Big banners don't entail compromises: Atul Sabharwal

It's a misconception that a director has to compromise with his or her ideas while working with a big banner, says "Aurangzeb" director Atul Sabharwal and admits that under the umbrella of a big name "you are protected".

"Aurangzeb", coming out of Yash Raj Films' stable, marks Sabharwal's big screen debut, after TV show "Powder", which he directed for the same banner.

He said there is a "misconception about compromise in the industry while working with a big production house".

"When you have a person, who is a writer-director and if you are willing to take help, then the person can bring a lot of experience to the table. At no point do you compromise. They only do value addition," the director told IANS.

But does having a big production house ensure security?

"It ensures a good release, promotion, and some very healthy inputs. You are protected here. They guide you," he said adding that no matter how experienced you are, it's not easy to deal with "the whole media machinery and the way information is manipulated".

"They guide you through all this, so that you can focus only on your film," he added.

Sabharwal, who had written "Phir Milenge" and "Darna Mana Hai", always nurtured a dream to wear the director's hat and say cut.

"I wanted to learn the ropes and see how a director functions in a professional scenario. There were two ways in front of me - to work as an assistant director or screenplay writer. I wrote three films and then I started trying out for direction," he said.

If his TV serial "Powder" was about the drug mafia, his film "Aurangzeb" is about land mafia. Both are crime thrillers, but he wants to work on a good story in any genre.

"Good story" is his priority, he said and added: "There is no genre, which I am specifically attracted to. As long as there is a story, which has enough meat to tell and relates to something, which I am going through in life."

His "Aurangzeb", coming out Friday, has a mixed cast -- seasoned artists like Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Amrita Singh will be seen with new brigade of actors like Arjun Kapoor, southern star Prithviraj and Pakistani actress Sashaa Agha.

Talking about the unique cast, the director said: "The process of casting, which I do, is to find people who believe in the part and relate to it. If they believe in it, they will take it to that extra mile."