Mahesh Bhatt: Last three films we made were almost non-films, they disappeared

With ‘Begum Jaan’, Vishesh Films is all set to be back with content-driven cinema, once more. The banner’s last three films namely ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’, ‘Love Games’ and ‘Raaz Reboot’ were a dud at the box office, and co-owner Mahesh Bhatt even admits it, referring to them as ‘non-films’.

At the same time, producing ‘Begum Jaan’ was a conscious decision. With this, Bhatt is aiming to go back to his formative days in the industry.

“For us to move away completely from the cinema that we make, was a conscious decision. And we are very happy that we did it. I have opted for this kind of cinema after ‘Zakhm’. The last three films we made were almost non-films. They disappeared… So, as they say, ‘in the darkest night you must begin from the point where you once started before'”, he told a news agency. (Also Read: The sequel script for Vidya Balan’s ‘Begum Jaan’ is ready, says director Srijit Mukherji)

‘Zakhm’, which was both produced and directed by Bhatt, won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. It was a strong critical and commercial success. As a filmmaker, films such as ‘Saaransh’, ‘Daddy’, ‘Swayam’, ‘Sir’, ‘Gumrah’ remain his best works, to name a few.

‘Begum Jaan’, which is a Hindi adaptation of Srijit Mukhjerji’s Bengali film ‘Rajkahini’, narrates the plight of women on the backdrop of India’s partition. Starring Vidya Balan, Gauhar Khan, Pallavi Sharda and others in pivotal ones, it will hit the screens on April 14.

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.