'Was declared stillborn, dead-on-arrival': Mahesh Bhatt recalls early career struggles
What's the story
Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt recently opened up about his early struggles in the film industry. In an interview with PTI, he revealed that he was a "stumbling-fumbling" person who delivered several back-to-back failures when he started directing. His first directorial venture, Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain (1974), starring Kabir Bedi and Prema Narayan, didn't do well at the box office. Bhatt turned 77 on Saturday.
Career challenges
'I was declared stillborn... till 'Arth' happened'
Bhatt's subsequent directorial ventures, including Vishwasghaat, Naya Daur, and Lahu Ke Do Rang, also failed to leave a mark on audiences. He finally found his footing in direction with semi-autobiographical dramas like Arth, Janam and Zakhm. "My 20s were disastrous. I had three to four films, back-to-back failures," he said. "I was declared stillborn, dead-on-arrival till Arth happened to me."
Personal reflections
'A struggling, stumbling, fumbling person'
Despite his early struggles, Bhatt remains humble about his journey. "I'm just a struggling, stumbling, fumbling person. Some movies I made would happen to be good," he said. "It was because of the collective vibe on the set, the contribution of my co-travelers." He added that many of his films were mediocre and ranked bad, but he still considers himself a successful filmmaker.
Career beginnings
Bhatt never saw himself as a filmmaker
Bhatt, son of director-producer Nanabhai Bhatt, revealed that he never saw himself as a filmmaker and joined the industry to make a living. He recalled how his mother urged him to find a job when they were in need of money. "I remember putting the food down, wiping my hands and going to my friend Asghar Ali and shouting out to him: 'Get me a job,'" he said.
Industry insights
Success and failure philosophy
Bhatt also shared his philosophy on failure and success in the film industry. He said, "If you're frightened of failure, don't come into this business. Here, failure is a constant and success is a fluke." "If you have the courage to take it on the chin, fail publicly, be savage publicly, then come here." He added that he failed his way to success.
New generation
Why did he stop directing films?
The mid-90s saw a decline in Bhatt's directorial ventures, with films like Dastak, Chaahat, and Duplicate failing to connect with audiences. Bhatt, who stopped directing movies after Kartoos (1999), returned only to direct Sadak 2 in 2020. "I was born with a personality trait, which is either I do things wholeheartedly or I don't do it," he said about his decision to step away from direction.