Filmmaker Devashish Makhija On Being Financially Broke Post Manoj Bajpayee-Starrer 'Joram': 'Don't Know If I Will Be Able To Pay Rent Next Month’
Filmmaker Devashish Makhija known for directing 'Bhonsle' and 'Joram' spoke about being financially insecure in the industry even after making critically-acclaimed films.
New Delhi: Filmmaker Devashish Makhija known for directing 'Bhonsle' and 'Joram' spoke about being financially insecure in the industry even after making critically-acclaimed films. Makhija said it took him 14 years to make his first feature film and had he known that it would take this long to start his career, he would have packed his bags and gone home to Kolkata.
In an interview with Long Live Cinema YouTube channel, he shared that he has not been able to secure himself financially. Devashishs Makhija also shared that he does not know where his next paycheck will come from.
About being financially insecure
Makhija said he is reluctant to go into details about his struggles. “Even today, when I call an actor or someone to meet me, they say, ‘Where’s your office?’ and I say, ‘I don’t have an office, so you tell me where you are, or we’ll meet in a coffee shop, and I’ll tell you which coffee shop because I can’t afford most of the coffee shops in Versova’. I’m still in that place,” he added.
About things not changing even after 4 feature films
“I get called for meetings in studios, and the executive calling me tells me where to park my car. I say, ‘I don’t have a car’. I don’t even have a two-wheeler. So they ask me how I’ll come, and I tell them I’ll come by auto, or if it’s far, by bus. The minute I enter those meetings, they think of me as someone who travels by auto and bus, so they talk to me that way. They think that I’ll work for peanuts. That has not changed for me in 20 years and four feature films.”
Joram leaving him 'financially wrecked'
Makhija also shared that 'Joran' left him 'financially wrecked'. "I’ve made peace with the fact that this isn’t going to change for the rest of my life, so do I change then?” he asked. He continued, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to pay my cook next month to eat her food, all these things are playing on my mind… My insecurities are tangible, and they’ve piled up to the point that the repercussions will be felt tomorrow, not two years from now. I need to keep working because I don’t know where the next cheque’s coming from. I need to be firing on 20 fronts, hoping that one bullet hits the bullseye.”
2008 recession
Talking about being affected by the 2008 recession and how he sustains himself, Makhija added, "Art is the most luxurious thing you can put your money in, because you don’t know if you’re going to get your money back,” he also added that has sustained himself by writing subtitles and children's picture books.
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