I personally feel films like Aashiqui and Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin marked my deterioration as a director. I lost my those audience who liked my Arth and Saransh," Bhatt said.
New Delhi:
Mahesh Bhatt may have tastedsuccess with films like Aashiqui and Dil Hai Ki MantaNahin in 1990s but the filmmaker believes that these musicalsmarked his decline as a director.
Bhatt, 64, started his career 40 years ago withhard-hitting films like Arth and Saransh. They did not dowell at the box-office despite getting critical acclaim,forcing him to take up commercial cinema.
"Somebody told me once that in Indian cinema only badpeople can have sex and good ones can fall in love. So, myfilms during 70s and 80s were highly criticised for their boldcontent and used to fail at the box-office," said Bhatt whilespeaking on the topic of 'Media as Catalyst for Social Change'during the CII Media and Entertainment Summit, 2012.
"With the onset of satellite television and economyopening up in 1990, I shifted my genre to musicals and theywere box-office hits. But, I personally feel films likeAashiqui and Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin marked mydeterioration as a director. I lost my those audience wholiked my Arth and Saransh," Bhatt said.
The producer-director, who now makes commercial moviesthrough his production house Vishesh Films, says he decided toquit direction after facing trouble during the release of his1998 Zakhm which explored religious tension in Indiansociety.
The film did not do well and the director had troublewith the censor board while releasing it.
"I made Zakhm which was based on communal riots ofMumbai. The film was very close to my heart. It was banned bythe censor board and they asked me to alter some scenes tomake it appropriate for public viewing. It also failed becausepeople told me it was uncomfortable to watch a film whichshows communal carnage.
"But the government gave me national award forstrengthening national integrity. I understood that films arenot reality they are illusion," he added.
Bhatt, 64, started his career 40 years ago withhard-hitting films like Arth and Saransh. They did not dowell at the box-office despite getting critical acclaim,forcing him to take up commercial cinema.
"Somebody told me once that in Indian cinema only badpeople can have sex and good ones can fall in love. So, myfilms during 70s and 80s were highly criticised for their boldcontent and used to fail at the box-office," said Bhatt whilespeaking on the topic of 'Media as Catalyst for Social Change'during the CII Media and Entertainment Summit, 2012.
"With the onset of satellite television and economyopening up in 1990, I shifted my genre to musicals and theywere box-office hits. But, I personally feel films likeAashiqui and Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin marked mydeterioration as a director. I lost my those audience wholiked my Arth and Saransh," Bhatt said.
The producer-director, who now makes commercial moviesthrough his production house Vishesh Films, says he decided toquit direction after facing trouble during the release of his1998 Zakhm which explored religious tension in Indiansociety.
The film did not do well and the director had troublewith the censor board while releasing it.
"I made Zakhm which was based on communal riots ofMumbai. The film was very close to my heart. It was banned bythe censor board and they asked me to alter some scenes tomake it appropriate for public viewing. It also failed becausepeople told me it was uncomfortable to watch a film whichshows communal carnage.
"But the government gave me national award forstrengthening national integrity. I understood that films arenot reality they are illusion," he added.
