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When Aamir Khan wanted Mahesh Bhatt to dedicate his life for Ghulam's making which made him leave film; DETAILS
Mahesh Bhatt recently revealed why he stepped down from directing Aamir Khan's Ghulam. The filmmaker also spoke about how there was a time when his desire to make movies withered.
Mahesh Bhatt had a glorious career in showbiz, where he directed some of the best movies, produced some evergreen hits, and continues to write scripts of those that become immortal. The filmmaker made his debut with the 1974 film Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain and went on to direct vigorously until 1999 when his movie Kartoos was released.
Bhatt did try his hand at directions several years later with 2020’s movie Sadak 2, but its disaster reception at the box office hinted at how the glorious star wasn’t left with any spark. In a recent interview with Indian Express, the unfiltered Mahesh Bhatt revealed the time when he thought his desire to make films was withered and also shared why he backed out from Ghulam.
Why did Mahesh Bhatt deny directing the 1998 film Ghulam?
Ghulam starred Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji in the lead and was initially supposed to be directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The filmmaker has now revealed that Khan had asked him to dedicate his life to Ghulam’s making and channel all his passion towards it.
Bhatt’s response? “I choose to walk away from it. I told Aamir I didn’t think movies meant so much to me that I would dedicate my entire life to it. It doesn’t mean so much to me, and I’d be lying if I said otherwise,” the filmmaker said, adding that the superstar was “quite stunned” to know of Bhatt’s integrity.
Mahesh Bhatt then told Aamir Khan that the only person who can give his life to Ghulam is Vikram Bhatt. Interestingly, right after watching the movie, the Sadak director had said on stage that Vikram made Ghulam much better than he could have.
Mahesh Bhatt further asserted, “That is the victory of a master… That he may give an unlit candle his flame, but when the flame becomes a radiant sun, you bask in that; it is wonderful.” Ghulam was released and became a milestone film of everyone’s career who was a part of it. It was a commercial blockbuster and won several awards.
When Mahesh Bhatt was done with direction
In the same interview, the veteran filmmaker recalled the time during the mid-90s when he thought the wheel of his life was monotonous. By this time, Mahesh Bhatt had already directed some superhit movies, including Arth, Saaransh, Daddy, Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, and Zakhm, among others.
Mahesh Bhatt recalled asking himself ‘Is this what I want?’. He acknowledged giving back-to-back hits, receiving critical and commercial acclaim, and then hearing the same thing on loop, ‘First half is good, the second half is slow’. The Janam director added, “You listen to mediocre people sitting down and passing judgment. Then you think, how much more do you want it and why? So the desire started withering in me… that was the wasteland phase of my life.”
This was the time when slowly - one film at a time - Mahesh Bhatt started to divert things in his hands towards the fate of Vikram Bhatt (no, both Bhatts are not even distant relatives - they just share similar last names). “There was a younger, sharper mind, who could do far better and do justice to it. I trusted him (Vikram Bhatt) more with it. That’s how he became a director when I started playing hooky and giving ‘phone direction’,” Mahesh Bhatt signed off.
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