9 Kickass Bollywood Filmmakers Who Need To Start Making Movies Again

If there had to be a set retirement age for filmmakers to stop directing movies, ‘Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese’ two of the greatest filmmakers of today’s times wouldn’t have surfaced this long! However, there’s this unfathomable aspect with some of the Indian filmmakers who for without any coherent reason stopped directing movies.

In spite of having cult classics to their credit, while some directors chose to call it quits just because they felt like it, the rest perhaps couldn’t gulp the occasional drink of failure down their throat. Good or bad? We don’t know! All we know for a fact is there’s nothing that can define, limit or dissuade a filmmaker’s vision and the ability of his/her to take it to the silver screen.

Can anybody with a logical explanation tell us why Mahesh Bhatt who is otherwise active enough to produce, write movies, participate in television debates and give his opinion on every second issue concerning just about anybody, doesn’t direct? This is Mahesh Bhatt we’re talking about here, the same filmmaker who had directed the National Award Winning Zakhm the same year he retired. Sounds odd, doesn’t it?

Here we are with 9 filmmakers of the current times who we dearly miss, but do not understand the reason of them resisting from wearing the director’s hat:

Mansoor Khan

For people who may not necessarily know who this man is, this is the same filmmaker who helmed your most favorite school sports drama Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander. After having taken a dream debut by directing the blockbuster Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (that also launched Aamir Khan), Mansoor hasn’t come behind the camera in the last 15 years. The last film he directed was Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai’s crime drama Josh. Yes, the film failed but does it undo the work he’s done all his life? What happened Mr. Mansoor? Akele Hum Akele Tum?

J.P. Dutta

If we were to tell you that Mr. J.P. has to his credit the achievement of directing the biggest ensemble cast of Bollywood just 12 years back, would you believe it? Of course you would! But when the same filmmaker disappears just 3 years after directing a film like LOC: Kargil, you’d question his wisdom, wouldn’t you? This is someone who made epic war dramas like Border and LOC and retired after making Umrao Jaan in 2006. Mr. Dutta, would it take another war for you to come back to helming movies again?

Rajiv Rai

This is someone who has made the most stylish of thrillers like Gupt and Mohra in the 90’s and then flew abroad after an attempt was made on his life by gangsters. We get your reason for being away! But if you could direct a film like Asambhav (a flop by the way) in 2004, why didn’t you get going? Rajiv started with films like Tridev and Vishwatma which are still famous for so many chartbusters. Come on Rajiv, we at least deserve another Mohra!

Kundan Shah

We do not really have too much of complaints with Mr. Kundan Shah since he already made up with Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro for all the bad work he was going to do later. But there’s a huge chunk of people like us out here who’d love to see you direct again. You were not bad at all with films like Kya Kehna and Dil Hai Tumhara, why didn’t you give yourself more time before going in the oblivion? Sir, you’ve made the biggest satirical comedy in the history of Indian cinema, you can attempt another!

Tanuja Chandra

We will forever be amazed by the sudden disappearance of Tanuja Chandra from showbiz. Yes, failure is a part of this journey and even the best in the business have had to go through some kind of failure but does that take away the only gift you’ve got? If Tanuja as a young filmmaker could craft works like Dushman and Sangharsh, doesn’t it make her a powerful contender for driving women centric cinema in a new direction? But no, the lady chooses to let all go! Dear Tanuja, if you’re listening, we forgive you for all your bad works, but come back and direct some female centric dramas just the way you’re best known to do.

Mahesh Bhatt

Our matters with Bhatt Saab aren’t too dire for he’s done enough work in his life to comfortably sit in the league of legends. But, when you’re totally active to speak on issues, write your biographies, dissing the government, produce controversial movies and make several attempts to showcase your love story on screen with Parveen Babi, why can’t you get behind the camera and shout “Action” again? You’re not lazy, you’re pretty much running with the times, you have a

team of highly competent writers alongside but you don’t listen. Dear readers, it might please you to know that Mr. Bhatt directed films like Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi, Zakhm, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke and Duplicate just a few years before he chose to give up the director’s chair.

Aziz Mirza

It’s been almost 8 years since he came out with his last release Kismat Konnection! Whatever the fate of the film may have turned out, there was so much in Aziz Mirza we thought got left unsaid. Mr. Mirza was specially known to direct coming of age films that you see when you feel like watching some easy cinema. Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Yes Boss, Chalte Chalte and you suddenly disappear? The least we deserve for old time sake is you directing Shah Rukh and Juhi Chawla again in a light hearted romantic comedy. Please do it, would you?

Shekhar Kapoor

What would you say if a batsman scored back to back three centuries in his first three games and followed it up with retirement? Bizarre right? Mr. Shekhar Kapur doesn’t think so! He started off with the so endearing Masoom in 1983 and then brought out his best in the blockbuster Mr. India. However, only a few years later, he challenged the norms of cinema and shed out a riveting piece of cinema with The Bandit Queen. We agree he went to UK and did some amazing work to get acknowledgement throughout the world, but how can the creator of Mr. India leave us stranded? Come back and please get on with ‘Paani’ as soon as you can, we’re thirsty.

Shimit Amin

What is it about the NRI’s that doesn’t let them function freely in India? Shimit after strikingly debuting with a film like Ab Tak Chappan made Shah Rukh deliver one of his most powerful performances in Chak De India. Just a couple of years later, he made a promising film again in the shape of Rocket Singh, however he’s been missing since then. 7 years and no clue when Shimit plans to come back to making movies! You’re young, you’re talented Mr. Amin, we need a lot more of your cinematic creations.

As we get done showing our displeasure for these filmmakers not serving to our proportionately growing demands, here’s a word of flak for ourselves as well. Perhaps we may not have been at the best of our behaviors to take you through your bad times, but as they say – whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

Enough teaching, now get the hell back!