Mahesh Bhatt made The Gentleman in 1994. While the Telugu version of the film worked, the Hindi version flopped at the box office. The films clocked 30 years today and Zoom exclusively caught up with Bhatt to talk about the film.
Bhatt Saab, what makes The Gentlemen special in your repertoire of films? The Gentleman was my first foray into the heart of the Telugu film industry. It was a remake of a Tamil blockbuster, a frame-by-frame copy, as remakes are meant to be. That’s the unspoken contract when you embark on such a project.
Only the Telugu version worked? While the original soared, The Gentleman in Hindi didn’t find its wings. Why the film gods choose to bless one version and forsake another is beyond mortal understanding. It’s not for us to analyze, only to accept.
The Gentleman came during an unproductive phase of your career? The late ’90s were dark days for me.Everything I touched seemed to wither. Yet, I remember The Gentleman vividly, not for its fate at the box office, but for what it brought into my life.
It introduced me to two remarkable gentlemen from the Telugu film industry: Allu Arvind and Chiranjeevi. ALSO READ: Mahesh Bhatt Pays Tribute To Mala Sinha As She Turns 87: Our Treasure Chest Of Cinematic Memories Would Be..
. - EXCL Allu Arvind is one of the most respected producers of Indian cinema! Allu Arvind, the producer, was the embodiment of grace and practicality. I’ve met many producers in my journey, but none as talented or as rooted as him.
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