‘Satya’ was based on honest instinct: Ram Gopal Varma

FILMMAKER Ram Gopal Varma reflected on the making of his 1998 gangster drama “Satya”, emphasising that the film’s success stemmed from “honest instincts” rather than strategic planning.

Varma urged the Hindi film industry, currently fixated on large-scale productions, to reconsider its priorities.

In a post on X, Varma said, “‘Satya’ was made by honest instincts and not by clever design, and the cult status it achieved should be a wake-up call for all filmmakers present and future, including us, its original makers.”

The movie, directed by Varma and written by Saurabh Shukla and Anurag Kashyap, is set to return to theatres on January 17.

Known for its realistic portrayal of Mumbai’s underworld through characters like Satya, Bhiku Mhatre, and Kallu Mama, the film gained a cult following despite its modest budget and absence of major stars.

Varma revealed that the team did not work from a script but relied on their instincts during production. “We had no clue about what we were making except for a real gut instinct on the subject matter,” he said, adding that the characters were inspired by real-life individuals.

Reflecting on the film’s legacy, Varma said, “The fact none of us involved in the film could repeat the magic of ‘Satya’ ever again proves my point. In short, we didn’t make Satya, Satya made us.” He described the movie as a drama about human circumstances rather than a typical gangster film.

Varma’s comments serve as a critique of the industry’s current trend of prioritising massive budgets, visual effects, and star power, urging filmmakers to focus on storytelling instead.