Habib Faisal says stint as cameramen inspires his films

Mumbai, May 10 (IANS) Writer-director Habib Faisal, who is ready with his second directorial venture "Ishaqzaade", says whatever he observed and experienced as a cameraman with a news channel served as an inspiration for his films.

"Whatever there is in my films, a lot of it is what I have observed during my days as a cameraman; whatever I have seen, the people I used to meet, the food I ate and the struggle that it involved, all that comes out in my films," Habib told reporters here Wednesday.

Habib has co-scripted the film along with producer Adiyta Chopra and first time actor Arjun Kapoor and one-film-old Parineeti Chopra.

When asked about casting new faces in "Ishaqzaade", Habib said: "After I wrote the story and when Aditya Chopra and I were thinking about the casting, we were sure that we needed new faces because if we would have taken established stars, we may not have been able to create this fictitious town, Almor."

"So, not just Arjun and Parineeti, but the rest of the cast also comprises new faces. Most of them are from and around Allahabad," added Habib, whose film releases May 11.

Habib started off in tinsel town as an assistant director way back in 1992. In the mid-2000s Habib co-wrote "Salaam Namaste", "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom" and "Ta Ra Rum Pum".

He debuted as a director in 2010 with the critically acclaimed "Do Dooni Chaar".