Women better at wisdom talk: Mahesh Bhatt

Manipal, September 29: Manipal Institute of Communication (MIC) witnessed the most awaited day, when students got opportunity to interact with the eminent director, writer and activist, Mahesh Bhatt.

He was welcomed by Shri M.V Kamath, Honorary Director of MIC and Prof. Varadesh Hiregange, Director of MIC and cheered by overwhelming student crowd of MIC.

Mr. Mahesh began talking about his mother being the source of strength in his life. He opined that rather than delivering a speech, he emphasized on interactive session to be started by girls as he said, “Women are brighter than men and whenever you want to listen to wisdom talks, it is best to listen to a woman.”

While answering the various questions he highlighted upon issues ranging from communalism, what drives cinema, the narrative crisis of Bollywood, fusion and difference of old and young talent, music v/s storytelling and politics.

He said that we live in a country where majority mind is enforced on communalism and are made to be alien to ideas; dealing with dignity, grace and courage is the only solution. On his famous line, exhaling cinema, he says that one should be impregnated with ideas and the love just happens. The passion and thirst however is 'innate'. On the narrative crisis of Bollywood he said that it has been dumped down –where film makers in 1980's experimented, today's young film makers are born conformists. He also said that technological leaps have reached beyond belief state but what good is the art of saying when a person has nothing to say.

When questioned on old versus young talents, he simply said that it's a mutual learning atmosphere where the old have experiences to deliver and the young have ideas to experiment. When asked by a student, had Arth been released now what would be the response, he said, “Truth is ageless and it does not change with the passage of time. The very fact that the people are still talking about Arth today proves it.”

The event was concluded by a vote of thanks. Later Mr Bhat enthusiastically interacted with students on a personal note and obliged photographs and autographs.