Vishesh Bhatt.
Vishesh Bhatt, 28, has inherited the argumentative genes from his uncle Mahesh and his obsession for perfection from his father Mukesh. He is a true blood Bhatt, ready to stick out his neck for his success and failure. Over an hour-long conversation with TOI, he talks about his friends and cousins Mohit Suri and Emraan Hashmi, his fights with his mentors — the Bhatt brothers — and his decision to get married post the release of his debut film Murder 3. Excerpts:
Are you in films because you were born a Bhatt?
My grandfather had made a film called X based on an invisible manand other fantasy-oriented films that dazzled me. From my childhood, I have had a natural curiosity and the process of creating something from start to see it come alive excites me. At 16, I started by assisting Vikram Bhatt on Raaz along with my cousin and friend Mohit Suri, who was senior to me. But I wanted to find my own voice and realised that I would not be able to do it living under these stalwarts, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, and wanted to get away from their shadow. My father was ruled by the insecurity that I would drift off and would not return to India.
He knew that I was a different person and thought I would stay back in the US and make English films if he allowed me to go. Bhatt sahabalways felt that while institutions polish the pebbles, they dim the diamonds. He felt that I was a distinct individual and going there would dim me and make me a part of the manufacturing system.
Mohit, however, fought with both of them and was responsible for helping me enrol at the New York University, as he missed that opportunity himself. He knew I would not flourish under these giants. I also went for summer school to the university of South California in LA, which because it is governed by studios, makes it mainstream, that balanced me out. After coming back, I wanted to understand the market forces and took to production, much to the to the pleasure of my dad. Bhatt sahab was also relieved as I had not become a part of the manufacturing system that I feared. I co-produced Gangster and did a number of tie-ups for the film after which I wroteJannat 2 for my friend Kunal Deshmukh who directed it. Five years hence, I have made my debut as a director with Murder 3.
Between your uncle Mahesh Bhatt and your father Mukesh Bhatt, who do you take after and who are you more attached to?
I treat them as my parents and use them to my convenience. For me, indulgence is Bhatt sahab. My father is meticulous and I like the structured approach he has. I have imbibed my obsession with perfection from my father but attack it with rawness that comes from my uncle. They were both good mentors and the biggest support they gave me was that they did not support me to the extent that, at times, I felt vulnerable and thought that probably they were not interested and I may have failed to live up to their expectation. I understand individuality, but I started feeling a level of apathy and wondered why I was not getting the support.
Mukesh Bhatt is known to be kunjoos and famous for granting stiff budgets to his directors for making a film. Is that true?
Even I think he is kunjoos. He always weighs the worth of what he is paying for in every aspect of his life. But he does not hold back on quality. However, where he feels that the money outweighs its quality or is jingoistic, he closes his fists. The boundaries he defines makes us more creative and less lazy as you have to work harder in directing a good film. Even while growing up, if he gave me `100, he wanted me to always know what I was getting in exchange for what I was paying, as he felt it would help me in life.
Your film Murder 3 deals with a different aspect of love. Does it draw from your own life in any way?
I am with someone for the past seven years and am a one-woman man. But I understand the complexities of relationships and have cannabilised from the relationships of others, who have confided in me, like my cousins Mohit (Suri) and Emmi (Emraan Hashmi).
Any plans of marriage?
If the film does well, I have no choice but to get married. Even if it doesn't do well, I will go ahead and get married to her as I don't think success is a benchmark for deciding whether or not to get married.
Which of your cousins are you close to?
Mohit and Emmi. Mohit is three years older to me and lost his mom when he was very young. His mom and my dad were close and he and I studied in the same school. He would also hook me up with his friends' sisters. He was my older sibling and not a cousin and was protective about me and spoilt me at times. Emraan and I have similar tastes for our gadgets. He is also tech savvy. He is extremely kanjoos. I have the genes of my father and can manage my money, but Emraan iskanjoos. He will ask me to come out for dinner and then make me pay, saying he forgot his wallet even though I am six years younger to him. To get something out of him is impossible. We both love sweets, so the only time I have managed to get something out of him was some desserts, that too as he was on a diet and wanted to share his guilt with me so I insisted he order the sweets.
Was there a period of emotional turbulence in your life?
Yes the period post Jannat in 2008 and before I started making Murder 3 in 2010. I lacked focus and was stubborn about the way I wanted to do things without realising the market realities. I was seeking generosity from my father and uncle whereas they had an issue with my approach for instance meeting deadlines. They felt that I could not keep waiting for perfection to make a debut. There has been a time when I have fought with both of them and I used to go to Mohit or my mother to seek their help to offer a counterpoint. At points of conflict, you need people to confide in, especially when you are fighting with the Bhatt brothers. I have grown up with the process of being able to handle them bluntly. They have been harsh and hurtful at times of conflict. I don't have a habit of confiding, so at times people feel that I don't hold their relationship dear enough. People weigh relationships in how much you confide in them. I have become more open in this process and have become more emotionally balanced. I am a more internalised person and put my point of view bluntly, leaving them to feel that probably the feeling was festering inside me, though in reality, I always add it up in my mind before I speak and I'm liberal and non- judgmental.
Any anxiety as Murder 3 releases today?
It is people you are close to whose expectations you strive to live up to. Bhatt sahab saw the trial and said, 'You have done what I did with my early years in Arth. You have challenged the institution of love in the thriller space.' My cousins Pooja and Mohit watched the film and came and gave me a tight hug. Now, I have a natural anxiety that a debut director has. I think I am brave enough to face any criticism. I don't hold myself in comparison and look forward to a long run in this business and will stick my neck out for my failures and successes. I am willing to go far and outshadow my mentors and the legends called the Bhatt brothers.
Murder 3, produced by Fox Star Studios and Vishesh Films, releases today.
EB
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