I have taken a decade-long break from my beloved cinema. Many who are not knowledgeable about the inside view of Bollywood, especially in our existing system in India, can’t believe this was done fully 'Out of Choice'.
But in the first world countries, this has been the norm for decades — the best talents break away for years together; if nothing, then merely to travel. Most in Hollywood don't even live in Los Angeles.
The main reason for my 'sabbatical' has been the traumatic personal loss of both my parents, beginning with my mom who overnight, at the age of 69, passed away due to Parkinson's complications. Then my dad passed away around two-and-a-half years later due to Alzheimer’s on the 31st December.
I was to explore from 1st January of the next year the umpteen offers coming my way thanks to my great God-kissed resume as an extremely selective filmmaker-writer-director-mentor to many who are considered superstar heroes and heroines of the present moment.
However, I once again went into mourning; now for both my parents. It was altogether deeper for me, perhaps, because I am a single person with no kids (not even adopted, surrogate or otherwise) and had chosen to live my life with my parents in the same home on the same floor of our bungalow at Pali Hill, Union Park, Mumbai, considered the Beverly Hills of Mumbai by the glamour world.
In the interim, offers kept coming; interestingly so because I hardly network and refuse to publicise my personal loss for worldly gains. Producer Ratan Jain of Venus, for whom I had directed Dhadkan (2000), kept insisting, and on that one rare time, purely on principle and due to a regard for the relationship with one of my select producers (Venus in this case), I allowed the announcement of ‘Dhadkan 2’.
The media was wonderfully respectful and publicised my decision hammer and tongs. But I was not very comfortable with the negotiations (something I had been assured would be of little consequence) over a period of time.
I was not happy about compromising myself or the product awaited by millions of my loving followers, fans, friends, colleagues the world over.
I also refused to entertain many other platforms reaching out to me for various entertainment purposes, which involved mocking my colleagues or stars I had worked with and reviewing the latest films and controversies, etc.
I am not holier than thou, but that was never my scene...however, much I am told about my unique humour and unusual take on Bollywood's bizarre bazaar by the few who have interacted with me.
This has been especially challenging because almost each one around me seems to be doing so and the monetary and other rewards for my legitimate entertainment branding have no doubt been tempting.
Finally, at the end of my eight-year banwaas (Indian grief period), I took a certain decision around 12 months back — to selectively accept the several platforms coming my way with my abilities as a legitimate Bollywood personality and entertainer in a perfectly timed multifaceted era.
I was humbled by the fact that so many from all walks of life were continually reaching out to me. In this business, for so many it has been: Out of sight, out of mind. But with me, for umpteen reasons, this seemed to be magically not happening at all. I felt a lot of gratitude.
Also, I am finally doing what I would not do earlier thanks to my single-minded dedication to my directorial commitments, having chosen as an auteur to do over a period of 16 years just seven films out of the 70 offered to me.
I started a fitness regime. I had gained a certain amount of unnecessary kilos after I had suddenly giving up everything. I was dressing sombrely too in keeping with my grief period.
Fortunately, now I seem bang-on physically, going by the enormous response. Three months back, for the very first time, I also committed to a social media team; again the response has been great to say the least.
I may have written many hugely popular films and some songs which have lodged themselves in the audience's minds and hearts, but beyond that no way am I gonna write the script of my life...That I leave to the Ultimate Director-Entertainer up there in the soaring skies.
— Coordinated by Dinesh Raheja
