When Anuraadha Tewari’s third Film, this time with Bhansali Productions, did not take off, life took a U-turn for good. Writer for films like ‘Fashion’, ‘Jail’ and ‘Heroine’, she opens up about what happened and how her films didn’t end up going to the shooting floor despite having big stars attached to them.
“I am the director who has nearly made three films. The first time I was going to work with Sanjay Dutt, just after ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, my producer was the late Nitin Manmohan. But eventually we just had so many creative differences that I just decided that it’s better to not make a film and Sanju really respected that. My second film was going to be a period film with Vidya Balan for Atul and Alvira Agnihotri and again, some things didn’t work out, mostly budget-wise,” she said.
She further adds, “The third time I was going to make a film was with Sanjay Bhansali Productions. SLB really loved that script of mine. It was totally opposite from the cinema he makes. And unlike his popular avatar, he was encouraging, admiring and very supportive of my vision. This was also made possible because of my friend Sandeep Singh, his then CEO. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out then too as Sandeep left the Company and SLB got busy with ‘Bajirao Mastani’.”
“I did hit a wall during that time. I realised a little late that I was going through clinical depression but once I did, life took a u turn. I sought therapy to heal myself and also started learning Psychotherapy formally. Eventually started healing people from our Industry as I understood the challenges from within. I still do that as a part time Therapist. That’s my Alternate Profession. I am about to set up my website for it called The Urban Oracle. It is something that gave me a deep insight into the Human Mind and helped me upgrade my writing. Today I try to embed mental health messages in every script of mine as part of the story. It’s my mission. So yes, here I am at the end of a long journey of healing to write and direct a film someday soon that will not only be the voice of the Urban Indian Woman but also have Healing at its core,” she concludes.