Mahesh Bhatt's thought about Dhoka

By: Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaFM
Thursday, August 09, 2007
"I showed Dhoka to Sohail Khan who is my partner in Pakistan and he was quite taken aback. He said, 'I can't believe you can make a film like this in India.' I said that it is only in India that you can make a film like this because India gives the freedom to say things what you want to say fearlessly," said Mahesh Bhatt about Vishesh Films' next release Dhoka, which has been directed by Pooja Bhatt. After the success of Awarapan (which didn't fare well in India) in Pakistan, Mahesh Bhatt is hoping that Dhoka shall be released in Pakistan as well.

Having been associated with quality films like Arth, Saraansh, Janam, Daddy, Naam, Tamanna and Zakhm, Bhatt has somewhere also fallen for the dictates of commercialism by making loads of inconsequential films. With Dhoka one finds him engulfed with passion as it's a story of a victim. "I asked my writer friend Shagufta Rafiq about Dhoka and she said this is the most relevant film after Saraansh but it has a lot of anger and the anger has been expressed very sanely. It's more than a film. It's a comment on the times we live in. At times a film does much more than what your write ups, your speeches can do," Bhatt said.

The last release from Bhatt stable, Awarapan didn't set the cash registers jingling with overflowing moolah. How important is the commercial success of Dhoka? "Every film can't be judged from the overwhelming opening it has got. We at Vishesh Films believe if you are spending five rupees and if you have earned six rupees that's fine." Pooja Bhatt, the director of the film when asked the same question expressed her point of view lucidly, "Box Office fate doesn't worry me as much as it worries everyone else. My USP is that I make movie in a way that whoever backs me up will recover their money irrespective. It may not become a hit but my financiers won't lose money. I work faster and quicker. There's no room for error. 38 days is the fastest film Bhatts have made in a long time. Last time it used to happen was when Mr Bhatt was directing. I haven't acquired his brilliance yet but what I have acquired is that I'm a producer's director and being someone who can finish a film on time and ahead of time."

Dhoka releases on August 31st and it stars Muzammil Ibrahim, Tulip Joshi and Anupam Kher.