Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt on how his next, Hacked, is inspired by his friend who was a victim of cyber stalking
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 24, 2020)

Vikram Bhatt knows the perils of cyber crime all too well — in 2017, the filmmaker had taken to Twitter to warn social media users that a fake Facebook profile had been created under his name and was being used to lure aspiring actors. He reveals that his next, Hacked — which sheds light on the horrors of cyber-stalking — draws inspiration from a real-life episode.

Talking to mid-day, the director reveals that a year ago, his friend had become a victim of cyber-stalking to an extent that she had to eventually move cities. "The stalker had hacked her wi-fi, and through that, he gained access to her laptop, phone and smart TV. [As a result] he knew of her whereabouts. Even though she bought new devices [to combat the hacking], they would be hacked in no time," Bhatt recalls, adding that things came to a head when she contemplated reporting the offence to the Cyber Crime Cell. "When she was about to enter the cyber crime cell building, the guy called and asked if she was sure about going in. She was petrified; she sold her flat and shifted to Bengaluru."

Bhatt points out that a large section of the population remains unaware of the horrors that technology hack can wreak. "Her misery made me realise it's important to talk about this subject. Our privacy is fragile and in danger. Someone has stolen my identity on Facebook. Despite my complaints to the cyber crime branch, Facebook refuses to take down that profile!"