Movie profile: Madhur Bhandarkar
Madhur Bhandarkar is now defending his Traffic Signal (TS) as he did Chandni Bar, Page 3 and Corporate before it... The filmmaker responds affably to repeated queries on why Traffic Signal is not doing well by pointing out that statistics tell a different story. TS has generated a lot of appreciation and criticism. Here, the director defends his convictions and his film.
Traffic Signal is doing well. Not a blockbuster but it is certainly doing as well as one can expect, smiles Madhur Bhandarkar. It talks about issues that appeal to the masses and was shot in real sunlight. No gimmicks. No stars. All Madhur Bhandarkar. He has always been interested in exploring the seamier side of life. He has never aspired to be a multi-crore Bollywood film producer or director. His experiments have served him well. Not only have his films struck a chord with people everywhere, they are among the few Bollywood products which dare veer away from the usual song and dance confusion that passes off for a Bollywood film.
He says that producers were always supportive about his ventures. They gave him money once they understood that he had product that worked. His films have never been flops, he points out. Producers always make money from his films so why should they be hesitant about financing his projects? Bhandarkar has dared to display the 'other side' of the so-called glamorous crowd in Page 3 while Chandni Bar explored the sad yet colorful lives of bar girls. And he didn't even have to have top selling stars in his film. They are all about real people. He quietly moved away from the song and dance theme too.
Bhandarkar clarifies that while Page 3 and Corporate were about the elite class, Traffic Signal is about the grassroots. Like all his other films, Traffic Signal has a large number of characters flitting in and out of frames. Each is distinctive and memorable. He likes experimenting with different characters and themes.
The reviews for Traffic Signal have been mixed but that doesn't bother the man one bit. Bhandarkar points out that his earlier films received mixed responses too and they still did well. Moreover, none of the reviews have actually served to spoil the film's chances at the box office. Which goes to show that his mode of storytelling is as popular as the typical Bollywood ones. 
A self-made man, Bhandarkar is proud that he made it without any godfathers in the film industry. He faced and continues to face, hostile reactions but he also has as many supporters. He doesn't understand the animosity but it exists. He is happy that he has made it on his own in spite of the odds. He faces the same attitude when awards are considered too. His Chandni Bar and Page 3 didn't exactly shine at popular award shows but they won the National award which have far greater value. However, he has won popularity by making films about the ordinary people (mostly). He feels a sense of achievement. He admits and hopes to continue doing so. He loves the way normal, everyday people respond to his movies. At the end of the day, it is for these people that he makes films and his biggest reward is their positive reactions.
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Reaching the Masses
