‘Intimate Cinema Is Almost Extinct’

‘To
be
here
for
35
years
and
to
move
from
the
idiom
which
the
market
has
acknowledged
you
for
—
which
is
horror
—
and
to
come
into
an
intimate
space
where
the
heart
beats,
the
soul
cries,
and
to
pull
out
the
story
from
the
life
of
a
living
person
is
a
challenge.’

Mahesh
Bhatt
on
Tuesday
said
intimate
stories
are
rare
to
find
in
Hindi
cinema,
especially
at
a
time
when
the
industry
is
largely
focused
on
sensation-driven
content.

At
the
trailer
launch
event
of
filmmaker
Vikram
Bhatt’s
new
film

Tumko
Meri
Kasam,
the
cinema
icon
praised
the
director
for
his
decision
to
explore
a
deeply
personal
story
about
a
real
person
rather
than
relying
on
the
familiar
horror
format.

“It
is
a
mystery
in
itself
that,
in
this
industry,
redefining
and
reinventing
yourself
again
and
again
is
not
an
easy
thing
to
do.
To
be
here
for
35
years
and
to
move
from
the
idiom
which
the
market
has
acknowledged
you
for
—
which
is
horror
—
and
to
come
into
an
intimate
space
where
the
heart
beats,
the
soul
cries,
and
to
pull
out
the
story
from
the
life
of
a
living
person
is
a
challenge,”
Mahesh
Bhatt
told
reporters.

“In
these
times,
where
intimate
cinema
is
almost
extinct…
I
don’t
think
there
are
many
people
who
make
films
like
this.
So
I
think
in
this
age
and
time,
(Vikram)
had
the
courage,
the
audacity
to
back
a
story
of
a
man
who
himself
has
been
audacious,”
he
added.

Starring
an
ensemble
cast
of
Anupam
Kher,
Adah
Sharma,
Ishwak
Singh
and
Esha
Deol,

Tumko
Meri
Kasam
is
loosely
based
on
the
life
of
Dr
Ajay
Murdia,
the
founder
of
Indira
IVF,
a
chain
of
fertility
clinics.

Vikram
Bhatt,
known
for
horror
movies
such
as
the

Raaz
franchise,

1920,

Haunted
3D
and

Shaapit,
has
directed
the
film
from
a
script
he
wrote.

“I
think
such
stories
are
rare
to
find
in
this
sensation-seeking
age.
To
find
a
filmmaker
who
feels
very
comfortable
in
the
horror
medium,
and
he
says,
‘No,
let
me
let
go
of
my
crutches
and
let
me
dive
into
that
place
where
people
come
to
experience
movies.’

“In
the
darkness
of
an
auditorium,
people
want
to
see
a
journey
into
the
human
heart.
And
I
think

Tumko
Meri
Kasam
is
an
explosion
for
Vikram
Bhatt.
Normally,
people
rise;
I
think
he
explodes,
and
that’s
why
I’m
here,”
Mahesh
Bhatt
said.

Vikram
Bhatt
credited
Mahesh
Bhatt
for
backing
him
even
after
some
of
his
films
didn’t
do
well
commercially.

“He’s
my
father,
my
mentor,
my
guide.
He’s
everything.
I
wouldn’t
be
here
after
so
many
flops
if
it
were
not
for
him,
he
said.

Ishwak
Singh,
who
rose
to
fame
with
OTT
series
like

Paatal
Lok
and

Rocket
Boys,
recalled
a
story
from
his
theatre
days
in
Mumbai.

“He
was
promoting
and
supporting
theatre
back
in
the
day
when
I
was
just
finding
my
feet
on
stage.
And
after
the
third
show
of
a
play,
he
gave
me
a
pat
on
the
back
and
said
some
words
of
encouragement.
And
that’s
the
day
I
decided,
I’m
going
to
do
this
professionally.’
So,
this
is
a
surreal
feeling,”
he
said.

Kher
wondered
why
Vikram
Bhatt
took
more
than
twenty
years
to
cast
him
in
a
film.

“I
always
wanted
to
work
with
Vikram.
He
made
many
films
but
never
cast
me.
But
I
think
he
was
waiting
for
a
great
story
to
justify
me
being
in
his
film.”

“Dr
Ajay
Murdia’s
story
was
inspiring
not
only
for
the
families
he
helped
but
also
for
anybody
who
helps
in
giving
life
to
life,”
Kher
said.

Esha
Deol,
who
is
returning
to
the
silver
screen,
thanked
Vikram
Bhatt
for
bringing
her
back
to
films.

“After
14
years,
you
have
taken
the
responsibility
to
do
that.
And
you
have
done
it
fantastically
well.
And
I’m
so
glad
that
you
saw
something
in
me
which
would
justify
playing
Meenakshi
Sharma.

“There
is
a
lot
of
intensity
to
this
character.
There
was
a
lot
of
intensity
within
me
that
was
waiting
to
explode.
And
that’s
what
you’re
going
to
get
to
see
in
our
film,
she
said.

Tumko
Meri
Kasam
is
presented
by
Mahesh
Bhatt
&
Indira
Entertainment.
The
film
is
scheduled
to
be
released
in
theatres
on
March
21.

Photographs
curated
by
Manisha
Kotian
and
Satish
Bodas/Rediff.com