For Vishal Bhardwaj, music is as much about the stories behind a song as it is about the act of singing it. At a recent intimate baithak of music and conversations in Delhi, he opened up about a chapter of nostalgia. From recalling his collaborations with Gulzar to discussing the influence of poet Bashir Badr, the filmmaker, composer and lyricist offered insights into the ideas, words and emotions that shape his music. Seated across from him in the front row, Rekha Bhardwaj listened to his songs from the audience. Excerpts:

Vishal Bhardwaj is an alumnus of Hindu College. He shared that back then, the tradition of mehfil was very much alive, where the great artistes of that era would sit together and perform. Over time, the distance between the performer and the listener kept growing, and we forgot that tradition. Talking about the concept of a baithak, he said, “Jab audience ko achha lag raha hai toh pata chalta hai, jab achha nahi lagta hai toh pata chal jata hai, toh ye bahut khoobsurat hai.”

Bhardwaj would often stop singing to explain the nuances of the lyrics and the origins of a song. Before singing Pehli Baar Mohabbat from Kaminey (2009), he said, “Gulzar sahab ne separation sunn ke ye line di thi – pehli baar mohabbat ki hai, aakhiri baar mohabbat ki hai. Bahut hi khoobsurat line hai. Waise pata nahi aakhiri baar mohabbat hoti hai ya nahi. Pehli baar toh zaroor hoti hai.”

He recalled that after recording the song Raat Ke Dhai Baje, he felt its soul was demanding something else. He then recorded another version of the song.

Two poets who have left a deep impression on the country, Bashir Badr and Gulzar, kept coming up in Bhardwaj’s anecdotes. Both are immensely close to him.

“Bashir Badr sahab mere ustad rahe hain aur woh kehte thay ki ghazal jo hoti hai woh contemporary hoti chali jaati hai, aur uska maza bhi tabhi hota hai jab rozmarra ki jo bhasha hai woh usmein use ho. Uska connection tab banta hai. Koshish ye hai ki rozmarra ki baatein ismein ho.”

He then sang songs that had references to live location, Gmail and Google Maps. As always, he left the gathering in awe when he sang, “Pyaar mein itni bhi khamoshi theek nahi, gussa ho toh emoji mein bolo na.”

Bhardwaj had composed a song based on a sher by the poet Farhat Ehsas for the audience. He spoke about discovering the poet in Lucknow, and recalled a sher his friend had recited and said, “Hum log ke umr mein pahunchne ke baad bahut doctors ko consult karte hain. Toh woh tha – ‘Ilaaj apna karate fir rahe ho jaane kis-kis se. Mohabbat karke dekho na, mohabbat kyun nahi karte?’”

When he ended the evening on a high note with Chappa Chappa Charkha Chale, requests written on chits began arriving one after another. As the requests kept coming, Bhardwaj said, “Mujhe toh lag raha tha maine aap logon ko phansa ke rakha hai!”

Three years ago, Vishal and Rekha performed live together. Back then, they spoke of how sharing the stage had been a dream for years. Since then, the two have performed together a couple of times. However, at Ibtida-Ek Mehfil, the spotlight was on Vishal, the singer, as Rekha sat in the audience listening to him. The stories he narrated drew from his many worlds, while an attentive audience listened, hanging on to his every word.

He began the evening with the ghazal Jaana tumko jaana ho toh mat aana from Khufiya (2023) and said, “Rekha sang this ghazal. I’m very happy that Rekha is late. She is going to be sitting in the audience today. Mujhe bhi aisa mauka kabhi kabhi milta hai jab main gaa raha hoon aur woh sunein. Usually, ulta hi hota hai. Obviously, hona bhi chahiye. Rekha bahut hi zyada achhi singer hai. Main uske aas-paas bhi nahi hoon. Par ab Rekha nahi hai toh aur bhi mauka banta hai sunane ka.”

Sharing a joke, he said, “Gaana Rekha ko hota hai aur gaa main raha hoon.” Later in the evening, when he invited Rekha on stage, she told the audience that Vishal had been doing more riyaaz than her these days. Vishal added, “Rekha meri guru hai.”

Bhardwaj said the evening reminded him of the old times Gulzar wrote about in the song Dil Dhoondta Hai. He said,

“Ghalib ka unhone ek sher leke usko aisa khola ki ‘Dil Dhoondta Hai phir wohi fursat ke raat din’. Ki woh jo waqt hai na, ki kuch nahi hai karne ke liye, aap apni jagah ke tasavvur mein bas baithe hue hain. Woh dil dhoondta hai. Zindagi mein jab hamare ambitions, humari greed humein itna uljha dete hain, hum wohi lamhein yaad karne ke liye gaane sunte hain. Wohi lamhe yaad karne ke liye hum aisi mehfilon mein saath mein milte hain.”

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“Ye experience mere liye itna zyada maayne rakhta hai ki main iss mental state mein kabhi-kabhi jaata hoon – jaise ki apne drawing room mein baithe hain.”

By 4 pm on Gandhi Jayanti, Mumbai’s Shivaji Park had become a cross-section of the city, with college students alongside senior citizens, Gen Z protesters alongside activists and families, and cultural veterans joining CJP’s protest seeking the CEC’s resignation. Among them were Bollywood names, including Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj, Hansal Mehta, Vishal Dadlani, Shashank Arora and activist Tushar Gandhi.

For some, showing up was simply about lending their support. “I don’t know whether anything has happened to anyone. I have come here only to extend my support,” said Vishal Bhardwaj, stressing that turning up was a personal choice.

“Whether Bollywood should also support this issue is an individual and personal matter. I am a part of Bollywood, but other people may feel that bigger stars should come forward. It is an individual choice. If someone feels that what is happening is wrong, they have come out in support. If they don’t feel that way, they may choose not to.”

This is a question of our democracy. It is a question of our rights. It is a question of our voice. We have been told since childhood to cast our votes, claim our rights, and raise our voices. But when our fundamental right is snatched away or manipulated, what is a person supposed to do? Naturally, they will protest, and this ‘people’s power’ is unstoppable now

As with Shakun Batra, director Kiran Rao made her first short film, in her early 20s, at film school (Jamia, in Delhi) that, she recalls, was about a 31-year-old’s birthday gone south, because of a husband, who doesn’t care. Her short film debut in Netflix’s Lust Stories 3 — as with most shorts — would be hard to describe, without a spoiler, though. 

Suffice it to state that it’s a play on Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, but rather serious. Shakun’s, on the other hand, with Ali Fazal, Radhikka Madan, felt to me as a running narrative on the addictive nature of ‘break-up sex’. Shakun disagrees, but adds, that could make for a fine elevator pitch! 

Three of the four directors on the threequel of the Emmy-nominated Netflix franchise, competently produced by Ashi Dua, are men — while the anthology, looking at relationships through the prism of sex alone, for the most part, seems entirely from the women’s PoV.

Take Vikramaditya Motwane’s opening comedy (starring Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma) on couple-swap. The best bit that actor Vijay Varma gets in it is that his character experiences trauma from whisky + ghazal, because they remind him of his alcoholic dad. Hilarious!

The filmmakers, on the other roster, direct features, otherwise. Vishal Bhardwaj, who’s filmed several shorts in the past, says he finds the medium hugely liberating: “The commitment involved isn’t as long. And you have the opportunity to say something crisply, with design and craft.”

Which is precisely what Vishal does, transporting his plot to 1980s Hyderabad — about an anonymous, Urdu writer of smut (Aditi Rao Hydari), whose fantasies, chiefly imagining her husband (Siddharth) soar over her everyday married life. 

What did you think of the said short films? My favourite was Vishal’s, while enough people have told me they loved Vikramaditya’s or Kiran’s more. An online survey on my social media handle rates Shakun’s, by far, the best. The comparisons are immaterial. What matters is, if the anthology works as a whole. It sure does. 

In ‘Lust Stories’ (2018), filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar came together to tell four distinct stories exploring desire and relationships. In ‘Lust Stories 2’ (2023), R Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh, and Amit Ravindernath Sharma gave their takes on desire

Kiran Rao: When you see someone, you’re attracted to, is that lust? The curiosity about a person you want to be with, or know more about, does that start from love, or something chemical? Lust can be the starting point. Could it be the ending point too? 

Absolutely. Also, what makes a person sensually attractive, often, is the conversation, their humour. You [could] find a person sexy, because of their smile; not necessarily for how they look with their shirt off. It’s hard to distinguish. But I do think love comes after knowing a person, including their flaws.

Everyone must watch (Belgian psychotherapist) Esther Perel, when she talks about how to keep the spark in a marriage alive. One of the things missing, once you’ve been married for long, is you know the person too well. 

Mystery’s gone. There’s no chase. Why is it that people are interested in extramarital affairs? Because there’s something unknown. There’s potential of knowing someone. Therefore, to keep lust alive in a marriage is always work. 

Vikramaditya Motwane: I didn’t do a deep-dive. My research was, I asked my ADs (assistant directors), do you follow K-dramas? Yes. So as long as they are K-drama fans, I’m gonna trust them to surprise me, and let me be. 

Netflix did get me in touch with people in Korea. We had a couple of conversations, where I said this is what we are trying to do, and if it’s kosher. They kinda told me, where it would land in the Korean landscape, and what my title [sequence] should be. The actors are [actually] from Korea. One of them is in Bombay right now. The other is a professional actor living in Delhi!

Shakun Batra: I was [actually] going through a relationship, when we weren’t able to communicate, and sex was filling up the gap. I started reading about how bodies tend to communicate. They’re very primitive. The body needs closure too.

Without giving away spoilers, these two people [in the film, Ali, Radhikka] haven’t addressed some of the grief part of their marriage. The sex then is still trying to keep them together, right? It happens with most relationships. Your heart and mind may say this relationship’s over. But bodies still, sometimes, tend to continue. And why’s that? For me, that is very exciting.

Vishal Bhardwaj: Gulzar Saab is a master. Even Beedi Jalai Le, if you read minutely, is about adultery. When he says, Itni Sardi Hai Kisi Ka Lihaaf Lele, Ja Padosi Ke Chulhe Se Aag Lele — he means the neighbour’s wife. That was the theme for Omkara, so lusty; and that’s how involved he gets in the script. Namak Ishq Ka was originally written as the antara of Beedi Jalai Le.

I drifted from that metre, while composing the tune. But I usually have 50-60 chhilke (shells), or rejected lines of Gulzar Saab, lying around, which I saw in my notebook, when making the new song. I picked up this line, where he writes, Zubaan Pe Lage Namak Ishq Ka Toh Duniya Savaadi Lage… which became Balam Se Maanga Maanga Re, Namak Ishq Ka… and then the final version.

Social media is filled with opinions and outrage over women — sometimes about her dressing choice, other times about her postpartum body. Such instances made creator-producer Ashi Dua wonder how Lust Stories 3, an anthology centred on female desire, would be received.

“We have to think 10 times before we put anything out there. The idea is not to offend anybody’s sensibilities, but to stay authentic to the reality. What’s unfortunate is that people get offended about reality,” she told mid-day over a call.

For Dua, however, the intention has never been to provoke for the sake of provocation. Instead, it is to tell meaningful stories sensitively. That sensitivity, she believes, begins with choosing filmmakers who understand what the Netflix franchise aims to do with female desire. This time, she has roped in Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, and Shakun Batra.

“‘Come watch my film because I have explicit things happening’ is never the idea. We want people to watch the stories because they are engaging, entertaining, and saying something. I’ve had the opportunity to work with great minds whom you can trust to take care of the subject in the most sensitive manner.”

Over its three instalments, Dua has also noticed an interesting pattern — that female directors, including Zoya Akhtar, Konkona Sensharma, and now Rao, not only tell women’s stories authentically, but also shape unique men.

“The way they write and portray men is beautiful. For instance, the way they will show a man reacting to a certain situation, or how a woman wants to be felt — only a woman can write that. They write about men they want to be with, or watch. You possibly won’t find a male [director] depicting a man like that.”

- Vishal Bhardwaj’s short is led by Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth

- Kiran Rao’s story is fronted by Gurfateh Pirzada and Sana Thampi

- Shakun Batra has cast Ali Fazal and Radhikka Madan in his film

- Vikramaditya Motwane’s film stars Radhika Apte, Vijay Varma, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Abhishek Banerjee

Murali Sharma has spent over two decades slipping into vastly different characters across Hindi and South cinema. Now, as he makes his OTT debut with Super Subbu, he says the size of a role has never mattered as much as what he can bring to it.

“I only look at how much I can contribute to a character. I’ve never gone by the length of a role. I’ve been fortunate to play different roles. People call me the quintessential father in Telugu cinema, but I’ve never worried about being typecast. Every role deserves your absolute best.”

Sharma recalls that recognition didn’t come overnight. “My friends had something called the ‘Spot Murli Contest’ because I’d usually be standing behind the villain or a minister in a safari suit,” he laughs. He says things changed after Maqbool and Main Hoon Na released in 2004.

“I’m grateful to Vishal Bhardwaj and Farah Khan. Those films changed everything. I still remember a group of college students recognizing me at a theatre in Vashi. It was a thrilling moment,” he says.

Talking about what attracted him to his character Kukuteshwar Rao or Kuku, in Super Subbu, he says, “I loved the way he walks, talks and carries himself. He’s irritating, yet interesting enough to keep you watching. I enjoy creating those little details. I wanted my OTT debut to be special. There were offers before, but I’m glad I waited because Super Subbu felt right.”

At 18, when Pankaj Kapur shared his desire to pursue a career in acting, his father asked him if it was the glamour that he found attractive or if he truly had the ability to act. To find the answer, Kapur decided to join the National School of Drama. When he was leaving home to join NSD, his father, an English professor, told him — ‘Now, don’t look back.’ Kapur didn’t. In a career spanning five decades, the actor has excelled in different genres. During a recent interaction in Nagpur, the actor reflected on his journey in showbiz, recalled his NSD days and more.

The conversation steered towards Kapur’s powerful screen performances and it would have been incomplete without the mention of Abbaji in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool. Interestingly, Kapur was initially hesitant to play the character.

“When Vishal Bhardwaj approached me with the role, I wasn’t sure of doing it. But he was insistent. So, I asked him to leave the script with me and said I would get back within a month. Eventually, I agreed,” said Kapur, adding, “I later got to know that Bhardwaj had offered the role to Naseeruddin Shah first, but he was interested in playing another character and suggested my name instead. Multiple meetings and discussions helped shape Abbaji’s character more effectively. For example, I had suggested to Vishal that Abbaji, who is short in height, be surrounded by tall, well-built bodyguards. The thought was that it will subtly reflect Abbaji’s authority and power,” said Kapur, who featured in the film with Irrfan and Tabu.

As Kapur spoke about his NSD days, there was a palpable happiness in his voice. “All the people who enter the world of acting hold Konstantin Stanislavski’s name in very high regard. In my first year, I went to the NSD library and took out Stanislavski’s An Actor Prepares,” Kapur recalled, adding, “Coincidentally, the then director of the institute, Ebrahim Alkazi, was walking in front of me. To impress him, I held the book up. He looked at me and asked which book I had taken and I, proudly, said, ‘Sir, I took out An Actor Prepares.’ To my surprise, he asked me to keep the book back on the rack.”

Kapur asked him why and Alkazi’s response changed his perspective. “He told me that Stanislavski wrote this book after 40 years of theatre experience and gave the world the concept of method acting. He told me, ‘You have to make your own way first. Once you achieve that, you can read this book’. Believe me, it’s been 50 years since I passed out of NSD and I have still not read the book. I am very grateful to Alkazi sahab for giving me a chance to discover my own world,” Kapur shared. 

Kapur, who played the builder Tarneja in Kundan Shah’s cult comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, says that many have thought of remaking the film, but no one has till date. “I think such films are made only once in a lifetime. Many have contributed significantly to the film, but Kundan Shah’s name comes first in that list. It was commendable for him to think, write, and then execute with so much hard work and little money. It’s a film which will stay with the audiences for a long time to come,” Kapur shared. 

Appreciating his son Shahid Kapoor’s professional moves, Kapur who has directed him in Mausam, said, “It is not easy to direct him because he is a huge star and a fine artiste. I would like to say that he is the best actor in his age group. The kind of characters he is picking need a lot of courage considering the fact that he is a star. He is constantly finding his way, which is a sign of growth for an actor.”

As 7 Khoon Maaf completes 15 years on February 18, actor Vivaan Shah, who made his debut with 7 Khoon Maaf, looks back at the film that shaped his understanding of cinema and confirmed his decision to become an actor.

With the distance of time, Vivaan places the film within a wider literary and cinematic tradition. He says, “I see 7 Khoon Maaf as part of a kind of Gothic trilogy by Vishal ji, which includes Maqbool and Haider. All three films contain elements of the Gothic and the macabre in the architecture, the aesthetics, and the emotional landscapes of the stories.”

He says, “Even Omkara and Kaminey carry shades of rural and urban Gothic respectively. 7 Khoon Maaf, Maqbool and Haider also hint at earlier classical literary influences such as Dante and Marlowe, who must have influenced Shakespeare himself. There is even a touch of Indian Gothic of the kind associated with Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto.”

Joining director Vishal Bhardwaj’s set at 19 proved to be a turning point. He says, “Working with Vishal ji was a dream come true. I had been a fan of his from a very early age. I never wanted to be a professional actor, but when this opportunity came my way, I plunged into it even before I had made up my mind.”

The experience led to an epiphany. He says, “On the sets of 7 Khoon Maaf, I decided that I was going to dedicate myself full-time to this profession. I learned an extraordinary amount, including language, speech, diction, tone, cinematic vocabulary, and the art of acting itself. Working with Vishal ji was like a masterclass, almost like film school. He is our Stanley Kubrick. The more you watch his films, the more you learn.”

The film demanded that Vivaan portray the passage of time, a challenge that went beyond prosthetics. He says, “We had an extraordinary prosthetics team from America, which helped immensely, but it was still a challenge from an acting standpoint. Watching Priyanka Chopra do this was one of the most illuminating experiences of my life.”

He says, “I have immense gratitude towards Priyanka for how kind, patient, and helpful she was. I was young, lost, and a novice, but she guided me through an extraordinarily complex character and story. She is one of the greatest actresses and human beings I know.”

Reflecting on her performance, he says, “She gave one of the most mind-blowing performances ever. It was almost like a Sunset Boulevard, Greta Garbo kind of performance. She has the grandeur of cinema icons like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.”

Fifteen years on, Vivaan believes the film’s politics remain relevant. He says, “Great works of art remain immutable with time. 7 Khoon Maaf is extraordinarily progressive and forward-thinking. It is a punk-rock feminist film.”

Actor Shahid Kapoor has played brooding men before, but as O'Romeo releases today, he appears surprisingly at ease. Calm, measured, almost detached from the chaos his character brings to screen. Excerpts...

In spirit, I would say yes to the latter! But from a professional POV, no. I don’t think any artist can give themselves to something unless they connect with it. When the connection is not there, there is always something missing in the product. In O'Romeo, of course it’s the titular part; I play Ustraa. And with Vishal Bhardwaj, it’s always a world that he creates. Ustraa’s attitude is that of Romeo. If, as creative people, you don’t connect, it is wrong for you to do the film. If you won’t be honest, it is unfair for everybody else. I very much connected with this film. I had one preset in my head before I met him, and I was very clear that at this stage in my career, I don’t want to do a film that is too experimental or a film meant for a smaller, intellectual audience and not for a wider audience, who have a simpler mindset and whose approach to filmmaking is that they go to theatres to get entertained. There’s the cinema you love and the cinema that people love. The whole endeavour has been for years to find a Ganga-Jamuna moment between them, to meet a middle ground. This film is an attempt at achieving that; it’s meant for an intelligent audience but also very much like a typical, mass audience.

He has never chased trends, only trusted his own timing. From romance to rage, from comedy to drama, he has built a career on instinct and reinvention. Now in his 40s, he is calmer, more centred, shaped by fatherhood and a sharper understanding of self and cinema.

On the next episode of Rustomjee presents Bombay Times Lounge, Shahid Kapoor speaks with depth and candour – mapping his own journey, his relationship with self-critique, the curveballs life throws at us and what it means to be ahead of the curve. As he reunites with Vishal Bhardwaj for the fourth time in O'Romeo – a partnership that has always created magic – Shahid steps into a gangster’s world on screen, even as off-screen, he seems more at ease with himself than ever before. Here’s a sneak peek into the conversation – with the full episode coming soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel. The promo drops today.

Talking about why he never compared his journey in films with his contemporaries, Shahid says, “Everyone’s journey is different; someone starts right next to the finish line because that’s what destiny gave them, and somebody starts like 200 meters before the start line. You start counting your meters from the place you started. You see your own journey and merit yourself with that. You can’t get so affected by what other people have achieved.”

Speaking about how social media is impacting actors’ skill set, he shares, “We used to learn acting in a film theatre, now people are learning acting by looking at their phones. You know there’s a fundamental difference in the way you view a movie on your phone and on the big screen. Sitting in a theatre, seeing a story being told and having a social experience with so many people around you – there is a huge difference. I think a lot of new-age actors need to go to the theatres; they need to watch purana cinema. They need to go to smaller towns to understand our country. What happens is, globalisation ke saath... duniya ka sab kuch pata hai, lekin rootedness nahin hai, and rooted emotions come from these experiences. Actors really need to think about that… get off social media, go discover the world, experience reality and then get back on it.”

Speaking about his creative bonding with Bhardwaj, the actor shares, "The funniest thing is that, even though Vishal (Bhardwaj) and I are collaborating after seven or eight years, for O'Romeo, it didn’t feel any different than it was before. It felt like a very natural flow of things. Of course, I can sense that he has also evolved, and I am also at a different stage of my career, but we’ve always had an unsaid creative understanding."

Reflecting on how fatherhood had shaped his perspective, on life and career, Shahid says, “Parenthood has changed me completely. I was just dying to be a papa. I wanted it so badly, and I was consumed by it. Now that my daughter’s nine and my son is seven, I’ve started thinking about myself much more. Till about a year back, I was just very absorbed with them. I am turning 45 very soon, and these are very important years in my career. This is a young person’s job, and to stay relevant for the newer generation, you have to really grow, evolve and adapt. Sometimes these roles that life gives you are so much bigger than any of these things. As a parent, you want to be the best version of yourself. I’m pretty obsessed with my kids, and it’s been amazing.”

On charting his own path, Shahid says, "There are three places you can be in your career: You can be ahead of the curve, you can be right at the curve, or you can be behind the curve. The one place I don’t want to be is behind the curve. And if you’re trying to do something that has already been done because it was successful, rest assured, you’re behind the curve. We have to learn to define our own pace. Puri zindagi nikaal doge sochne mein ki yeh trend hai, woh trend hai, toh maza nahin aayega. You can fail, but be original."

The Haider actor says if one wants to hone their craft, they have to be critical of their work. He adds, "I’ve learnt not to let negative chatter affect me in my head. I’ve worked very hard on myself to differentiate between what is critical and what is objective. And what is getting over critical and negative – there is a thin line there. To get better at what you do, you have to be critical, and if you get so affected by self-critique, then you’re not strong enough and you won’t progress."

Watch out for the full episode of the Rustomjee presents Bombay Times Lounge with Shahid Kapoor, coming soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel

Title Sponsor: Rustomjee

Shot at Parishram by Rustomjee, Pali Hill, Bandra, Mumbai

“Youngsters want instant success,” shares Rekha Bhardwaj, emphasising how even if a film includes a ghazal today, it’s often just to create an instant hit. At the recently concluded ghazal festival Khazana in the city, the singer spoke about the power of live performances, how ghazals have evolved and why they must be treated with reverence. Excerpts:

Rekha, who has lent her voice to songs like Phir Le Aaya Dil, Kabira and Genda Phool, among others, points out how the pursuit of virality creates pressure. She elaborates, “Youngsters want instant gratification, instant success and instant appreciation... toh focus change hota hai. Even if they include ghazals in a film, they will only do so to ensure it becomes a hit. Ek ajeeb sa pressure hai ki gaana hit hona chahiye. Phir toh mushkil hai. There are filmmakers who have used a certain Sufi ghazal in their film, but it’s actually an item song. Why don’t they call it what it is? If you are making an actress do belly dance on a ghazal, then you should call it an item song.”

While she dislikes the idea of using the term ‘ghazal’ loosely, she doesn’t entirely condemn item songs. She explains, “It’s not wrong to have an item song because it’s part of our culture — nautanki, kothe pe gaana bajana, it’s all part of our culture. Let’s take pride in that. There’s nothing wrong with having such songs if the situation calls for it in the film.”

Rekha feels that what sets ghazals apart is their emotional core. “Ghazal ek poetry hai jise hum melody ke through express kartein hain. It’s a facet of love, romance, longing and shringaar ras. Ghazals are eternal. The best thing is that youngsters are taking up this form, more in the interiors than the metros. But this genre needs more exposure.”

The singer believes that there has been a generational shift in creative focus in movies and music. She says, “Yes, there aren’t many ghazals in film albums, but there are composers like Pritam, Vishal (Bhardwaj), who do include ghazals in their films. The only thing is that aaj kal ghazalon ka, qawaaliyon ka, rang badal raha hai, and ab aesthetics ke hisab se hota hai.”

She adds, “Youngsters apne exposure ke hisab se hi ghazal banayenge. If you take Urdu words from Google and put them in a ghazal, woh toh kam hi padega na.”

Animal (2023) might have catapulted Triptii Dimri to mainstream popularity, but it is in films like Dhadak 2 that she feels at ease. Through the story of two lovers, portrayed by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Dimri, Shazia Iqbal’s directorial venture takes a hard look at casteism prevalent in the country. In a way, it is along the lines of Dimri’s early movies Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022) — each a piece of art that also has a social message. Does she find it hard to strike a balance between these and mainstream films, especially since she hails from a non-industry background?

“You have to not think about it too much because then you will take away from the story,” she starts. “There is always a reason behind saying yes to a project. Most of the time the reason is not that the film will have a good box-office run, or that it will get a lot of eyeballs. It is because the character excites you. As outsiders, you don’t get opportunities again and again. Today we have this film, tomorrow we’ll have another, but after that, you have to work hard for the next because if you go wrong twice with your films, you are gone. That is the reality. So, you have to have full faith in the story and your characters, and keep the peripheral noise out of the window.”

What made her say yes to Dhadak 2 was her character and the film’s messaging. Working with Iqbal turned out to be the cherry on the top. “For me, she is Vidhi [her character]. She is not afraid to speak her truth. There is so much to learn from her because she makes you feel empowered,” says Dimri.

The actor believes that knowing Iqbal has changed her perspective. “I have been an introvert. I have seen and faced things, and not raised my voice against them. For 30 years of my life, I have kept quiet about so many things. I never had the guts to tell people that it’s wrong. I told Shazia that I want to be like Vidhi; that by the end of this film, I should have the courage to speak my truth without being scared of anyone or the outcome. Now, I do stand up for the right things. This film made me open up a lot more,” she shares.

In her kitty, Triptii Dimri has highly anticipated films, including Vishal Bhardwaj’s next with Shahid Kapoor, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit opposite Prabhas. Working with Bhardwaj has been “life-changing”. She says, “There are movies that push you to grow. This has been one such experience that helped me re-mould myself.”

Over the past few weeks, rumours have been rife that the shoot of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Arjun Ustara has halted, sparking speculation about the fate of the project. However, a bit of digging has revealed that the chatter is baseless. mid-day has learnt that work on the Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri-starrer is progressing as per schedule, with the shoot underway in Bandra, Mumbai.

“The cast and crew are filming daily. There is absolutely no question of the shoot being stalled,” says a source from the unit.

So, what exactly sparked rumours that the gangster film’s shoot had ground to a halt? The postponement of a special song perhaps, indicate insiders. It turns out a special dance number was to be shot in early April.

“The shoot was deferred as the dancers we wanted weren’t available, and the song’s look and vibe weren’t working out at that point. That shoot has been rescheduled,” adds the source.

Bhardwaj took Arjun Ustara, also starring Randeep Hooda, on floors in January 2025. Since then, the actioner has been constantly in production, barring a two-week gap that preceded the ongoing schedule. 

Another insider notes, “There was a two-week break before the latest schedule began in the last week of April. The song was supposed to be shot during that time, but had to be held up. That may have led to these rumours. But everything else is moving as planned. In June, we have a long schedule in Europe, starting with Georgia.”

The project is expected to be wrapped up by June-end.

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's eyes light up at the mention of Arjun Ustara, the period drama he is currently shooting. While he had initially planned the movie with the late Irrfan Khan, Shahid Kapoor has now stepped into the role, marking the actor-director’s fourth collaboration after Kaminey (2009), Haider (2014) and Rangoon (2017).

“Both of us are excited to come back together. The shooting has been terrific,” says Bhardwaj. The director is equally impressed by Triptii Dimri in their maiden collaboration. “Triptii is so lovely, and such a fine actor. This is the first time I’m working with Nana Patekar and I’ve been thinking, ‘Why did I not work with him before?’”

Bhardwaj is also the composer on his films. He notes a renewed interest in the value that music brings to a movie today, saying, “There was a time when a film became a hit with a hit song. Then no matter how hit the songs were, a film didn’t work if it wasn’t good. Now, again, a film will work if the songs are a hit. Tauba Tauba [Bad Newz , 2024] is cited as an example where the song and step worked, so the film worked. I don’t know if that’s true.”

“This should’ve been thought of earlier,” says filmmaker-composer Vishal Bhardwaj. But it’s never too late for positive change. On February 27, Bhardwaj, president of the Music Composers Association of India (MCAI), led the change as he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Screenwriters Association (SWA) that represents lyricists. The landmark agreement establishes composers and lyricists as equal authors of songs, and is designed to ensure fair credit and contracts for both parties.

The MoU proposes that lyricists and composers will be deemed “primary artistes”. This will serve as the artistes’ foundation for negotiations with producers and music labels. Bhardwaj tells mid-day that over the past year, the MCAI and SWA have been formulating the MoU, keeping in mind the challenges of composers and lyricists.

He hails the move, stating, “It’s a commendable development. Both parties are progressive. It took almost one year, as they brainstormed so that the point of view and challenges of both parties could be captured. Seventy years passed, and we hadn’t thought that we should come together for this. We unite to make songs. So, why not come together to fight? Each is incomplete without the other. If a song is a hit, it’s never only because of the tune or only for the words.” 

A crucial consequence of equal authorship is fair credit. While lyricists are often not credited on a film’s publicity material or audio-streaming platforms, the MoU mandates fair creative practices. 

Lyricist Raj Shekhar, who has penned songs for Deva and Animal (2023), states, “The MoU is the first step in ensuring fair credit. If on the publicity material of a film, HoDs are mentioned, composers and lyricists’ names will be mentioned as well. We’ve been talking to streaming platforms, and there are missing credits of a lot of artistes. I can reach out to [them] regarding the lack of my credit, but who will talk on behalf of Shailendra and Sahir Ludhianvi, who are no more? Their credits are missing, as are those of SD Burman and Madan Mohan. This needs to be changed.”

The agreement also mentions that a composer and lyricist will have separate contracts with a film’s producer to establish independence of the artistes. With the exception of certain leading lyricists, the practice so far was that a film’s composer would choose a lyricist, and act as the intermediary between the producer and them.

Shekhar elaborates, “Now, there will be no middle-men. Lyricists and composers will be treated as individual entities. A lot of composers are happy with this because they would feel an unnecessary doubt [looming] on them regarding transparency of fee.”

Looking ahead, Bhardwaj wants the two associations to fight for their moral rights. “Our derivatives are stolen from us; our composition or words are mutilated later. For instance, Goli maar bheje mein has been remixed [for Crazxy], and I couldn’t do anything about it. We aren’t even consulted on our song. We need to raise this issue so that the moral rights [rest with us],” he urges.

Hussain Haidry, who has penned songs for Sherni (2021), says lyricists are feeling “a sense of relief” with the MoU. He is happy that composers and lyricists, as primary artistes, will have ownership over their creations, and hence, greater freedom.

He explains, “The ownership of lyrics will reside with the lyricist, and that of the tune with the composer. But the ownership of the song recording would rest with the producer, who facilitated the recording. So, if a music director doesn’t like my lyrics, he can sell his tune to someone else. Similarly, I can sell my lyrics to someone else after getting consent from him/her. But the composite of the two, which has been produced by someone, cannot be sold by the lyricist or music director alone.”

Filmmaker Anurag Basu’s battle with blood cancer started in 2004, when he was told he only has a few weeks left to live.

On World Cancer Day today, the 54-year-old shares how he gave himself ‘targets’ to achieve on his way to recovery: “It started with me wanting to see my unborn daughter’s face when my wife Tani was pregnant. Then it was to walk and touch a stool in the room.”

Anurag emphasizes that awareness is of utmost importance. “Even today, when someone in the family is diagnosed with it, we try to hide it, and not tell others. Jab tak aware nahin karenge, tab tak early diagnosis bhi nahin hoga,” he says, adding, “Life doesn’t get over if you are diagnosed with cancer. You should treat it like common cold... Isiliye main apne cancer ke baare mein khulke bolta hoon.”

Anurag Basu’s next starring Kartik Aaryan found itself in the middle of drama recently as rumours suggested that Triptii Dimri was removed from the film. There were reports that this was because ‘her image’ didn’t suit the role, after a string of bold roles.

Anurag clarifies to us, “Image was not the reason. I’m the last person to judge an actor on the basis of characters they play onscreen. Aashiqui was not even the story anymore... I don’t know the source of these stories.”

He cited dates as being the issue. “Triptii is shooting for a film with Vishal Bhardwaj, and my film goes on floors this month, too. Triptii is still my best friend,” he says, adding, “I don’t know what the film is called right now, the shoot starts this month. We haven’t finalized the female lead, it’ll be announced in a week.”

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When we get on a call with Triptii Dimri, she is finishing her look test for her next, a film on Hussain Ustara. A collaboration with director Vishal Bhardwaj seems like the perfect way to round off the successful year she has had. Following Animal’s (2023) wild success, the actor sealed her place in mainstream cinema in 2024 with Bad Newz, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video. It’s a change of pace for an actor who shone in Bulbbul (2020), but she asserts that one cannot undermine the love that mainstream films bring to an artiste.

“I’ve never planned a day in my career. If I go into a narration and connect with the story and character, I say yes. I never think twice if it is a big or small film. I never think, ‘I have done enough commercial films. Now, let me do a Qala [2022] or a Bulbbul.’ For instance, while shooting Bad Newz, we were enjoying ourselves so much that we never thought about whether it would make money,” Dimri says of the comedy that will première on Star Gold this week.

The one thing she cherishes about her success is that it allows her the freedom to fail. That’s something she doesn’t ever want to lose. She elaborates, “I want to do characters that freak me out. No one can predict what will work because the audience’s taste is changing. The biggest example is Laila Majnu [2018]. Six years after no one saw it in theatres, it re-released to packed halls this year. So, all I have is my instinct, and I go into a film with that. I consciously don’t attach a lot of worth to failure or success. I focus on box office as little as I can. Years later, what will stay with me is the experience. I want to be surrounded by passionate people.”

This search for passionate collaborators has landed the actor straight on the sets of a Bhardwaj film. “He was a director on my bucket list. I am fortunate I’ve always had directors who want to know what I am thinking, how I want to approach a character. Vishal sir is clear that he has written the story, but he wants to hear how I will bring it to life. I am a director’s actor,” she states, equally excited about teaming up with Shahid Kapoor for the first time.

“I’ve been a big admirer of his work. He has such a great command over his material. I’m so grateful for the film, this year and for all the good that has come!”

Celebrated Indian poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter and film director Gulzar has penned iconic children’s songs like Lakdi Ki Kaathi from Masoom (1983), Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai from The Jungle Book (1989) and Panga from Makdee (2002), the latter two composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Not many know that even the popular prayer Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena from Guddi (1971) was written by him. On the occasion of Children’s Day, in a chat at his Bandra bungalow, Gulzar spoke to us about some of his favourite works for children.

Gulzar explains that the idea behind the song was to portray what a young schoolgirl prays for and how she expresses her thoughts. He says, “Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena went on to become the morning prayer at many schools. Many people don’t know the lyrics were written by me. I was recently working with Shaad Ali (director) at the recording studio, and he mentioned that they used to sing Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena in school. He was taken by surprise when Shankar Mahadevan mentioned that the lyrics were written by me. If you speak from your heart, it reaches children. Back then, the great Indian poet Kedarnath Singh had told me, ‘Your work has gone beyond your name, which is a great thing.’”

Talking about how he develops the idea that connects with children, he cites the example of Lakdi Ki Kathi (Masoom), a song that has resonated with children across generations. “The idea came from the thought that if you make a child sit on a walking stick and call it a horse, they know it isn’t real, but they still enjoy the experience because of their imagination. It’s also important to use places that they are familiar with, for example, they have heard their parents speaking about visiting the sabzi mandi (vegetable market) or Mehrauli and so on. So, the song must have a familiar environment. Writing for children isn’t about getting the grammar right, it’s about throwing grammar out of the window and connecting with the child’s thought process. Children enjoy tongue twisters, what we give them in textbooks is boring.”

Recalling a controversy over the lyrics of another popular song, he shares, “NFDC had some objection to the lines, Jungle Jungle baat chali hai, pata chala hai, arre chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai (The Jungle Book, 1989). 

“I was told, ‘Gulzar saab ab aap poetry mein chaddi bhi le aayenge.’ There was a silly suggestion to replace the word chaddi with lungi. I asked them if Mowgli in The Jungle Book had put on anything else throughout the film? Ab chaddi ko kuch aur bolenge? Vishal Bhardwaj (music composer for The Jungle Book) has a knack for understanding children, he made films like Makdee and The Blue Umbrella, but didn’t find encouragement from the trade. Vishal himself is a little child for me.”

Gulzar shares, “Since the time I made Koshish in 1972, I have been working with physically challenged children. Every year these children come down from Bhopal and I walk with them at the Mumbai Marathon. These children feel so happy when they appear on television and that gives me immense joy, too. I wish to continue working with children till I’m alive.”

He says, "I wrote a poem on a crow during COVID-19, when death was surrounding us, ambulances were constantly passing by, people were wearing masks but this crow near my house, was busy building it’s nest. Hearing the little crows caw was so inspiring. I ended up writing 14 children’s poems that were published by my friend Sushil Shukla with illustrations by Allen Shaw."

Photo: Prathamesh Bandekar

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is looking forward to December when his yet-untitled next with Shahid Kapoor will go on floors. Sources tell us that Kapoor and leading lady Triptii Dimri have begun their prep for the action thriller that will apparently see the male lead portray a gangster modelled on Hussain Ustara, the don who had a fierce rivalry with Dawood Ibrahim.

A source reveals, “Shahid is undergoing intense combat training to match the demands of the action sequences. Equally important is understanding the mental make-up of a character like Ustara. Vishal sir, who is reuniting with the actor seven years after Rangoon [2017], has been guiding him as he delves deep into Ustara’s motivations, emotions, and mental battles. The gangster was a layered personality, defined by his ruthless exterior but driven by personal codes of loyalty and honour. Triptii, whose role hinges on revenge, has also begun her workshops. The two actors are prepping individually, and will kick off joint prep closer to the shoot.”

For years, Bhardwaj has been eager to bring Ustara’s life on celluloid. He had originally envisioned a biopic on Sapna Didi that would see the late Irrfan play Ustara to Deepika Padukone’s titular character. While that did not materialize, rumours earlier this year suggested that Kartik Aaryan was in talks with the director for the same subject. However, it looks like Bhardwaj has found his on-screen gangster in his Kaminey (2009) and Haider (2014) actor.