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Mahesh Bhatt told Saiyaara director Mohit Suri to trust his instincts.
Mohit Suri lauded Mahesh Bhatt as a mentor.
Mohit Suri’s latest film, Saiyaara, has become a sensation ever since its release last month. The film starred newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, who have also become massive stars due to the film’s success. As Saiyaara continues its box office run, Mohit Suri joined CNN-News18 for a Town Hall where he discussed love, loss and of course, Saiyaara. During his session, he recalled how he called his uncle, Mahesh Bhatt, for advice when he was confused about a certain scene in the film.
Mohit’s mother, Heena, is Mahesh Bhatt’s sister, making him the filmmaker’s nephew. Mohit has often worked under Mahesh’s guidance, and when he was faced with doubt during the shoot of Saiyaara, he reached out to his uncle and mentor. Referring to the scene in Saiyaara where Ahaan Panday’s father gets violent with him, Mohit Suri said, while he was staging the scene with the actors, he felt it had become too dramatic.
Mohit Suri said, “At 7 in the morning the next day, I was going to shoot the scene. I sent a missed call to Bhatt saab. He was up at 4 in the morning, and he called me up. I said, ‘I am feeling a little unsure, they’re very nice people. I think I’m being a little too dramatic.’ He has no idea about my script.”
“All I’ve told him is the scene where the son gets violent with his father, he’s an alcoholic. Bhatt saab just cut me off. He said a couple of swear words to me; that’s him. I didn’t realise that my profile picture was of my son’s hand in my hand. He just said that the way you’re holding your son’s hand in a close-up, the kind of emotion you feel towards your son, no matter how, go shoot this scene, it’s never going to have a wrong emotional connect,” Mohit recalled.
Mohit Suri said that Mahesh Bhatt mentioned, “The son-father bond is too pure for you. How can the same person who has a DP like this even ask me this question? Go shoot it the way you want.” Mohit Suri listened paid heed to this advice and it turned out to be one of the scenes that Aditya Chopra loved most.
Meanwhile, Saiyaara has struck an emotional chord with audiences across the globe. The film’s Indian box office collection has crossed Rs 300 crore, while the global total now stands above Rs 500 crore. Alongside Ahaan and Aneet, the ensemble cast includes Alam Khan, Sid Makkar, Shaan Groverr, Rajesh Kumar, and Varun Badola.
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-…Read More
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-… Read More
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