Of service and selflessness

Mahesh Bhatt

When Mahesh Bhatt's protege Vinay Bhardwaj offered Pehchaan to him, the filmmaker viewed it as a golden chance to expand his knowledge about Sikhism. The SonyLIV talk show features him having conversations with 12 eminent Sikhs as they reflect on their value of serving humanity and the influence of their faith on their lives.

"I haven't been a religious person, but I was always fascinated by Guru Nanak Dev. He'd use the word ‘spiritual action'. One day, Vinay came to me with this stunning idea of putting me face-to-face with these eminent Sikhs, who have been through the terrain of life and have practised Sikhism, not indulging in rituals, but as a way of life. When I spoke to them, they left me staggered by what they have gone through and the concept of seva," says the director. He counts it as one of his most "moving experiences".

Besides being a sharp director, Bhatt has been known for his articulate and intelligent conversations. What does he think about today's artistes, who are reluctant to speak their mind in the fear of being trolled? "The human need for a person courting optimum fame is the need to be accepted. For that, you take the path often taken instead of the path you're actually treading on. A few years ago, Dharmendra told me, ‘It's a weird world today, where people want to be seen as good, but don't want to be good.' It's all about appearances. That's why the higher your position is, the more closed you are."