"I resent the word, illegitimate"

“I have a strong resentment to the word ‘illegitimate’,” said Mahesh Bhatt at the press conference announcing the launch of his yet another nephew, Mohit Suri’s, debut directorial venture, Zeher.
“My mother was a shia muslim woman and my father a Brahmin. My mother brought me up singly. She was a woman who dared to defy the conventional rules. She is definitely a strong influence on my life,” said Bhatt.
“I have always been very attracted to women ho dare to defy the rules of the man’s world. I potrayed her in Arth, in Tamanna, in Murder and you will see her again in Zeher.”
Of late most of his films are seen to have more of sexually explicit components in them. “No matter what I do this question always hounds me. I have always been asked why I do things I do?”
“In the 80’s I made films for the intellectuals. Films like Arth and Saraansh that might not always have done well at the box office but got critical acclaims. In the 90’s, the emphasis moved to the youngsters and I made the likes of Ashiqui, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke and Sir. But, I also made Zakhm, it got a national award but sank at the box office. Then with the introduction of MTV and Channel V, the means of entertainment changed. If I was to get the people out of their houses, I had to give something exceptional.”
So why sell sex? “Because sex sells,” he shouts back. “I have survived the industry these three decades only because I have reinvented myself over time. And I will have to do the same if I want to survive for the years to come.”
When pointed out to his steamy scenes in all the films he has done so far, nephew Emraan Hashmi emphasizes, “I do not want the respect of the industry. I do not mind doing porn or semi-porn films as long as it gets me what I have come out to achieve.”
Says Bhatt, “ I am constantly accused of making ‘sleaze’ films which does not keep in mind the middle-class mentalities. But when these films are released, it is these very middle-class people who throng the halls to watch the films.”
And for those who thought he was happy launching two of his nephews into the industry here’s more. Yet another nephew, Kunal, will be launched this year in Bhatt’s own The Blue Film. Besides that, he is also looking forward to the release of his Showbusiness that he summarises as “a film that says that everything comes with a price tag.”

Published in Hindustan Times Next on March 21, 2005