He taught us that everyone has a good story and the more of others you understand, the better your grasp of human nature, a gift given great weight in my family.

Many a good story has been found in the bottom of a decent Rioja.

A director’s dream? No, Bollywood reality in 1995.Business is booming, but cliché’s are passée. A different sort of breeze-fresh, young-is unsettling fatigued conventions.

I picked up a snake once. In Italy.””Why did you do that?””For a bet.””Was it poisonous?””We didn’t know. That was the point of the bet.””Did it bite you?””Of course.””Why of course?””It wouldn’t be much of...