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'We do not want to end up in a controversy'
Producers Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt would not make a biopic on Benazir Bhutto until they get a 'no objection' certificate from Mrs Bhutto's family.
The Bhatts – meaning Mahesh and Mukesh are not likely to make a biopic on Benazir Bhutto in a hurry. Also the question is - can they?
As producer Mukesh Bhatt told HT Café, "We need a ‘no objection' certificate from Mrs Bhutto's family and from the Pakistan government. We do not want to end up in a controversy."
What then is the status of the project on the late leader of Pakistan People's Party who was assassinated in December last year?
Cautiously, the producer responds, "The elections there are just over. We have been approached because we have the integrity and sensibility to make such a sensitive movies.. and also because are trusted to give the respectability Benazir Bhutto deserves. But several things have to be worked out before we begin."
Incidentally, in India efforts to make biopics on Mrs Indira Gandhi (by Mani Ratnam) and on Mrs Sonia Gandhi (by a cheesy filmmaker) were denied the office go-ahead.
Content matters
Producer Bhatt, known for his frankspeak, states, "No two ways about it. We need to research the life and times of Ms Bhutto extensively. It's easy to make a slapstick comedy like Heyy Babyy or Partner but such a project requires detailed accuracy. We don't want to hurt the sentiments of her family and members of her party. And please don't forget, we're filmmakers, not proposal makers."
According to Bhatt, Shabana Azmi would be the first choice to play the part. "She's an intelligent actress and has the personality to carry off the role with conviction. She also has the tehzeeb that is so very important to portray Ms Bhutto convincingly Besides, our association goes back a long way, to Arth - in which her mindblowing performance got her the National Award."
Besides, the Mrs Bhutto biopic, another one on the spiritual guru U G Krishnamurthy is in the ideation stages. The producer maintains. "There's still some time before we begin scripting that."
As for Dino Morea's recent remark, wondering how a sequel to Raaz would be possible without Bipasha Basu and him, Bhatt says testily "Wasn't there a sequel to the Exorcist without the little girl? I don't know why Dino is saying that, it's ridiculous. But I'm still fond of him, he's a nice guy."
Coming up
Vishesh Films - the film production banner of the Bhatts - is currently producing Jannat and Raaz 2. Initially Raaz 2 was to mark the acting debut of director Mohit Suri, but now Emraan Hashmi will play the lead. "Mohit is a good looking guy, we tried convincing him to become an actor-director, but he insisted on sticking to direction," says Bhatt.
He adds that Raaz 2 will also launch Mashhoor Amrohi, grandson of the legendary filmmaker Kamal Amrohi. But hasn't he already made his debut?
To that, the producer ripostes, "That doesn't matter. Didn't Dino do a small film like Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi? Mallika Sherawat did an insignificant role in Jeena Sirf Mere Liye before we gave her Murder. We may not work with stars, but we certainly make them. Look at the ridiculous amount of money the stars are charging today. We'd rather work with newcomers and turn them into stars."
Hit ya flop
Recently, Vishesh Films' Awarapan and Showbiz tanked. Unstymied, the producer states, "Awarapan had a simultaneous release in India and Pakistan, after 60 years. It did very well across the border. It didn't do well in India in its first week. There were two other releases, we underestimated the draw of Himesh Reshammiya's acting debut. But Awarapan picked up in the second week."
Vis-a-vis Showbiz, he remarks, "The film was about the role of the media - in reporting news objectively instead of creating sensationalism. Mahesh, who was creative supervisor on the project, felt that Raju Khan would be able to direct it. But he didn't have the sensibility to make such a sensitive film. Sometimes you go wrong, it happens."
