‘Haunted 3D’ director Vikram Bhatt confirms that Mahesh Bhatt will never direct again: ‘No chance; no chance.’ “It’s over”
Director Vikram Bhatt confirmed that his mentor Mahesh Bhatt has permanently moved away from directing, and revealed that the veteran’s comeback for ‘Sadak 2’ was a one-time exception driven by a personal promise, and not a sign of things to come.
Why did Mahesh Bhatt return to the movie “Sadak 2”?
Speaking to News18, Vikram Bhatt was clear about Mahesh Bhatt’s directorial future. “No chance! It’s over,” he said. The veteran director had originally declared ‘Kartoos’ (1999) as his last film as a director before returning after 21 years to direct ‘Sadak 2’ starring his daughters Alia Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt.
Vikram Bhatt gave an insight into what led to the unexpected comeback. “I think it’s a promise he made to Mukesh Bhatt.
He said he would only direct if someone else did,” he added. “I never talked to him about it, but the impression I get is that he took control when it was needed.”
Mahesh Bhatt continues to write and produce
While the director’s chair is firmly behind him, Mahesh Bhatt has remained an active force in the industry as a writer and producer. Over the years he has written stories for many Vikram Bhatt films, including Kasoor, Raaz, Inteha, Judaa Hoke Bhi and Bloody Ishq.
Vikram Bhatt credited his mentor’s restless energy with keeping him prolific. He shared, “He works because he’s a very active person. He doesn’t have anything else on his mind and he can work 24 hours a day. So he does this but it’s not something that lifts his spirit or that he needs to do to survive. He’s past all that. He doesn’t need anything.”
Vikram Bhatt talks about Mahesh Bhatt’s sense of humour
Their long-standing creative partnership has produced almost exclusively horror and thriller films.
When asked why they never ventured into lighter territory, Vikram Bhatt was frank. He said: “The President, as I call him, is too sharp for comedy. I don’t think he thinks about comedy. But he has a very good sense of humour. He has made some nice films like Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke and Duplicate, but his passion is neither comedy nor horror.”
“Vikram also spoke warmly about Mahesh’s collaborative spirit. He added: “He always supports my ideas. He doesn’t try to lead my ideas into his own, which is great.”
Vikram BhattHaunted 3D : Echoes of the past
Vikram Bhatt’s latest directorial, ‘Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past’, starring Mahakashay Chakraborty, released in theaters on June 12, 2026. Despite a mixed critical reception, the film crossed Rs 15 crore at the box office.