Rohit Dhawan is pleased that his recent release, Dishoom, has not only got good numbers in the first weekend but also garnered appreciation from critics. We caught up with the reserved but affable director and asked him about the reactions to his action-adventure starring John Abraham, Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Akshaye Khanna. Excerpts...

Are you happy with the opening box office numbers of Dishoom?
I wouldn't say I'm completely at peace yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good run for the next two weeks. When you make the film you started out to make and people appreciate it, it makes you happy. Getting favourable reviews from the English press and good numbers over the first weekend is also extremely encouraging.

We hear your brother Varun and you were strictly professionals during the making of this film.
We were never brothers when we spoke about the script or the look. I treated him like an actor and he treated me like a director. So, we lost some of the warmth of our relationship. Varun is a driven actor. He always wants to give his best even if it's a small scene. He is my baby brother and I see him making a special place for himself in Hindi cinema.

It was also nice to see Akshaye come out of his sabbatical and Akshay Kumar in a cameo as a homosexual character that was not caricaturish. How did that happen?
It's not easy to get Akshaye excited about a film, but once he is, he gives his heart and soul to it. We should be seeing a lot more of him. As for Akshay, I did my first film Desi Boyz with him. He's like a mentor and a strong driving force. I couldn't make this film without him, he had to be in it.

Your father (David Dhawan) had told you that Sajid Nadiadwala is the best producer a director can get. How would you sum up your experience of working with Sajid?
A film like Dishoom is difficult to make and not easy to set up. But I didn't feel it was tough even for a single day and that's because of Sajid bhai. When I had only one line and pitched it to him, he was convinced and boosted my confidence. Being a filmmaker himself, he gives you absolute freedom and is protective of your vision.

Already, there is talk of a sequel...
Sajid bhai and I are excited. But I think it's still too early. We'll know when Kabir (John) and Junaid (Varun) get on to another case. But right now, it's an empty slate. I want to enjoy this for a while.