With Rumble In The Bronx, you introduced Jackie Chan to Hollywood. Before that, he was essentially an Asian action superstar...
I was the first director Golden Harvest (studios) hired to direct Jackie. One day, an American distributor told me, 'I love your films and I'm a big fan of Jackie Chan. The way you direct him is real and we love the kind of action you do, but the American audience doesn't watch dubbed films. You can get Jackie to America, make the same kind of films in English, and go mainstream'. I told my producers that I wanted to make Rumble In The Bronx in the US and Jackie would do his own stunts, unlike Hollywood actors. But Jackie was skeptical. He said he had lived in Hollywood and the directors there didn't like his style, they thought he was too choppy. After some convincing, he agreed and we made the film on a budget of $6 million. The film broke box-office records and was the first Chinese movie to go mainstream in America.

Kung Fu Yoga is an Indo-China production that went on floors after the countries initiated other joint ventures. How do you look at it?
This film sets a good example for Chinese and Indian filmmakers. Our idea was to please the audience globally. In the past, many US-Chinese co-productions lost money, as they tried to please each other. Kung Fu Yoga takes the best of both cultures, including Bollywood dancing.

How did you select the cast from Bollywood?
I wanted actors who would be accepted the way they looked and acted. Sonu is handsome and has the look required for the role. He is the fittest Indian actor I've met. I liked him in films like Dabangg and Happy New Year. For the girls, I didn't think of established stars since a Jackie Chan film takes nearly 110 days to shoot. We had to travel to eight cities in four countries. We needed actresses who could give me time and decided to go for new faces. Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur have looks that would be accepted by the international audience.

What prompted you to include a Bollywood-styled song sequence?
I liked Bollywood dancing even as a kid. Back home, my father had a recording studio and stores, where we sold Indian music. Over the last few years, Bollywood music has become international; not just in terms of songs, but also the dance, rhythm, costumes, actors and dancers. When I wanted to do a song, Sonu recommended Farah Khan. I'm happy I have 10 new action scenes and a Bollywood song sequence in a story that a family can watch together. These days, it's difficult to make a film like that.

You have done quite a few films with Jackie. What makes your combo tick?
I focus on filmmaking while Jackie focuses on acting. I give an idea and if he likes it, it's up to me to execute it as nicely as possible. I not only have to come out with five new action scenes, but also be original in terms of the situation. I have to come up with something that no one in Hong Kong, China or Hollywood or even Jackie himself has done before. I also have to do it so well that no one can better it. I also have to have humour. That's what makes our work special. We have had a similar journey, starting as stuntmen and co-ordinating action in films. By the time we completed our first film together, I realised we shared our birth dates. Every time we work together, I ensure that he not only has a different role, but also scope to display new action moves. For example, The Myth had romance that Jackie had not done before.

How did you get Sonu to match Jackie's action?
Sonu is a Bollywood action star. He has the perfect body, but initially, his moves were stiff for our kind of action. I trained him to loosen up. When I thought of casting him, I asked him if he had time, since I needed to train him. He's playing a character who's stronger than Jackie and beats him, so that has to come across on screen. Apart from me, Sonu also trained with Jackie's action team.

How would you rate action in Bollywood films?
It has improved. Various styles are adopted and merged with their own. Some actors are simply amazing. I remember Aamir Khan in Dhoom 3. In Hollywood, I haven't seen any thing new in the last few years.

Do you visit India even when you don't have shoots here? What brings you here?
I first visited India in 1993. I travelled from Himalayas and Kashmir to Delhi, then from Mumbai to Kerala. While I knew history of the Taj Mahal before visiting Agra, I realised there's more to the story when I saw the monument. I wanted to make a film in India, but aborted the plan following the riots. Eleven years later, I came to India to shoot The Myth in Hampi. I shot Kung Fu Yoga in Jaipur and Jodhpur. I love the diversity in Indian culture and architecture. It's fascinating to see that people built marvels when there was no sign of modern technology. I love Indian masala tea, mangoes, fried chicken, mutton curry, chicken curry. Talking about Kung Fu Yoga, I hope it succeeds so we make more films here in the near future.