(L-R) Author Dr Prabhleen Singh, Mahesh Bhatt, and producer Vinay Bhardwaj. Pics/By Special Arrangement, Ashish Raje

When people across the world felt lost during the COVID-19-induced lockdown, producer Vinay Bhardwaj found inspiration in a book that, years later, led him to conceive Pehchaan — an unscripted inspirational talk show hosted by Mahesh Bhatt. The Sony LIV series, which dropped this April, features conversations with 13 voices from the Sikh community who have dedicated their lives to seva (service).

“During COVID, Bhatt saab would often call to motivate me because it was a time when we all felt lost. He asked me to take this phase in my stride. That kept me going. Then I came across this book, Prominent Sikhs of India, by Dr Prabhleen Singh. It had stories of a few prominent Sikhs who’ve done a great service for humanity, especially in 1984,” shares Bhardwaj.

He began to question what drives people, who have seen the darker side of humanity, to serve others selflessly. “What made them go against all odds and serve humanity? I thought this was a gesture that needed to be talked about.”

After four years of research, the show found its final push with Bhatt’s entry. Having known him for long, Bhardwaj was familiar with the auteur’s generosity. “He is someone who doesn’t want to hog the limelight but believes in giving space and light to somebody who seeks it.”

Vinay Bhardwaj says getting Mahesh Bhatt on board was accidental. “When I went to buy the book’s rights, I requested Bhatt saab to call the [author in advance] to convince them of their cause. The call opened those people up and they spoke their hearts out to them. We couldn’t have anyone better than him to host the show.”

It’s not every day that Mahesh Bhatt hosts a chat show. Then again, it’s not every day that an urgent show comes his way. Within seconds of getting on a call, the filmmaker, succinctly yet philosophically, explained what drew him to the SonyLIV show. “When the house is on fire, you don’t debate; you bring water. Pehchaan is that water, because you know where the world is right now,” he stated.

Directed by Suhrita Das and produced by Vinay Bhardwaj, the unscripted series features Bhatt in conversation with 13 individuals from the Sikh community, who dedicated their lives to seva. To the host, it’s notable that the chat show’s subjects don’t preach their truth, but practice it.

“They have drawn strength from their faith and translated it into action. We’re becoming a sound-byte society and we think we can solve the world’s problems just by talking, tweeting, or putting our ideas on Instagram. These individuals [on the show] are unsung and not seeking accolades. Today, when division is growing by the hour, Pehchaan speaks about connection.”

According to him, artistes must focus on building connection in today’s times of hate and division. “Any narrative that makes you look at your fellow human being again and listen to him/her and see him/her as a living, throbbing human being who has got his/her hidden wounds is what every filmmaker and storyteller actually should (tell). Stories should give you insights into [another human’s] complexities and the turbulence of life. It’s supposed to glue people together. Filmmakers can use a story as a weapon or as a way to stitch,” he said. 

Referring to Pehchaan, Bhatt said that stories have the power to bring one close to the “saviour” within them.

“So many of the Sikhs were wounded in 1984. But they didn't wear that wound or used it to separate themselves from the stream of life. They, in fact, more vigorously got engaged with life. That is the reason I am so passionate about Pehchaan because in the terrible times that we live in, anything that can through our audio visual bring a human being close to his own heart (is needed), because there's a saviour in every human being. And it's only through stories and encounters like this, that you wake them up to that saviour inside. Only when a story makes you touch that inner gold that everybody has been gifted, even the person that you resent, detest and disagree with, you have no other choice but to look at him as a reflection of what is called the Almighty. And I think if Pehchaan makes you look at your people, your next door person or your neighbour, in a different way, it will succeed. That will be far more important than the TRPs it generates.”

When asked if stories on screen, today, are “stitching” people together, he rued, “I don’t think so. The entertainment world and media have done the opposite. They are pushing people away from each other, by the hour. In fact, anybody who talks about gluing people together is looked as a person who has utopian ideas, an idealist or belongs to a time which is regressive.”

Playing a warrior queen in a big-budget action extravaganza is an opportunity that rarely comes in an actor’s life. Naturally then, Madhoo is delighted to be part of Kannappa that sees Vishnu Manchu play the titular role, and has cameos by Mohanlal, Prabhas and Akshay Kumar. Madhoo essays the role of Queen Pannaga, a fierce warrior queen. “My character leads her [all-women] army in their fight against the other clans. I had to do war scenes for the first time,” says the senior actor.

Director Mukesh Kumar Singh’s multi-lingual offering is based on the legend of Kannappa, a devotee of Lord Shiva. Shooting for the war sequences was a demanding experience, says Madhoo.

“Since I am slender, on the first day, the [makers] wondered, ‘How will this delicate woman look like a strong warrior?’ I didn’t have a fight master to train me nor did I have any workshops, so I trained myself. The stunts were like choreographed dance steps shown to me 10 minutes before my scene, and I could pull them off because I work out every day.”

Madhoo, who forayed into Bollywood with Phool Aur Kaante (1991), is enjoying the current phase of her career more than ever. Reason? She explains, “In my new innings, producers don’t come to me with soft roles. My characters are strong. In the old days, be it Roja [1992] or Pehchaan [1993], my roles had a softness in the beginning, but became strong eventually. Now, people are seeing me in a different light.”