Her father’s daughter
Krishna Bhatt, daughter of director and producer Vikram Bhatt, bares it all while outlining her future ideas, in an exclusive chat
I must have been 10 years old and I remember my dad was seeing an actor. An article was published about it and everyone in school was talking. At that age, it hurt a lot, and I cried a lot that day. But I went back next day armed with emotions of bravery. I decided that I wouldn’t let anybody victimise me.
— Krishna Bhatt
“My father has no filter, he’s very honest. There are a lot of people who are plain dishonest and hiding their acts from the world view. But my dad has the courage to speak the truth”
Krishna Bhatt made her directorial debut in 2018, with digital show Untouchables. Now she’s preparing for her next series, Maya even as she produces Anamika, a VikramBhatt directorial.
From growing up in a family that had its steep ups and down to understanding reconciliation by watching her parents care for each other as they do, Krishna has learnt deep lessons in life.
Vikram had divorced his wife (Krishna’s mum), Aditi, after which he patched up again with her. “He apologised to my mum for the divorce, and they’ve been friends since. They cannot live without each other now. In fact, I’ve learnt a lot from the kind of life I’ve seen, and all those experiences have made me the person that I’m today, without which I couldn’t have given the best to my direction,” Krishna says.
She tells us how her dad keeps reminding her that emotions are very good. “At an age when many would call it a curse, I’d call it a blessing because it made me so secure,” she adds.
She shares with us a memory of having accepted her emotions as a way of life, which she asserts actually contributed
Krishna with her father Vikram Bhatt
to making her a stronger individual. “I must have been 10 years old and I remember my dad was seeing an actor. An article was published about it and in school that day, I heard some students talking about it. At that age, it hurt, and I cried a lot that day,” recounts Krishna. “But the next day, I went back armed with emotions of bravery. I decided that no matter what anybody tells me, I was proud of the person I am and that I wouldn’t let anybody victimise me.”
Today, the father–daughter duo shares a great rapport.
THE BIGGEST INFLUENCER
Krishna’s dad’s influences were not only restricted to her personal life. She began dabbling in filmmaking when she became as an assistant director for her his films, the crime and horror thrillers, 1920, Mr X, Dangerous Ishhq, Haunted and Hacked. Then in 2018, she debuted as a director with Untouchables. Incidentally, set away from caste and creed issues, Untouchables was a story about a failed lawyer (played by Vikram Bhatt) and an escort (played by Sreejita De) who’d been framed for a murder she’d not committed. That said, given how she’s influenced by her dad, we’re pleasantly surprised when Krishna tells us that she’s hoping to make a romantic film, not thrillers like her old man. “My heart is in doing a love story, and I’ve finally got a chance... My next is a love story.”
ARE YOU SINGLE?
“I’m a romantic… but it’s complicated…I believe in love, so I’m sure my love life would be superb. But I don’t want to talk about that — I want to focus on my work right now. Whenever I fall in love, I’ll announce it,” she says.
Presently, Krishna’s busy producing her dad’s directorial Anamika, which has Sunny Leone and Sonnalli Seygall in it. “I help my dad as a producer, ensuring that the shoot is running smoothly. I’m also working on Maya. So I come and write my scenes for the shoot and sometimes discuss with my dad certain important scenes he’s doing,” she tells us, adding that Anamika, which has completed 40% of its shoot, might hit the screens in the next few months.
WHAT LIES AHEAD?
Given that Krishna has all the essentials to work in front of the cameras we can’t help wonder why she chose to work behind the cameras.
“Many, including my dad, have asked me this very question,” she says, chuckling. “I was 12 when I first visited my father’s office, when he was making the 2008-film 1920; the post-production was going on — he was editing it while the dubbing was going on. I was excited to see how the film was put together. Of course, acting is indeed an integral part. But direction puts the whole script together to tell your story. Since then, I’ve loved the idea of telling a story. I began direction as I believe it allows me to tell many stories,” she says.