Director Hansal Mehta faced severe backlash and personal hardships following the release of his 2000 dark comedy film, “Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!”. The movie not only strained his friendship with lead actor Manoj Bajpayee but also led him into a financial crisis and struggles with alcoholism.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Mehta shared his unexpected journey with the film. Despite having a feeling that the reviews might not be favorable, he was unprepared for the overwhelmingly negative reception. The film’s poor performance left him burdened with debt as he had borrowed money with the expectation of repaying it from the film’s success.
Three weeks after the film’s release, Mehta faced further challenges when protesters, who had not even seen the movie, visited his office. They confronted him over the film’s dialogue and demanded an apology, capturing his apology on camera to defuse the situation. However, this did not put an end to the troubles.
Shortly after, Mehta received a threatening call while he was away from his office. When he returned, he found women protesters parked in trucks outside his office in Santa Cruz. Despite attempts to mediate through his friend, actor-poet Kishor Kadam, who is from the area, the protesters became aggressive. They not only vandalized his office but also physically assaulted Mehta, tearing his clothes. The group demanded that he publicly apologize in Khar Danda’s locality, threatening to set his house on fire if he refused. Despite warnings from politicians, Mehta agreed to apologize to protect his friend’s home and ensure his own safety.