Soni Razdan on parenting daughter Alia and her second directorial venture
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2014)

Why did it take you nine years to direct a film after Nazar? 
I wanted to do a film which came from within. I’ve been working on Love Affair for the past three years. There’s also another script, which was to be my directorial debut. It is a period love story and I’ll make it with my daughter Alia (Bhatt) after Love Affair. I’ll produce it as well.

Weren't you tempted to cast Alia in Love Affair? 
She is too young for the film. Besides, I don't want to interfere with her career at this stage, when it's going great guns. So far we've cast just two actors. I wanted someone who could convincingly play a debonair charmer and Pooja (Bhatt) and I met Arjun at his house for a narration.That man has evolved as an actor. Gulshan Devaiah who plays the hus band also emotes well.

Buzz is, Love Affair is based on the Nanavati murder case…
No, it’s an exotic, fictional story with perhaps a few references to that case. The fabric is similar. I gravitate towards drama.

You met Ram Jethmalani for inputs..
I wanted to know more about a certain incident from him.

Why isn't your husband, Mahesh Bhatt's company producing thisfilm?
I didn't want to impose myself on them. One should avoid mixing work and marriage because filmmaking itself is such a stressful relationship. But if the Bhatts offer me a film, I might do it. I enjoyed working with them in Nazar.

Bollywood has never been too kind to woman directors like Kalpana Lajmi, Tanuja Chandra...
Well, it is a male dominated industry and many producers believe that women can only make sob stories. But times are changing.

Back to Alia, what's your take on her career graph?
(Smiles proudly) She is doing well but she has to keep her head on her shoulders and work harder to maintain the momentum.

She's a part of the big, bad Bollywood world now. Does that make you nervous?
It was lucky that she started out with Karan Johar's Student Of The Year. When you get such a launch, nobody acts funny with you. I hear horror stories from young girls who want to get into films.

How do you react to her linkups?
I don't demand any answers from her. She tells me whatever she wants to. And I leave it at that.