking element of uncertainty but I?ve never cheated with my work. Take even my biggest flop; there?ll be something in it that sets you thinking. My stories have been my undoing at times but you never know. Just one big film and I?ll come back with a bang. Then they?ll all start watching my flop films too. That?s Dev Anand. How many are there? Only one.

<B>? As soon as I emerged from the ceremony, various news channels thrust their mikes at me and they asked me blatantly that some people had been working against my getting the award. I was shocked. ?</B>

<B>? There?s always a lurking element of uncertainty but I?ve never cheated with my work. Take even my biggest flop; there?ll be something in it that sets you thinking. ?</B>

<B>Source : Filmfare India</B>