Mahesh Bhatt Remains Fearless

Mahesh Bhatt

Imran Zahid

Muntazer al Zayedi - the journalist who threw shoes at President Bush

Mahesh Bhatt is one of the bolder Indian filmmakers who has always been ahead of his times. I may not like all of his movies but I like the fact that he does not have a closed mind. He has also shown a lot of love and respect for Pakistan (unlike his son) and he seems to be passionate about the subjects he cover.

It has been said that this time round, Mahesh wants to make a movie on the civil war in Iraq and wants to meet the Iraqi journalist, Muntazer al Zayedi who threw a shoe on the great president Bush.

Mahesh wants to take his director, Arvind Gaur and the actor, Imran Zahid to the war-torn Iraq to meet Muntazer. He wants to make a documentary before shooting for the film. People are telling him that it is rather unsafe to go to Iraq. In fact, Muntazer has warned Bhatt that although he is welcome but the country is very unsafe. He wouldn't advise these guys to come there. Instead, he suggested that they should wait for him to come to India to discuss the entire matter.

Mahesh Bhatt is however firm in his beliefs. He said that the actor and director won't be able to do justice till they have the real taste of the blood soaked land. They must feel what it is like with their own eyes. He said that people warned him that Pakistan, Kashmir,Nagaland and Bastar are unsafe places too but he did go to these places as well.

They don't have the visas issued as yet but Mahesh Bhatt has put in a request at the highest level in the concerned Ministry. They will leave for Iraq as soon as the visas are issued.

Some critics feel he is going too far by risking the lives of his team members for the sake of art. Well, I guess till the world is going to stay, there will always be a few people like Mahesh Bhatt who will break the norms and do what they believe in and critics won't approve of them. I am impressed with his passion and his fearless conviction to feel and see the truth.