Before marking his debut as a director with Jaanam, Vikram Bhatt had assisted in films like Agneepath, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Junoon. He worked closely with Mahesh Bhatt and Shekhar Kapur. After starting the trend of Horrex franchises with Raaz, he directed multiple films with an ensemble cast like Awara Paagal Deewana, Deewane Huye Pagal, Ankahee, and Raaz 3D. Interestingly, multi-starters almost always bring the conversation back to insecurities on film sets between actors.
Now, in an exclusive chat with news18 Showsha, Vikram reveals that he has been overloaded with ‘vanity’ on sets, particularly tussles between female actors. “Are you asking me what I know about vanity? I had been an assistant for ten years before I became a director and that should answer this question (laughs)!” he tells us.
Recalling some episodes involving two female parallel leads, he says, “There wasn’t any make-up van at that time. I have done a lot of films with two actresses and not one has been bothered about what she would be wearing in the scene because they are always bothered about what the other one is wearing. They would be like, ‘Achcha, yeh hai mera outfit? Woh kya pehen rahi hai? Uska hairstyle kya hai?’”
Vikram explains that such instances would lead them to one-up each other, which eventually would disrupt the continuity of scenes. “I’ve known actors who slyly changed their lipstick colours and shades of eyeshadow. We noticed everything but we let go because after a point of time, we realised as directors and producers that we need to make the actors comfortable in their skin and if they aren’t comfortable, they cannot act. And if it takes the right shade of lipstick to do it, so be it,” he says.
Quipping about how the importance of continuity has trickled down to his personal life as well, he laughs, “We had to always walk the tightrope because we had to get the work done. I was a continuity assistant and that’s why my hair is grey. If I dyed my hair, that would be a nightmare to continuity. I felt, continuity mein aisa phasega ki niklega hi nahi.”
The Ghulam and Kasoor director, however, heaves a sigh of relief as he saw none of that on the sets of his latest release, Bloody Ishq starring Avika Gor. It marks his second collaboration with the Balika Vadhu actor after 1920: Horrors Of The Heart. Lauding her, he says, “What really impresses me about her is her lack of vanity when she’s working. In 1920, she had to wear the same costume covered in blood for almost the entire second half of the film.”
Vikram further adds, “I don’t remember her asking me even once if the costume can be changed. She never told me, ‘Sir, hairstyle change kar sakte hai? Thoda blood kam kar de face pe?’ She never cared about those things in 1920 or Bloody Ishq. And that to me is a sign of an actor before a star and that is rare.”
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