Posted:
Just a little heartfelt note
---------------------------------
Producer.
It's one small word, isn't it? But it is amazing what a small word can mean sometimes...
A producer is one of the highest credits in the context of a movie. And today, we announced the Half Girlfriend film with Mohit Suri (Aashiqui2, Ek Villain), Ekta Kapoor (gazillion top TV shows, Dirty Picture, Ek Villian) and myself as co-producer.
This is in contrast to around five years ago, when I had to beg for proper credit after helping deliver the biggest hit in Bollywood history. I had to face public humiliation on a film based on my book that I had taken years to write. I was called a liar, publicity-seeker and shameless. People debated my intentions on national TV. I remember how shaken I was. I had gone to the ISKCON temple at Chowpatty and broke down in tears. I met Swamji there. He told me to stay calm, focus on work and not worry about the results. He said Krishna's followers get justice, and I will too, and that too within this lifetime. A part of me didn't believe him of course. I felt he is just saying it to make me feel better.
I remember people telling me to not get involved with Bollywood. It's not for educated people, they told me.
However, I went back to work. Life happened. Abhishek Kapoor gave me Kai Po Che. Abhishek Varman gave me 2 States. Sajid Nadiadwala gave me a chance to work on Kick. All three films became big hits.
So when I announced my next book, I gave a draft to Mohit Suri to read, one of the most talented directors in recent times with back-to-back hits. He read the manuscript and said he wanted to make the film. I asked him if he wanted to wait until the book released, to see if it does well and then decide on the film, a typical logical strategy. He said the story had moved him enough and he had enough conviction on it. He brought along Ekta, whom he had just worked with on Ek Villain, and she was equally excited about the book.
Then both of them offered me something unthinkable - apart from the writing credit, they asked me to join them as producer.
"The film is as much yours as ours," they said. My mind immediately went back to that day in the temple, when I was broken and saw no hope. That was then. And this is today.
So here I am, announcing the Half Girlfriend film with the poster below, and you can see. The writer, who begged for credit once, is now a producer.
This has all happened due to your support. You read my books and watch my films. You become my force, and you make it all happen for me. Thank you.
Here are some lessons I have learnt from this journey, which could be useful to you as well.
1) Never quit. Disappointment will come, and it will hurt like hell. Yes, things won't go as planned. You will feel like it is the end of the world. It isn't. Feel the pain, cry if you want to, but just don't quit. Just because you fall in a football field once, doesn't mean you quit football right?
2) Be a beginner, forever. Because I had to prove it all over again, I never took my success for granted. Even now, I work on a book or film as if it is my first. Don't let past successes manifest in your head as an inflated ego.
3) Throw positivity into the world. There's a lot of negativity out there. Even within our own minds, negative thoughts often dominate. However, be the beacon of positivity and see how amazing things will happen for you. Tell yourself every morning; I am here to throw positivity into the world. One day, it is going to come back with compound interest.
4) There are all kinds of people in this world. Bollywood is not all bad or all good, like any other industry. I have been lucky to find and get a chance to work with people who are humble and talented. Mohit and Ekta's grace of giving me the ultimate credit is never going to be lost on me. It now becomes my duty to do my best for them.
5) Don't take it all too seriously. Yes, we all want success. But a lot of it is luck, and nothing is permanent anyway. Chase success, but what matters more is your family, your friends, the people you surround yourself with and your health. Everything else, well, doesn't really matter.
Thanks again to all of you. In this India of amazing times, big things have happened. ISRO sent Mangalyaan to the Mars orbit. A chaiwala became the PM. However, somewhere in Mumbai, a tiny change occurred as well. A little writer from nowhere became a producer.
Love lots and thanks,
Chetan Bhagat
Writer. Producer. (still feels odd!) See More
---------------------------------
Producer.
It's one small word, isn't it? But it is amazing what a small word can mean sometimes...
A producer is one of the highest credits in the context of a movie. And today, we announced the Half Girlfriend film with Mohit Suri (Aashiqui2, Ek Villain), Ekta Kapoor (gazillion top TV shows, Dirty Picture, Ek Villian) and myself as co-producer.
This is in contrast to around five years ago, when I had to beg for proper credit after helping deliver the biggest hit in Bollywood history. I had to face public humiliation on a film based on my book that I had taken years to write. I was called a liar, publicity-seeker and shameless. People debated my intentions on national TV. I remember how shaken I was. I had gone to the ISKCON temple at Chowpatty and broke down in tears. I met Swamji there. He told me to stay calm, focus on work and not worry about the results. He said Krishna's followers get justice, and I will too, and that too within this lifetime. A part of me didn't believe him of course. I felt he is just saying it to make me feel better.
I remember people telling me to not get involved with Bollywood. It's not for educated people, they told me.
However, I went back to work. Life happened. Abhishek Kapoor gave me Kai Po Che. Abhishek Varman gave me 2 States. Sajid Nadiadwala gave me a chance to work on Kick. All three films became big hits.
So when I announced my next book, I gave a draft to Mohit Suri to read, one of the most talented directors in recent times with back-to-back hits. He read the manuscript and said he wanted to make the film. I asked him if he wanted to wait until the book released, to see if it does well and then decide on the film, a typical logical strategy. He said the story had moved him enough and he had enough conviction on it. He brought along Ekta, whom he had just worked with on Ek Villain, and she was equally excited about the book.
Then both of them offered me something unthinkable - apart from the writing credit, they asked me to join them as producer.
"The film is as much yours as ours," they said. My mind immediately went back to that day in the temple, when I was broken and saw no hope. That was then. And this is today.
So here I am, announcing the Half Girlfriend film with the poster below, and you can see. The writer, who begged for credit once, is now a producer.
This has all happened due to your support. You read my books and watch my films. You become my force, and you make it all happen for me. Thank you.
Here are some lessons I have learnt from this journey, which could be useful to you as well.
1) Never quit. Disappointment will come, and it will hurt like hell. Yes, things won't go as planned. You will feel like it is the end of the world. It isn't. Feel the pain, cry if you want to, but just don't quit. Just because you fall in a football field once, doesn't mean you quit football right?
2) Be a beginner, forever. Because I had to prove it all over again, I never took my success for granted. Even now, I work on a book or film as if it is my first. Don't let past successes manifest in your head as an inflated ego.
3) Throw positivity into the world. There's a lot of negativity out there. Even within our own minds, negative thoughts often dominate. However, be the beacon of positivity and see how amazing things will happen for you. Tell yourself every morning; I am here to throw positivity into the world. One day, it is going to come back with compound interest.
4) There are all kinds of people in this world. Bollywood is not all bad or all good, like any other industry. I have been lucky to find and get a chance to work with people who are humble and talented. Mohit and Ekta's grace of giving me the ultimate credit is never going to be lost on me. It now becomes my duty to do my best for them.
5) Don't take it all too seriously. Yes, we all want success. But a lot of it is luck, and nothing is permanent anyway. Chase success, but what matters more is your family, your friends, the people you surround yourself with and your health. Everything else, well, doesn't really matter.
Thanks again to all of you. In this India of amazing times, big things have happened. ISRO sent Mangalyaan to the Mars orbit. A chaiwala became the PM. However, somewhere in Mumbai, a tiny change occurred as well. A little writer from nowhere became a producer.
Love lots and thanks,
Chetan Bhagat
Writer. Producer. (still feels odd!) See More
comment:
p_commentcount