Mumbai-born Madhur Bhandarkar is one of the few film directors of Hindi cinema, whose films have received praise from critics and whose box office collections have also been excellent. Madhur Bhandarkar was born in an ordinary Indian family. The financial condition of the family was not very good. In such a situation, cinema was the means of happiness and entertainment. In those days, films were shown using 16 mm projectors from vehicles on the road. Madhur Bhandarkar enjoyed watching films a lot. It was from here that Madhur Bhandarkar developed a passion for films. While watching films, Madhur Bhandarkar developed a desire to work in films. But his hopes were dashed when his father’s work came to a halt. Madhur Bhandarkar’s father was an electric contractor. He suffered losses in his work and the work got ruined. The result was that Madhur Bhandarkar had to leave his studies. Madhur was then in sixth class.
The financial circumstances were such that for Madhur, working was more of a compulsion than a hobby. In those days, there was the era of video cassettes of films. People of every class liked to watch films through video cassettes. Seeing this change, Madhur Bhandarkar started the video cassette business. Madhur Bhandarkar got three big benefits from this business. First of all, Madhur Bhandarkar’s financial condition improved due to video cassette business. The second advantage was that due to collecting and watching about 1700 video cassettes, the knowledge and understanding of Madhur Bhandarkar’s films became amazing. The third advantage Madhur Bhandarkar got was that his video cassettes were watched by everyone from common people to big businessmen and film people. Madhur Bhandarkar would ride a bicycle to deliver video cassettes in the streets and even in luxurious houses. In this connection, Madhur Bhandarkar used to visit the houses of Subhash Ghai to Mithun Chakraborty and deliver video cassettes to them. In this way Madhur Bhandarkar established relations with film people. Even if he did not get much commercial benefit from this, he definitely got to know different people and environment.
After a few years, the video cassette business came to a standstill with the advent of CDs and only television channels. Madhur Bhandarkar had to stop work. He also started some other works but did not get success. Then Madhur Bhandarkar decided that he would learn the work by becoming an assistant to Hindi cinema directors. While working as an assistant to film directors, Madhur Bhandarkar would sometimes lift a chair on the sets, sometimes sweep the broom and sometimes stand holding the heroine’s dress. This was part of his training. Meanwhile, Madhur Bhandarkar met Ram Gopal Varma and started working as Ram Gopal Varma’s assistant. After working in a few films, Madhur Bhandarkar became confident that he could make his own film. But the destination was still far away.
When Madhur Bhandarkar started making his first film, everyone advised him to make some commercial cinema. Although Madhur Bhandarkar did not feel like telling a commercial story, due to lack of experience and the pressure of his first film, he made the commercial film “Trishakti”. The result was what was to happen. Trishakti failed miserably. Madhur Bhandarkar was labeled as a flop director. In Hindi cinema too, like in the rest of the world, there is a custom of saluting the rising sun. When it proves to be a flop, people start looking away. Madhur Bhandarkar also saw this period. People avoid him, don’t pick up his phones. No one wanted to work with Madhur Bhandarkar. In this difficult time, Madhur Bhandarkar did not lose courage. While wandering on the streets and roads of Mumbai, he had seen the life of bar girls very closely. It was during this time that Madhur Bhandarkar planned a film on the lives of girls. The film was named “Chandni Bar”. No mainstream actress wanted to work in this film. Firstly, the theme of the film was based on bar girls and secondly, Madhur Bhandarkar’s image was that of a flop director. No actress wanted to take the risk. At such a time, actress Tabu supported Madhur Bhandarkar and played the lead role in Chandni Bar. Chandni Bar was completed and greatly impressed the audience and critics. The film was also honored with the National Film Award. From here Madhur Bhandarkar’s life took a big turn.
In the coming years, Madhur Bhandarkar made films like “Traffic Signal”, “Page 3”, “Corporate”, “Fashion”, “Heroine”, which depicted the reality of the society in the best possible manner. There is a subtlety visible in Madhur Bhandarkar’s films. The investigative journalist within Madhur Bhandarkar goes to the root of any topic and conveys it completely in his films. This is why Madhur Bhandarkar was honored with the National Award for the films “Chandni Bar”, “Traffic Signal”, “Page 3” and “Fashion”. Madhur Bhandarkar emerged as a renowned director of Hindi cinema. Directors who achieved both box office and commercial success as well as critical acclaim.
One special thing about Madhur Bhandarkar is that he listens to his characters and his actors. They are given a chance to shine, which ultimately makes their films beautiful. A similar incident is related to Madhur Bhandarkar and his film actor Gopal Kumar Singh. Gopal Kumar Singh is known as a successful character actor in Hindi cinema. This incident happened when Madhur Bhandarkar was making the film Page 3. Gopal Kumar Singh’s film company was successful. After being successful, Madhur Bhandarkar called him for his film Page 3. When Gopal Kumar Singh heard the script, he refused to do the work. Gopal Kumar Singh said that he has not come to Mumbai to do one or two scenes in the film. He has to play good and important characters in Hindi cinema, which will express his acting ability. Madhur Bhandarkar listened to Gopal Kumar Singh. After thinking for some time, Madhur Bhandarkar told Gopal Kumar Singh that he should do this film now, he would definitely be given such a character in the next film, which would resolve his complaint. Gopal Kumar Singh agreed to Madhur Bhandarkar. After a few years, when Madhur Bhandarkar made the film “Traffic Signal”, he gave a very good and important role to Gopal Kumar Singh in it. Gopal Kumar Singh got good recognition from this film and the film “Traffic Signal” got the National Award. Madhur Bhandarkar, who has this kind of democratic approach, is known for bringing changes in Hindi cinema.
There was also a period of controversies with Madhur Bhandarkar. An actress filed a rape case against him and expressed her views in the media accusing him of casting couch. Similarly, some people said that Madhur Bhandarkar’s film is based on the life of heroine actress Manisha Koirala. Madhur Bhandarkar faced all these allegations with strength and came out of every difficulty. Madhur Bhandarkar is still active today and entertaining the audience through the creative process. Madhur Bhandarkar’s journey is an inspiration that if you have passion, dedication and patience, you can reach the top in any field.
