Ashutosh Gowariker

Became a voting member for the Oscar in 2005.

Aamir Khan and I were supposed to do a Hollywood film together in the wake of Lagaan, but both of us are not the kind to strategise proposals. Cinema has to come from the heart. It has to move to you, matter to you; to an extent that it haunts and hunts you, like Swades did for me to plunge headlong. I have an agent in Los Angeles and he is upset because he has sent me so many proposals over the years and I have refused everything. He often asks me if I am serious about an international project because he doubts my intentions. I tell him I cannot be rushed or pushed into a proposal. I have to follow my rhythm and heart. He is feeling frustrated because I'm refusing to make a trip to LA. He argues that everything cannot be done via email. It can't but right now I am not going anywhere because my heart is set in my country.