The second reaction was -- 'yeh to documentary hain.' Too preachy. I knew if I go on this path I would have to preach. I tried in my own way to give this message by making it discussive and argumentative and not get preachy -- but even that seems preachy.

Like when Mohan Bhargav talks of the America and India concept. My approach was that I feel we don't look back in anger any more. We don't want to because we are tired of it. If I shout from the rooftops and tell you this is wrong most of the time you will just brush it off saying -- 'listen don't tell me what to do.'

I feel the time is to look back emotionally. Mohan is saying this is where we've arrived upon, how can we change things. If it's preachy because of that -- and if I don't have that -- then there's no film.

Then there's the education montage -- where Mohan reasons why a villager discontinues his child's education. I wanted to go into each of these aspects and wanted Mohan to give very simplistic, lucid explanations of why the person does this.

Above: From the memorable light bulb sequence in Swades