Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has officially ruled out returning to the director’s chair for feature films, putting an end to years of speculation about another comeback. While he briefly returned to direct ‘Sadak 2’ in 2020 after spending decades focusing on production, the filmmaker has now made it clear that he has no plans to helm another movie.In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, the 77-year-old filmmaker was asked if audiences could expect him to direct again. Bhatt gave a firm response, saying, “No,” before adding, “It is so gratifying to talk about movies so passionately.” His statement comes shortly after filmmaker Vikram Bhatt spoke about Mahesh Bhatt’s retirement from directing. Though he has stepped away from feature film direction, Bhatt remains actively involved in cinema as a producer, writer and presenter.Reflecting on the evolving landscape of filmmaking, Bhatt spoke about the importance of creative freedom and warned against a system where art is driven by formulas instead of instinct. “Where there is life, there is vitality,” he said, before questioning the growing tendency to create films according to predetermined patterns.“There is caution where things are dictated to you. And then, when you are to make content according to certain designs which have been pre-decided, then what is the role of an artiste?” he said.Bhatt also expressed concern over an industry increasingly influenced by algorithms and data-driven decisions. Despite this, he remains optimistic that original voices will continue to challenge the status quo.“There will always be somebody outside, an audacious person who will become the new Pied Piper,” he said. During the conversation, Bhatt also lauded Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, describing it as an important creative milestone. According to him, the film reflects a much-needed artistic rebellion in an era where storytelling is often shaped by commercial calculations.“I feel that this is a moment of rebellion,” Bhatt said. He further added, “When you put your heart into it and listen to the heartbeat of the times, you see a longing, a thirst in people for something sensitive and painful that connects to their lives. No matter how dark the night is, there will be renegades, there will be rebels who will come and rewrite the narrative.”Although Mahesh Bhatt has drawn the curtain on his career as a feature film director, he continues to contribute to the industry in other capacities. He was recently announced as the presenter of ‘Naam’, which is being positioned as a spiritual sequel to his landmark 1986 film of the same name.Over the course of his career, Bhatt has directed several acclaimed films, including ‘Arth’, ‘Saaransh’, ‘Naam’, ‘Daddy’, ‘Aashiqui’, ‘Sadak’, ‘Zakhm’ and ‘Duplicate’. His body of work has consistently explored themes of love, loss, emotional turmoil, rebellion and human relationships.While Bhatt may no longer be directing films, his perspective on cinema and artistic expression continues to influence conversations within the industry.
