Vikram Bhatt on future of filmmaking: 'I won't be around to see extreme changes'
Mumbai, June 20
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has shared his thoughts on the rapidly evolving future of cinema.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, he reflected on how technology and audience behaviour continue to reshape the industry. Speaking about the pace of change in filmmaking, he acknowledged that while the medium is set to transform in extraordinary ways, he does not expect to witness its most extreme future developments.
When asked about how filmmaking is evolving with time and changing audience preferences, Vikram said, "Fortunately, my age is such that I don't have to spend many years here. So, I am not that worried. Because, until that time comes when there won't be any reels, they will directly do this and see what it is. So, that time will also come when they will close their eyes, put a chip in their ears, and watch the film. So, I won't see that time. So, I am not thinking so far ahead."
Meanwhile, Vikram Bhatt has been busy promoting his latest release, "Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past." The supernatural horror film written and directed by Vikram Bhatt is a spiritual sequel to the 2011 film "Haunted - 3D." The film stars Mimoh Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Gaurav Bajpai, Hemant Pandey, Shruti Prakash, and Praneet Bhat. The film is produced by Anand Pandit, Javed Khan King, and Shwetambari Bhatt. Mahesh Bhatt served as the presenter. The film was released theatrically on 12 June 2026.
Vikram Bhatt is all set to helm the next installment of the 1920 franchise titled "1920: Cold Winter." The upcoming film will be jointly produced by Anand Pandit, Roopa Pandit, and Rahul V. Dubey.
Earlier, the director had spoken about what draws him towards horror storytelling on the big screen.
He told IANS, "I really feel I have a connection with fear. I think fear is the basis of all other emotions in the world. If you look carefully, fear of losing someone is possessiveness. Fear of not having enough is greed. Fear of being lonely is relationships. Fear of being left behind is competitiveness. The world is guided by fear. But most of us don't understand it as fear. We understand it as possessiveness and greed and so on and so forth. If you look very closely, a lot of the populace lives in fear."
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who grew up watching Bollywood horror, I appreciate Vikram Bhatt's honesty. But honestly, I worry about the day when films become just neural experiences - kya maza aayega phir? The collective gasps in a theatre, the shared jumpscares... that's what makes horror special.
His understanding of fear is spot on. In India especially, so many of our decisions are driven by fear - fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of what society will say. But I wish he'd focus more on storytelling than gimmicks. Haunted 3D was decent but not groundbreaking. Let's hope 1920: Cold Winter has a solid script!
Vikram Bhatt is one of the few directors who genuinely understands the horror genre in India. But I disagree about not worrying about future changes - as filmmakers, you should care about what happens after you're gone. That's how we build a legacy. Still, respect for his honest take.
Interesting perspective from a veteran. The chip-in-ear idea sounds like something from Black Mirror! But I think Indian audiences will always love the theatrical experience - nothing beats watching a horror film with a full house in Mumbai's single screens. Vikram Bhatt should focus on making quality content rather than predicting the future.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.