Vikram
Vikram Bhatt talks about his latest obsession — penning short stories — and why he won’t turn them into feature films
Upala KBR (DNA; August 18, 2015)

Vikram Bhatt is very active on social network. Unlike other people who are also venting and complaining about everything under the sun, he uses the medium as a creative outlet. Penning poignant poems and deep philosophical status messages is his thing. However, of-late he has begun writing short stories. The filmmaker is currently in Cape Town shooting for his next film, Love Games, which he defines as “a very twisted and extremely sexy story. Like my short stories, it’s something that I have not done before.” Here, the filmmaker talks to After Hrs about his latest passion. Read on... :

Where did the idea come from?
The idea came from a challenge to myself really. Could I conjure up a story everyday? And that’s where it started. And then could I write on any topic or genre? It’s been enjoyable so far and attainable. My favourite so far has been one on Adolf Hitler.

Why short stories?
Why? I think I have long written stories, which I thought people wanted to hear and that did little for me. Whenever I wrote a certain story the first thought that I have was who is going to like this story. It was very limiting and frustrating. I am not what I can make. A clown is not a stupid man actually. Anyways, I digress. I wanted to write what I felt like and have a few friends who encouraged and so I started to write for them and me.

Why just on Facebook?
Facebook because that’s where my friends can read easily. They encourage me and I only want to do better. It’s great fun. Keeps the writer in me alive. Also writing everyday is a discipline that I want to inculcate.

Do you share the stories with anybody before writing them?
I share my stories with one or two friends if I feel that I have written something complex or then incomprehensible. Generally, it’s me and that’s it.

What about presenting your short stories to more readers as a collection?
I have never thought about it. If a publisher comes along he can have them. I doubt anyone would be interested in one page stories. And I don’t want to expand on them and make them longer. I want to do nothing for anyone but me. If someone wants they can publish or not. It doesn’t matter to me. I will give them away for a price. Perhaps a book or just monetise on the web, I don’t know...

Have you thought about turning them into short films or feature films?
That would defeat the purpose of writing them. The minute I want to make a film I begin to think of the audience and when I think of the audience I stop writing for myself.