This Is What Madhur Bhandarkar Has To Say About Friendships In Bollywood

Though filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has worked with quite a big few names in the film fraternity, he feels he has no real friends in Bollywood. He began to believe this even more strongly after his recent film, Indu Sarkar, landed in trouble and none of his friends from the industry supported him. The film, based on the Emergency, drew the anger of Congress workers in Nagpur and Mumbai, and this led to several protests at the promotional press conferences.

“When my film [Indu Sarkar] was facing protests [during the film’s press conference in Pune and Nagpur] and other legal issues, nobody stood there by my side,” says Madhur. “They were hostile because they didn’t want to get into anything political. It was very disappointing. People I had supported earlier also weren’t there for me. That’s why I always stay away from camps and lobby in Bollywood.” “In Bollywood, equations change very fast. People who are friends today may turn against each other in no time. Relationships here are very superficial and need based. It hurts when you realise the same,” he adds.

However, Madhur is happy with the response that Indu Sarkar got. “We received mixed reactions and that’s fine. I know that every time people will talk about emergency or look for [reference] material online, Indu Sarkar will be viewed and referred to. I make films for future. Also, I am a budget filmmaker and we have almost recovered the money. The film was not [meant] to be in the 100-crore club. It was made for a mature audience and they enjoyed watching it. I remember holding a screening in Delhi where along with general public, politicians and journalists also watched the film and liked it,” adds Madhur.

However, far from being intimidated, Madhur wants to continue making powerful films. More than a filmmaker, Madhur says he is a storyteller. “I believe in telling gripping narratives. There is nothing that can stop me from doing that via films. I remember when my debut Trishakti (1999) released, my professional obituary was written. But I am a fighter, who made a comeback and made films such as Chandni Bar (2001), Satta (2003), Page 3 (2005), Fashion (2008) among others. The prestigious awards [National Award and Padma Shri] that I received, only prove my never dying spirit,” he shares.