Taking a film, which demanded the last four years of your life, to the audiences can be satisfying as well as nerve-wracking. For Nag Ashwin, it’s exhilarating. His sci-fi actioner, Kalki 2898 AD, made over Rs 400 crore in the domestic market within a week of its release. “It’s satisfying to see people enjoy and write congratulatory messages that usually start with ‘Thank you for making this film,’” he grins.

Creating a futuristic world must have been a challenge, coupled with the pressure of doing justice to the all-star cast. But Ashwin says his actors—Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas and Deepika Padukone—made his job easier. They brought not only their talent to the project, but also their professionalism and acuity, leaving no room for insecurity or fears about limited screen time. “We call them legends and superstars because they have judgment about a film, they are secure about their purpose in the story, and how their role would expand or be limited in this part. Discussions about who has more screen time probably come [into play] when the actors are upcoming, younger or less secure.”