Vijay Raaz appears notoriously thin and much taller than what he seems on the big screen. He looks like a no-nonsense filmmaker but the actor who recently turned director with his upcoming anti-war film is not so keen on giving up acting anytime soon. <img alt="/Vijay Raaz" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2012/sep/Vijay-Raaz.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 500px; " /> After his noteworthy performance in Monsoon Wedding more than a decade ago, Vijay has been pretty much a regular in both mainstream as well as offbeat films. In a candid chat, he turns philosophical about his profession, passion and project. Was direction the obvious next step for you? I wanted to turn director for quite sometime now because I wanted to say things my own way. When this story came along, I simply jumped at the chance. So what prompted you to make a film on Partition? I&rsquo;m basically from Delhi and I guess we have all grown up on horrifying tales related to Partition. It has been an important part of our childhood so naturally there was a tendency to narrate this story which is simple, innocent and yet so complex. Was your family affected by the post-1947 migration in any way? No, my immediate family wasn&rsquo;t but there is this story that I wanted to convey. Even if it is fictitious, it has shreds of truth in it. On the screen, it becomes layered and interesting too. You&rsquo;re acting as well as directing? Wasn&rsquo;t it difficult to juggle both the roles? (Pauses) Not at all! It was more fun actually. Since I was directing, there was an unusual clarity of thought and that helped in portraying my role in a far better way as well. Having said that, directing is tougher because it has a wider horizon and greater responsibilities. How did Gulzar become a part of your film? Gulzar saab saw the film and its post-Independence drama apparently moved him so much that he decided to be associated with it. He&rsquo;s the most popular name we&rsquo;ve got on the credit roll. And he not only mentored but also wrote poems for the film. You usually portray hatke characters. Why so? I only choose roles I can comfortably slip into. I don&rsquo;t know whether the film will do well. I&rsquo;m not a factory actor or a regular director, as I don&rsquo;t come from the Bollywood set-up. Where exactly do you see offbeat films in this current scenario? They are gradually making their place. Change takes time. It took years for rickshaw drivers to buy a ticket for Ek Tha Tiger without giving a damn about the reviews. Sometimes you make good films and sometimes you create just a loyal audience.

Recently turned director talks about what makes his cinema different from mass hits like 'Ek Tha Tiger'

I'm not a factory actor: Vijay Raaz

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I'm not a factory actor: Vijay Raaz

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