Aftab Shivdasani and Esha Deol in AnkaheeAftab, Ameesha Patel and director Vikram Bhatt on the sets of Ankahee

Ankahee is being marketed as, ?Vikram Bhatt tells a story close to his heart?. Shouldn?t it be, ?Vikram Bhatt tells his own story??

It is like this. Ankahee is inspired from the emotions I felt at a certain point in my life, when I was in an extra-marital relationship. At that time, I was going through elation and euphoria, guilt and regret? lots of mixed emotions. So, Ankahee is inspired from that phase of my life.

How comfortable are you in sharing your personal emotions in a public domain like cinema?

See, let me put it this way, Ankahee should be my most honest film ever. I believe, for every film-maker, there comes a time when he bares his soul. And so it is now my time to travel in the vehicle of my soul. I am extremely comfortable with that. All these years, I have been battling the rights and wrongs inside my mind. Now I am free to say what I want.

It must have been difficult to find someone to play you ?

As I said, Ankahee is a piece of fiction, which draws from real emotions. In the film, the character?s a doctor and not a director like me. Only the emotions are the same. So, I was casting for a story based on my feelings and not casting myself. I did have certain emotional liabilities. But Aftab (Shivdasani) is someone I have worked with in many films (Kasoor, Footpath, Awara Paagal Deewana) and one of my close friends. He is somebody who understands me. So there was no problem once we cast him as the protagonist.

Do you think the USP of Ankahee is an opportunity to see the real Sushmita Sen?

I don?t think the people would be interested to go to the theatres to see that. They come to see a good film and not anybody?s life, per say. So, I don?t think that the selling point of Ankahee is someone?s real life. Since the promos went on air, I have got a lot of feedback from different cross-sections of society and they have felt that the film wants to show something honest, something real, something raw? That?s what should sell.

In terms of film-making style and technique, is it different from the films you have directed before?

Totally. Ankahee is a completely real film. It is the real me. I am glad it?s come out. I had got sick and tired of making immaterial, soulless films like Deewane Huye Paagal.

Aftab, Ameesha Patel and director Vikram Bhatt on the sets of Ankahee

Did you make them just for money?

I made them because I thought those were the movies that worked at the box-office.

So is it goodbye to the commercial film-maker in you?

It?s not that I am going to become an art film-maker. Nothing like that. Films like Ghulam, Kasoor, Raaz, I believe they were good films and that?s why people went to see them over and over again. I will continue to make films like those. No more nonsense films for me.

What else do we expect from Ankahee?

It?s got great music by Pritam. It?s a Bangla film so as to say. There?s Pritam and the producer is, of course, Pritish Nandy.

What about the two ladies in the film?

Ameesha, who plays Aftab?s wife in the film, is someone with whom I am involved at a personal level. She is good in Ankahee but Esha Deol, who plays the beauty queen, is the real surprise package.

You are making a special appearance for the first time?

It was not at all intentional to do a cameo in the film. I did it just for fun. As this film is very close to my heart and since Ameesha was also a part of that scene, everyone in the unit insisted that I should at least be there for a minute. So, whenever people watch this film, they remember me for my Ankahee, the untold tale of my life.

What other films are up your sleeve?

There?s a film for Ramesh Sippy called Rooh. It is not really a horror film, since there?s nothing horrifying about it. It?s more of a supernatural thriller with a lot of newcomers. It should release in June. Then I am making another film for a new production house called Horse Shoe, titled Red. It is a very, very special film since I am attempting an erotic thriller for the first time. Red is a love story gone wrong. It is about obsessiveness; what people can do for love. It stars Aftab, Celina Jaitley and Amrita Arora.