No more dishonest films: Bhatt

Director Vikram Bhatt's acutely autobiographical film Ankahee could not garner the response he had hoped for. But he's determined to do movies he believes in and is busy making the episodic film Life Main Kabhi Kabhi. "No more dishonest films for me. In Red which is ready for release, I've done a thriller in authentic shades. Now I've just started a film titled Life Main Kabhi Kabhi with very interesting actors and we discuss the meaning of happiness," Vikram says.

The story of five friends, played by Dino Morea, Sammir Dattani, Aftab Shivdasani, Nauheed Cyrusi and Anjori Alagh, is Vikram's first episodic film. "We have some interesting episodic films in Hindi like Naseer's Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota and Nikhil Advani's forthcoming Salaam-e-Ishq. I chose to use that format for the first time in Life Main Kabhi Kabhi because I believe a question like the nature of happiness needs a telescopic view.

You can't talk about a theme as big as happiness in an intimate linear style," he says.
Vikram is nervous about the new format and says that shooting five different lives on different nights and days was disorienting and confusing for him. Does he have any regrets about Ankahee?

"I needed to get my own story out of my system, which I did. I wish it had worked better. I can't say autobiographical films don't work. Mahesh Bhatt's Arth did. I won't hesitate in putting another chunk of my life on screen, provided it's unique to the audience, and not just to me. I learnt to make films from the heart. I will never make another crafty film in my life," Vikram says.

The director believes that at the end of the day, cinema is about entertainment. About Amisha Patel, he says, "Life is great. The two of us have gone through the grind. Now we're happy together. Marriage won't be soon. Amisha has her own ambitions, and I don't want to come in the way. She wants to pursue her career. I'm happy to move back and give her that space. When you're in a permanent relationship, the ground rules have to be made clear. I'd never want her to compromise on her values or vision."