He had never intended to become a filmmaker because he was content assisting his aunt in her garment business right through his years as a student. His father, an astrologer, had indicated a change in profession, which inspired him to take a chance and make the switch. His debut film Three didn't work, but Hate Story 2 set the ball rolling. While he gears up for his fourth outing, Wajah Tum Ho, BT met director Vishal Pandya for a conversation that turned out to be as sizzling as the thrillers he directs. Excerpts:

Wajah Tum Ho seems to be in the same zone as Hate Story 2 and Hate Story 3. Aren't you restricting yourself in a genre?
Oh, I'm also directing Hate Story 4, after which I plan to change gears and come up with a romantic film. Someone who doesn't have a film background can't tell his producers that he wants to try something else right at the beginning of his career. After I've established myself in a genre, I'll try something else, which is what I plan to do now.

Where did you find the inspiration for Wajah Tum Ho that revolves around a murder on TV?
Six years ago, when I was struggling, I had bounced the idea off many people. Some would brush it aside, saying, 'You watch too many crime shows' while others would simply pan it. But the next morning, they'd discuss my idea with some other people. Thankfully, when I narrated the concept to Bhushan Kumar, he instantly agreed to make Wajah Tum Ho.

Why did you opt for rejigged versions of old hits for the film?
I don't think all the songs are recreated from old ones. We have some original tracks, too.Yes, what happens with old songs is that you love them so much that you simply want them in your movie. They have that charm.

What's the most difficult for you to shoot?
The lovemaking scenes, hands down! In fact, while shooting these scenes, I am more worried than my artistes. You'll be surprised that sometimes, married actors ask me how to enact an intimate scene. And I show them a demo with the help of my assistant.

In hindsight, what kept you going when your first film, Three, didn't work?
I know what it is to struggle. I believe in the saying, 'If you can't get up, don't fall'. My parents supported me in that phase and assured me that everything will fall in place. I thought of doing something else but that required me to start from scratch. With direction, I knew I wouldn't have to do that. But it wasn't easy because people looked at me with a hint of suspicion and whether I really had it in me. Let me admit, failure kept me motivated and going.

What was the turning point?
When I was 19, I became an assistant director on a TV series. I used to take digital transfers of footages from beta tapes. Four months later, Vikram Bhatt came to the studio to watch the edit of his film, Kasoor, and I asked him if I could get into direction. Eventually, I assisted him on a couple of films. After that, I landed a chance to direct Three - Love Lies Betrayal. It fared badly, so much so that it was taken off cinemas in one day. Of course, I was depressed about failure, and most people in that situation would feel that their career is over, but I looked up online to see which directors had made it big after their debut film flopped. I even tried to meet a lot of people at that time, most of who didn't accommodate me in their busy schedules. After a few weeks, people stopped answering my calls.

And then...?
After my first film failed, I rolled back to being an AD (to Vikram Bhatt). It was humiliating. Pehle to kisi ko pasand nahin ki koi director bane. Aur koi agar ban jaaye, aur film na chale, toh log bolte hain 'Humko to pata tha ki tujhse kuch nahin hoga'. Hate Story 2 turned things around. After the trailer launched, this production house called and asked if I'd work for them. For someone with no one to fall back on, it felt great.

Moving forward, what kind of films will we see you making?
I'll experiment with all the genres, starting with romance. I'm also eager to direct a comedy. While people say I have good sense of humour, I want to establish myself completely in my current genre before venturing out.