Salman Music Lover Blog: Alia Has The Misfortune Of Success. But Only When She Tastes Failure That She’ll Mature: Mahesh Bhatt On Daughter Alia Bhatt

Call him dial-a-quote, windbag, modern-day philosopher or a genius art-house director who quit the alternative to become the commercial behemoth of Bollywood, Mahesh Bhatt can never be short of descriptions. He’s easily one of the most successful stories to come out of middle-class Mumbai and of course, these days, he’s also a mentor to half a dozen protégés.

However, of late, it’s another Bhatt who has stolen the attention away from Mahesh – his young and peppy daughter Alia Bhatt.

In the following interview, Mahesh Bhatt talks about Alia’s success, his auteur-like Zakhm and the nature of failure.

Here’s MB uninterrupted.

‘The Only Thing I Contributed To Alia’s Career Is That I didn’t Interfere’

Mahesh says Alia is brilliant, someone who has “crafted her own path and worked hard to be where she is today. I’m happy I have not contributed to anything. The only thing I contributed was no interference. In fact, the first autograph she gave, she didn’t ask me how it should be unlike other star kids.” Mahesh thinks sometimes we as parents over-pamper our children, which he never did. He allowed his children’s individuality to flourish.

“At times, I feel we over-burden our children with things. Alia is fierce about life and has a different way of looking at things. She’s lucky to have a good start. But I keep telling her that she has the misfortune of success because I believe an individual is not complete until he/she has tasted the bitter truth of failure. Alia has seen only one season of life. And only when she tastes failure, she’ll mature as a person.”

‘I Bullied Pooja Into Acting’

Though Pooja Bhatt has essayed some memorable roles in her career span as an actor, Mahesh insists she was never interested in acting. “She was bullied into acting by me. She was not at all interested to become an actor. She always wanted to channelize her energies into making movies. She always wanted to make films and I’m glad she will be producing more films now.” Love Affair, produced by Pooja, will go on floors soon.

End Of The Road: Why No More Films After Zakhm

“I have said it very clearly when I gave up direction after Zakhm (a National award winner). I came to the end of the road as a director. It doesn’t mean that when you get up from the director’s chair, you can’t work on other things related to moviemaking. In fact, the last two years have been fiercely more active and productive than how it was when I was alone, directing films. Our output and strike rate has increased. The return on equity and the volume of movies has increased which was not possible if I had stayed alone, directing films because diversity was the need of the hour then.”

He admits that the younger lot of talented filmmakers came with their own energy and helped the Bhatt brand grow. “And a combination of traditional thinking, old references that I had acquired were brought on the table by younger people who reinterpreted it and made their own kind of films. So I felt like taking a balcony view. It proved very successful. In the last three years, not just direction but the area of acting, music, camera, we have given more breaks to young people than most others.”

‘I Hope Somebody Could Make A Film Like Zakhm Someday’

“Zakhm was an autobiographical film. The concern and issues that I faced as an individual echoed through the film. You don’t make films like that quite often. I feel you need a unique, distinct worldview to make a film which is personal yet has political dimensions,” says Mahesh, adding, “Zakhm had a combination of both, which was its strength. I’m certain that there will be younger directors who would sooner or later make a film like Zakhm. I’m writing a film for Vikram (Bhatt) which is going to be an intense, personal love story and it has got a critical dimension to it and it’s being told in a historical time.”

Found The ‘Write’ Job

Though Mahesh enjoys writing, he warns, “I don’t even write much now. I’m just writing Humari Adhuri Kahaani for Mohit Suri and I’ll be soon writing again for Vikram. When I say I don’t write, it means not hands-on writing. The overall participation in the narration is there.”

‘Vishesh Films Is Not Any Actor’s Last Station’

“It’s natural when people evolve and grow, they have different thirsts and different goals to achieve.” Mahesh is talking about Vishesh Films, his production house which is one of most lucrative in the business today. Young aspirants flock to the Bhatt offices to ‘get noticed.’ Mahesh says, “I don’t think we (Vishesh Films) are anybody’s last station. Young people come to us to get somewhere and we help them achieve that. And if we meet again well and good but if we don’t, so be it. I don’t think I have a proprietorship on anybody.”

His Quick Tips To Aspiring Filmmakers

Here’s what Mahesh has to say to young filmmakers out there: “I would like to see what a filmmaker does after his fourth film. If the four films you do are successful, you are given chances to prove yourself again and are taken seriously. Usually, people take a long time to keep reinventing themselves. It’s not just to do with your skills as a filmmaker but also your attitude towards life, your ability to take it in the chin and accept your failures like a man and see it with the honest, brutal eyes and then make the necessary modifications which will ensure that you live to make another film.”

On Why He Doesn’t Watch Films (But Is Studying Ray’s Works)

Though Mahesh’s early films were inspired by Hollywood classics, the filmmaker himself is not a cinephile. “I’m not a great film buff. I only saw films that I felt were path-breaking which were suggested to me by my juniors,” he laughs. But he’s an avid reader. “I live, I observe, travel, consume people, real people and not in virtual life which is getting more important than the real world. Real cinema comes from real life. For example, I’m watching all the works of Satyajit Ray.” Why? “Because I think he’s the greatest Indian filmmaker. I thought it’s time to revisit the work of your predecessors because only by connecting with your roots, you will be able to achieve greater heights.”