We never see the fancy schools with the blazers and ties in films about Africa! But, in fact, we too have class and elitism. Mira Nair More Quotes by Mira Nair More Quotes From Mira Nair Never treat anything you do as a stepping stone. Do it fully, and follow it completely. Mira Nair stepping-stones treats stones It is because my roots are so strong that I can fly. Mira Nair i-can strong roots If we don't tell our own stories, no one else will. Mira Nair ifs stories Making films is about having absolute and foolish confidence; the challenge for all of us is to have the heart of a poet and the skin of an elephant. Mira Nair elephants challenges heart We all know the power of film; we all know there's almost nothing more powerful than to see people on film that look and talk like you, like we do. Mira Nair powerful people looks What is really important to me is a sense of humour and a mischief about life. Life is just too boring otherwise. Mira Nair boring important life-is Marriage of attraction is a gamble anyway, so you might as well marry into a family that is similar to your own, and make that much less of an adjustment. But the 'love marriage', as it is called, is equally common in India now. But it would be interesting to do a comparison of what would work better. Marriage is hard work, and it is a gamble. Mira Nair hard-work love interesting We have to realize only in communication, in real knowledge, in real reaching out, can there be an understanding that there's humanity everywhere, and that's what I'm trying to do. Mira Nair communication understanding real I am still attracted to stories about people who are considered to be on the outside of society. I still seek inspiration from those stories. Mira Nair inspiration stories people You've got to understand that in Bollywood, every actor is an instrument, and yet a human being. They come to the set with a set agenda, believing, 'This is who I am, this is what I want, and no, I am not going to become that character you want me to.' Mira Nair who-i-am character believe It gave me a lot of pleasure and pride that 90 percent of the crew for 'Monsoon Wedding,' and most of my film, are women. We get the work done, you know, much lesser play of ego... And I really believe in harmony, I believe in working in a spirit of egolessness and that the film is bigger than all of us. Mira Nair pride play believe 'Salaam Bombay' didn't put a halo on the poor. Instead, it said that they will teach us how to live. Mira Nair bombay halos poor I grew up in a small town in India, but through books I knew the world. Mira Nair india book world Humility is not a trait I often associate with America. Mira Nair traits humility america I know what it's like to be in one place and dream of another. I also know what it's like to feel that nostalgia is a fairly useless thing because it is stasis. Mira Nair useless-things nostalgia dream Creative freedom is an imperative for me, but it doesn't really exist in a Hollywood game. Mira Nair hollywood creative games Every film is a political act; it's how you see the world. Mira Nair film political world I want to question what the outside is and who defines it. I often find those that are considered to be on the outside extremely inspiring. Mira Nair want inspiring I always like to reveal the fact that the emperor has no clothes. And children are best at that. They teach us how to see the world in that sense. They are without artifice; they see it for what it is. I am drawn to that ruthless honesty. Mira Nair clothes honesty children I've never sought to be on an A-list. I've done my own thing and my own thing has thankfully now brought me an audience. Mira Nair audience lists done