Filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar recently shared an intriguing anecdote about how he pitched Vaastav to Sanjay Dutt. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Manjrekar revealed that he drank two pegs of Bacardi before meeting the actor and jotted down the film’s key scenes on a restaurant’s notepad. However, upon reaching the set of Dushman, he noticed that Dutt seemed keen on avoiding him. The actor initially ignored Manjrekar, but as the filmmaker refused to leave, Dutt finally agreed to listen to his narration.
“Sanjay Dutt started abusing me”: Mahesh Manjrekar recalls pitching Vaastav after two Bacardis
The Struggle to Get Sanjay Dutt’s Attention
Manjrekar recalled that Dutt was with writer Sanjay Chhel when he arrived on the set. “His back was to me, and when he turned around, he gave me an incredulous look, almost as if to say, ‘What is he doing here?’” Manjrekar stated. He suspected that Dutt started abusing him to Chhel, as he noticed the writer’s expressions change. Despite being an industry outsider with no connections, Manjrekar stood his ground, knowing that if he left, he wouldn’t get another chance.
From Avoidance to Enthusiasm: How Vaastav Won Sanjay Dutt Over
Dutt, realizing Manjrekar wasn’t leaving, finally asked how long the narration would take. When Manjrekar assured him it would be just ten minutes, the actor agreed to listen. “After the first five minutes, he asked everyone else to leave, and I ended up narrating for an hour and a half. He was completely blown away,” said the filmmaker. Dutt’s enthusiasm led him to secure a producer for the project, but the film faced multiple hurdles during production.
Production Hurdles and Financial Struggles
The shooting of Vaastav coincided with a challenging period in Dutt’s life, as he had court hearings from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays. “We shot from 6 PM to 6 AM, and worked through weekends to keep up with the schedule,” Manjrekar revealed. However, financial troubles soon halted the film. The original producer backed out when the movie was only 35% complete, leaving the team struggling for funds.
The Unexpected Turn That Saved Vaastav
With no money and a rough-cut of unfinished footage, the film remained in limbo for over a year. However, things turned around when distributor Shyam Shroff saw the rushes and decided to invest. “He bought the Bombay territory rights for Rs 50 lakh and gave us Rs 25 lakh as an advance. With that money, we resumed shooting,” said Manjrekar. The team continued to sell other territories to complete the film, driven by passion rather than financial gains.
More Pages: Vaastav: The Reality Box Office Collection
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