Vishal Bhardwaj says he finds movie promotions boring

The ace director talks about his latest movie based on the Aarushi Talwar murder case, Talvar.

Though Vishal Bhardwaj’s last venture, Haider (2014), clashed with the release of Bang Bang (2014), it didn’t affect his film’s box-office performance. Now, his latest production, Talvar (he has also written the movie), which releases on October 2, is clashing with an Akshay Kumar-starrer.

Vishal Bhardwaj is returning to the big screen with Talvar on October 2. (IANS)

But Vishal isn’t perturbed. “I don’t get worried, because I am a very ignorant person (smiles). I don’t know anything, and I don’t mingle with the industry [people]. Also, every film finds its space and audience, regardless of which movie is releasing alongside. I don’t even watch a film’s promotions on TV, as I find them boring,” he says.

Filmmakers Priti Shahani, Vishal Bhardwaj, Meghna Gulzar, actors Konkona Sen Sharma, Irrfan Khan and Neeraj Kabi during the trailer launch of film Talvar in Mumbai. (IANS)

The film-maker reveals that he “really wanted” Meghna Gulzar to return to film direction. “She’s had a long gap [after her last directorial, Dus Kahaniyaan, in 2007]. When I wrote the film, I was clear that Meghna will direct it. When I bounced the idea off her, she got very excited. And then, she started doing all the research,” says Vishal.

The 50-year-old admits that “one has to be really careful” while dealing with such an “intricate” subject (the film is based on the Aarushi Talwar murder case). “The people associated with her are all alive. Plus, Aarushi’s parents’ appeal is still sub judice. So, one needs to be careful with [the portrayal of] all the parties, and not just the parents,” he says, adding, “Sometimes, you do feel like tilting a bit towards one side or the other, but the thrill is that you have to be neutral.”

Vishal says that working on any screenplay is a “painful journey”. “You have to work so much on the script, especially this one, because it’s very intriguing and intricate. You are showing one murder three times, and every time you have to show newer things and different points of view,” says the film-maker.