My mum bought me up on Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. Then my sister introduced me to Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Back To The Future. The rest is history.
London or Manchester?
As a city, Manchester without a doubt. It’s got everything London has in a more compact place for half the price. But my sis, most of my friends and girlfriend are here. So London it is.
In your career what is your biggest personal achievement to date?
Getting Gordon Anderson (The Inbetweeners) attached as director of Til Jihad Do Us Part when it was pitched as a feature film. But seeing that hasn’t work out (yet), I’d say getting Goodness Gracious Me heroes Nina Wadia and Kulvinder Ghir to reunite and work with me on the BBC Radio 4 adaptation.
Personally, what was your biggest achievement to date?
Personal achievement? I’ve always wanted to be a writer by day and a DJ by night. And here I am. [smug grin]
What is your biggest dream?
To change the way people think through the films that I make. Oh, and to play Glastonbury.
Coffee or Tea?
Priyanka Chopra or Katrina Kaif?
My loyalty says Priyanka Chopra (we’re both from Jamshedpur) but my eyes say Katrina. Neither have really done it for me as actresses yet though.
The most enjoyable part of your recent trip to Mumbai?
Getting to actually LIVE India rather than see it. One week took me from having a posh meal in Pali Hill to experiencing my first Bollywood pitch meeting. However, the standout part of the trip has to be teaching young village kids how to write their ABCs. I was so inspired by the young leaders of the project, that I returned for a day to shoot a doc on ‘How to Create Your Own Village School’ (coming soon to a YouTube near you!)
Shekhar Kapur (director of Mr India, Bandit Queen, Massoom and Elizabeth amongst others). Having worked on both UK and Bollywood productions, I think he’d the perfect person to direct all of these historical British-Indian ideas that I have.
priyamulji.com 