Tahir Bhasin on how Mahesh Bhatt shared his personal experiences in showbiz to help him the perfect role of '70s filmmaker in his next
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 22, 2020)

Even as the shoot of his next Looop Lapeta is delayed, Tahir Raj Bhasin is relieved that one of his most challenging projects — a yet-untitled series produced by Mahesh Bhatt — did not fall prey to the Coronavirus lockdown. "We finished the shoot by the end of February and now, it is in post-production," informs Bhasin.

The eight-part series, touted to be an insider's tale of the film industry in the '70s, has Bhasin play a struggling filmmaker. "Due to its chapter-wise storytelling, a series gives an actor more time to explore a character. As the lead, I soaked myself in every shade of the character. I had to know my part like the back of my hand because we would never shoot in sequence. The show helped me understand the scale at which digital outings are mounted. It felt like I had shot for three films in two months," says the actor of his maiden web venture that also features Amala Paul and Amrita Puri.

Bhatt, who serves as the creative producer on the Jio Studios-backed endeavour, was the driving force for Bhasin. He says that the filmmaker shared his personal experiences in showbiz, thus giving him a peek into the movie industry of the '70s. "I was mesmerised by him. He is rooted in spirituality and philosophy. On days when there was pandemonium on the set, he handled it smoothly. It was great to have Bhatt saab steer me in the right direction."