Guy Ritchie directed `Sherlock` to break the niche

London: Noted British filmmaker Guy Ritchie directed `Sherlock Holmes` to get away from his trademark gangster movies.

Ritchie, who made his name with British crime capers `Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels` and `Snatch`, wanted a big screen challenge to prove he is a versatile filmmaker, a news website reported. "I just felt that I wanted to move away from what it was that I`d been associated with and what I`d had enough of doing, to a degree. Then `Sherlock Holmes` landed on my desk and I felt as though I could help to reboot an otherwise rather dusty, iconic literary hero," Ritchie said. Guy, 41, also insists he ignores criticism for not casting a British actor in the lead role as the detective, instead opting for Robert Downey Jr. "People have asked me, `Why didn`t you cast a Brit`?` The whole point is that you employ actors to act and Robert Downey Jr is dramatically talented. And, also, his English accent is better than mine," he added. PTI