After the success of his first directorial debut 'Khiladi 786', Director Ashish R Mohan is all set for his next 'Welcome To Karachi' hitting the screens today. The director speaks about 'Welcome To Karachi', his equation with his co-stars, the welcome he received in Pakistan and the kind of films he would love to do in the near future.

Your expectations feelings right now

The response has been great so far and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the film will do well. I was there in Karachi recently and they are all excited about the film as well. We have lot of Pakistani actors in the film and there is nothing negative in the film. Producer Vashu Bhagnani is in talks so I am not sure of the status. It has to come from the producer and distributor from there. I am sure they will love the film. They heard the songs and saw the trailer and have loved it as it`s an out and out entertainer.

Why no shoot in Karachi

I wanted to shoot in Karachi but the situation was tense there and I couldn`t take the risk of taking a 200 people crew to shoot there. We managed to shoot the scenes in Indore and England. We have done a lot of research before shooting the film. Even the costumes in the film are done according to those particular regions of Pakistan. We have tried to be as realistic as we could. When I was there in Pakistan and received a warm welcome from them I felt I should have shot the film there. May be next time I will be able to shoot another film there.

Jackky replaced Irrfan what major changes you did to Irrfan`s role when Jackky took that role.

'Welcome To Karachi' is a two hero film. Irrfan and we had some creative differences but he is a brilliant actor. I told him I would love to work with him some day. With Jackky nothing major had to be enhanced. There were no dance numbers as Irrfan wouldn`t have like it. We changed the age factor as Jackky is much younger and energetic and we added songs and dances as he is good dancer and so is Arshad. Jackky was all charged when he heard the script. The film would have been different if Irrfan had done it as his sensibilities are different. We changed the script according to Jackky`s age. But I loved the film and people are going to like it.

Why is Arshad not promoting the film, he was also upset during the trailer launch

Arshad is not promoting the film as he is leaving for U.S for a holiday. It was a pre-planned holiday and we couldn`t avoid it. Actors are always moody and you have to pamper and treat them as kids. Sometimes they are not in a mood and it`s important to understand the thought and talk to them accordingly. Something must have triggered off. Sometimes what is said is misconstrued and that triggers off a whole lot of negativity for the stars.

You have worked with Arshad earlier when you were assisting Rohit Shetty, how comfortable was it working this time. Did he interfere during the shoots?

I have worked with him in 'Golmaal 1', 'Golmaal 2' and 'Golmaal 3' when I was assisting director Rohit Shetty. He had never interfered. In fact I would be happy if he had interfered in this film. He believes in me more than himself as he has seen me as an assistant director and now as a director. He knows my strengths. When I was an assistant I would never sit and discuss but he knew how I worked. Today he will pick up the phone irrespective of the thought that I am doing a film or not. Our relationship has gone above all that. He`s a well read and intelligent actor and above all a great human being.

Have you shown the film director Rohit Shetty, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar?

I have not showed the films to Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn as they are busy. Akshay also is shooting in Goa. I had shown the theatrical trailer to Rohit and he loved it. He loved Arshad`s performance. I have known Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty for the last 13 years. I was 18 when I assisted them and they would bully me and they were my mentors and savior. When other`s on the sets would bully me they would tell them. "He will take all the revenge when he will become a big director don`t pull his leg." If Rohit doesn`t like anything he will tell me on my face that it`s bad. I have learnt all my craft from them and respect them immensely.

What next?

I believe in telling stories If it doesn`t come from my heart I will not be able to make it. I have many thoughts and stories, stories will which suit all the A listers and another set of stories which will suit actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui or Ayushman Khurrana or Raj Kumar Rao. Till my dialogues and screenplay are ready I cannot decided anything. As of now I am looking forward to this film. I am here to tell stories and will cast stars according to my scripts. I don`t write stories keeping the stars in mind. If I don`t get that particular actor I will change my story. I believe that if I make a story according to a star and if I don`t get that star the film will look fake.

Are you open to experimenting with different genres or do you want to just stick to comedies?

I am looking at different genres I would love to do an action thriller and an out and out comedy or a post border comedy again or a romantic comedy. I have many subjects and have a bank of stories. I am looking at writers. Everything depends on the script. I can comment on this when it is ready.

Will we ever see you making a sex comedy, comment?

My films will always be family oriented. Sex comedy is not my strength. I want my mom and dad and my children and wife to sit together and watch films. I don`t come from that background so I don`t think I can attempt one.