Vikram Bhatt turns producer, carries forward family legacy

Mumbai, March 3 (IANS) After years as a director, Vikram Bhatt has finally become a producer and says he is carrying forward his grandfather's legacy.

Bhatt's grandfather was the renowned filmmaker Vijay Bhatt, who ran the production house Prakash Pictures.

'My grandfather used to have a production house. He produced and directed such evergreens as 'Baiju Bawra', 'Hariyali Aur Rasta' and 'Goonj Uthi Shehnai'.

'After my grandfather, my father and uncle couldn't produce any films. So in a way I'm carrying forward my grandfather's legacy. That makes me very emotional. On May 12, 2007, my grandfather would've been 100,' Bhatt told IANS.

Bhatt is not using the same name; his production house will be called ASA Films.

'I'm joining hands with some corporate friends of mine to form a production company. My partners are good people and they've been asking me for a while.

'If I've a home company, I don't have to make so many films a year. And also I can make the films I want to without compromise. I can be creatively involved and yet I don't have to implement those ideas personally all the time.'

Bhatt, who gave hits like 'Ghulam', hasn't been so lucky recently. Most of his recent releases like 'Speed', 'Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee' and 'Red: The Dark Side' bombed at the box office.