Madhur Bhandarkar entertains with his down to earth humour

Madhur can I take a selfie with you please? with so many others milling around with the same idea, its difficult, however Madhur takes my mobile in his own hand with the words - "Laa, main leta hun na" and presto the deed is done 😊

Famed film director, script writer and producer Madhur Bhandarkar interviewed by Amit Goel, Group Vice Chair, The Pioneer, turned out to be an entertaining session, with Madhur sharing his journey of success in the film industry, to his views on various societal issues and his support of Indian Prime Minister Modi

  Madhur Bhandarkar against poster of his film "Indu Sarkar"

From rags to riches....better still from a delivery boy for delivering videos of films, to celebrated deliverer of highly successful films....today one of the top directors of the Hindi Film Industry or Bollywood (shouldnt that be Mollywood? now that Bombay is back to its original pre-British rule name of Mumbai). Though highly successful, and surely he knows it, when an audience member praised his film he was quick to express gratitude.

Awarded the prestigious Padma Shri and as many as three National Film Awards, he remains unassuming and without airs and thereby immensely likable

Some snippets -

I wasn't  particularly good at studies, wanted to study at FTII but minimum requirement was graduation so that was out

Not many people know my first movie was "Trishakti", not "Chandni Bar". But "Trishakti" came and went without being noticed, I had to struggle a lot after that

I research my subjects intensely both by observation of actual situations and by reading a lot...I love reading

An example of his observation incorporated in his movie "Page 3" - at a funeral ceremony, its bizarre that while the puja is going on people are discussing what they are going to wear at tonight's wedding, or which party they will be going to👀

He gets multifarious reactions for his films - some feel he has been responsible for their business suffering, while others feel it gave them direction to improve

His outspokenness against the recent anti- Prime Minister Modi tirade by several film fraternity, because he says - I admire Modi, have seen the good work he has done in Gujarat, I think he is good for our country, besides this is selective and unfair criticism by these buddhijivis (pseudo intellectuals)

A lesser known talent - he ends with a small dose of mimicry 😃😜

Unpretentious, matter of fact, relaxed, smiling, with witty humour....bindaas... that's Madhur Bhandarkar for you