Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tells SANGEETA YADAV how he has been enriched by delving into the life and times of film studio owners and how he would love to be part of similar shows delving into the national vault of memories
How was your Khawabon Ka SafarIJ
It was enriching. This show added a new colour to my life because when you revisit past narratives, you begin to realise how your predecessors have shaped the entertainment industry. The world of film studios is very exciting as it is punctuated with heartbreaking failures and dazzling success stories.
Were the filmmakers who formed studios for big canvas films, greatIJ
Coming close to the stories of these people was a humbling experience because I learnt how brave they were. They set out to do things when there were no maps, no compasses and no paths. They innovated on their own. Everything under the sun possible today was done by them. Globlisation is a buzzword now but way back, they partnered with the Germans and made films with collaborative technical skills.
Was it difficult to showcase their life in one episodeIJ
It was challenging to leave out portions of the life of an icon. But you can’t capture the entire narrative in a space like that. The scripting and selection was done by the channel and the producer. I was given a sample of what would be shot. Whatever was there in the script, we made sure we put all that in and shot around the clock. We had a very rigourous schedule.
Any moment that amazed youIJ
There were innumerable anecdotes that jolted me. Much of what you will see, I didn’t know it happened to our studio owners. For example, I didn’t know V Shantaram made his living by selling lamps to a theatre and from there he learnt drama. What surprised me, will surprise the audience.
What impact has the show had on youIJ
If you have to go forward, you need to go back. If you want to become someone, it’s important to find out who you are. These stories will give you a glimpse of our predecessors. We are part of the same narrative but these people were extraordinary dreamers . I learnt from them that the nation is poor when it stops dreaming. The ability to dream outrageously defines these people. Dream is the same. Dreamers have changed.
Do you have memories of film studiosIJ
I began my journey with Raj Khosla sahib who was an assistant to Guru Dutt. I shot at Mehboob Studio. Khosla sahib operated from there and Dev Anand had a permanent office there. So that was the space where the greats of the bygone time strolled in an out of. I had the privilege of meeting the great Raj Kapoor at the mouth of my journey. I saw him in his lean days just after his colossal flop Mera Naam Joker. Nobody in their wildest dream would have imagine that he would leap back with such fierce energy with Bobby. I have seen that phase. Through this show, I re-looked at these precious moments.
Talk about the Epic channel.
In a country where there is immense oral wisdom, the Epic Channel has brought to you the story of the movies which is largely undocumented and which has been sampled through voices and research. This show is built on memories of living people and not from dead pages of history or through the worldwide web.
Would you like to do more such showsIJ
learning comes from memories and excavating treasure vaults of national memory is a great experience. I would like to work on the untold story of the Indian entertainment industry and not the chronicled stories which have been sanitised and varnished.