Satya, Company, D  if his films are anything to go by, then Ram Gopal Varma has to be a man who knows the underworld inside out. But this master of gangsta flicks confesses his execution of the dark world is based on secondary information and his vision.

All geared for a new innings post the disastrous Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, Ramu is aiming for higher grounds with Contract.

Read on as the filmmaker talks about his latest venture, his fascination for the mafia, his love-hate equation with critics and why he would never speak about his daughter.

With Contract you're back to your familiar territory.
(Laughs) You're making it sound like a homecoming. In fact, it has been so that the other day, someone asked me why I make so many films on the underworld, and I said maybe some gang or the other will take note of me and offer me a job! So there, you see the connection?

You began with Satya 10 years ago. Does Contract complete the circle?
I will never be through with the underworld as there are so many facets to work on. Forget about trilogy, I would make a hunderedology out of the mafia!

Do you personally feel you're best suited for mafia flicks?
No. I have made Rangeela, Kaun, Bhoot and Sarkar each of them different
from the other. It's just the popular mindset, which thinks I am cut out for underworld films.

Contract's lead actor Adhvik Mahajan has been kept away from media glare. Is it a deliberate move?
More than the actors, it should be the content that should be on the forefront. When I am making a movie, my intention is not to launch an actor. Launching should best be left to fathers and uncles.

Has it something to do with your fallout with most of your protégés Manoj Bajpai or Mohit Ahlawat? They have been badmouthing you for long.
If they are criticising me, they must be having their reasons. I wouldn't know.

The PR machinery is on an overdrive these days, thereby shifting the focus away from the craft. As a filmmaker, does this trend bother you?
Promotion serves two purposes it creates awareness about a project and presents audience with the view as to what to expect from the film. So in that manner, it definitely helps, but it also bothers, as you never know what kind of signal the promotion is sending. They could be entirely conflicting, something that the director never wanted to say.

Something like what happened to Aag?
To an extent, yes. I think had each person, who went to watch Aag, spent half an hour with me, I would have psyched him/her to love the movie. This is what I did to all the actors who became a part of it (laughs).

Would you say a lot of criticism post Aag has been below the belt?
Every person is entitled to an opinion, and as long as you accept this fact, criticism wouldn't affect you in any  way. In any case, if Sholay is the benchmark in best cinema, Aag is the benchmark in flops!

Did you ever receive any compliments for Aag?
Yes, I did but I wouldn't reveal the identities for security reasons (laughs again).

Do you watch your own movies?
Sometimes, I do.

Does you daughter watch your movies?
No she doesn't. She is all for Karan Johar's movies.

You never speak about her.
I refrain from doing so.

Urmila Matondkar, Antara Mali, Nisha Kothari and Jiah Khan have been widely referred as your muses. There aren't any now. Why?
No, because there weren't any at the first place. I have been working with the same set of technicians, composers and a whole lot of people all this while but nobody discusses that. The presence of a particular actress is scoop worthy, so there, you have the muse thing happening.

Recently, you patched up with Aamir Khan.
We never had a fallout. Even if there was one, it was sorted long long ago. The media
has just woken up to this 'story'.

Aamir invited you to Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa's premiere but you never went.
I wasn't in town and moreover, I don't attend premieres.

Don't you have any friends in the industry?
No. And why only the industry, I don't have friends whatsoever.

Even Karan Johar is not a friend? Come on, we'd heard you two had called it truce.
My only problem was that I didn't believe in Karan's cinema the marriages, the social gatherings etc. This statement was blown out of proportion and the so-called rivalry followed. It was only after I visited Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai's wedding that I realised Karan's cinema is much more realistic than mine!

Will we ever see you making a Chak De! India or Taare Zameen Par?
No.

Have you seen these films?
No. Neither do I intend to. I don't like sports films and I can't sit through children's films, either.