At 74, M.S. Sathyu has all the time, energy and inspiration to make more films, but says he won't include "glamour doses" to make his films sell.

Known best for "Garam Hawa" (1973), based on the sensitive issue of India's partition in 1947, Sathyu says he is not prepared to compromise.

"I have four scripts ready. There is no lack of inspiration. Of course, finding a financier is a problem because I can't compromise my cinema for a Shah Rukh or Aishwarya Rai," Sathyu told IANS in an interview.

In London to receive an award, Sathyu said: "Unfortunately, even financiers want glamour doses in serious films to make them sell. Finding producers for sensible, good cinema is so difficult."

Sathyu says it is better to sit idle than compromise with glamour dolls to make his cinema sell.

"What is important today is packaging the film with a glamorous actor or actress just because they sell even if they can't act," the Bangalore-based filmmaker said. "I'm not prepared to do that."

The filmmaker, however, is drawing satisfaction from doing theatre. His new play on Dara Shikoh, son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, received rave reviews after its first few shows in New Delhi.

"Filmmakers like Rituparno Ghosh and Buddhadeb Dasgupta have to package their cinema with Bollywood stars like Aishwarya Rai.

"Will Rituparno make his films only with local Bengali actors without looking towards Bollywood?" Sathyu wondered.

"Often when you take in a big star, a compromise has to be made. Aishwarya is not a great actress, she is beautiful, o.k.

"Shah Rukh, Amir Khan are no more actors. They are hawkers selling soaps and cars. I think it's a waste paying money to such stars."

However, Sathyu is not all criticism for the present brigade of Bollywood stars.

"There are a few good actors and actresses in Bollywood like Kareena Kapoor. She is a good actress and it can be seen in some of her recent films."

Sathyu, who is working on a film based on a true story set on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), wants to cast Kareena in the film that could go on the floors in January.