"I Don't Have the Thirst Anymore": Mahesh Bhatt Confirms He's Done Directing

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Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has confirmed that his days behind the camera are over. The 77-year-old director, known for shaping some of Hindi cinema's most emotionally raw stories, has said he will not return to direction and plans to channel his energy into producing films and theatre instead.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @maheshfilm

"It Is So Gratifying to Talk About Movies So Passionately"

Speaking in a recent interview, Bhatt was asked whether he'd ever consider stepping back into the director's chair. His answer was a firm no - but not out of bitterness or fatigue. Instead, he explained that he now finds more joy in discussing and mentoring cinema than in making it himself. He also took aim at the current state of filmmaking, arguing that modern content has become too formulaic and data-driven, leaving little room for an artiste's genuine instinct to shape a story.

Despite that critique, Bhatt struck an optimistic note about storytelling's future. He believes there will always be rebels and renegades willing to break from convention and push back against the pressure toward algorithm-friendly, homogenised content.

A Career Spanning Five Decades

Bhatt's journey as a director began in 1974 with Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain, but it was Arth (1982) that established him as a filmmaker unafraid to explore complicated, deeply personal narratives. He followed it with a string of memorable films - Saaransh, Naam, Sadak, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Zakhm, Duplicate, and Criminal, among others - cementing his reputation as one of Bollywood's most versatile storytellers.

He made a much-discussed return to direction in 2020 with Sadak 2, a sequel to his 1991 hit Sadak, starring Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, and Aditya Roy Kapur. The film's release was overshadowed by controversy following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and it went on to become one of the most disliked YouTube trailers globally before premiering on Disney+ Hotstar to a lukewarm critical and commercial response. That project, it now appears, marked his final outing as a director.

Stepping Back to Mentor the Next Generation

Rather than direction, Bhatt says he now finds fulfilment in nurturing new talent. He has spoken warmly about his brother, filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, crediting him with giving him a space to mentor upcoming storytellers. He has also pointed to actors like Avika Gor as examples of artistes with the hunger to "leave their footprints on the sands of time" - a drive he says he himself no longer feels the need to chase.

Bhatt continues to stay closely involved with the industry through his production banner, Vishesh Films, which he founded in 1988. Over the years, the studio has launched or boosted the careers of names like Emraan Hashmi, Bipasha Basu, and music composer Pritam, and remains active in producing films and shows even as its founder steps away from the director's chair for good.

What's Next for Mahesh Bhatt

While he's closed the chapter on directing, Bhatt shows no signs of slowing down. He remains an active voice in Bollywood conversations, continues to produce content, and has expressed interest in theatrical plays as his next creative outlet. For a filmmaker whose films once captured the rawest edges of love, addiction, and heartbreak, this next phase seems less about stepping away from cinema - and more about redefining his relationship with it.