Starting his career with Malayalam cinema and making films like "Vyooham" and "Snehapoorvam Anna", Sangeeth Sivan got attracted to Bollywood because of its wider reach and bigger budgets.
"I never dreamt that I will come and make a Hindi film. I was attracted to it as it gives you a far bigger scope," said Sivan who entered Hindi films with Sunny Deol-starrer 1997 movie "Zor".
"Due to my small market in Malayalam cinema, I had a very small budget to try out new things. Hindi cinema always was a space where there was much more money involved," he added.
Talking about the difference between the two industries, Sivan said the southern industry demands discipline as budgets there are low.
"In the southern industry, just because you have a smaller area from where the money comes, the budget has to be lower, so discipline has to be more. Everything is accounted for. You have to finish the film in 40 days. Once you start, you know you have to release in three months," he said.
"Here, you have much more time to shoot, see the rough cut and still have time to promote and all," said Sivan, who has directed films like "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum", "Apna Sapna Money Money" and "Ek - The Power of One" in Bollywood.
Another difference, he pointed out, is that down south technicians command the same respect that the actors get.
"Here (Bollywood) the technicians don't have the same kind of position. But in south, director, editor and all (technicians) are as highly respected as the actor. It is also happening here, but it is still hero-dominated," he said.
His next Hindi release is fun-filled "Yamla Pagla Deewana 2", which stars Dharmendra and his two sons - Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol.
Slated to release June 7, it has Neha Sharma and Kristina Akheeva in the female lead roles.
