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End of Phantom Films: What it means to Bollywood and business

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Poulomi Ghosh
Poulomi GhoshOct 08, 2018 | 17:49

End of Phantom Films: What it means to Bollywood and business

What about Sacred Games season 2? And also Kapil Dev’s biopic starring Ranveer Singh?

When Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Madhu Mantena and Vikas Bahl got together in 2011 to set up Phantom Films, they must have like felt like winners.

A group of young, creative directors, free from producers’ clout — no more succumbing to the financers’ demand of making room for a meaningless item number; no more putting artsy projects on the backburner, fearing box-office backlash, etc., etc.

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What seemed like a dream seven years ago is shattered now. (Photo: Facebook)

But here we are.

Seven years down the line, with a murkier state of affairs regarding Phantom right now, which is enough to nip in the bud any future dreams the entertainment industry might dare to have about emerging as a creative space in the true sense.

Super 30, as announced, will be the last production of Phantom.

Then what about its collaboration with Netflix?

What about Sacred Games Season 2? And Kapil Dev’s biopic starring Ranveer Singh?

We will get to know once these creative minds finish apologising for things they have been hiding for years — which finally could not be swept under the carpet and hence, the carpet has to be burnt. 

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The struggle is real. Not for Kashyap maybe, but for other aspiring filmmakers. (Photo: India Today)

Anurag Kashyap, the poster boy of Phantom, made his directorial debut with Paanch, which never released. The release of his Black Friday was also held up for two years. Though none of this was for money, Anurag Kashyap knows the struggle of a director, who has a different story to tell.

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Despite having an incredible line-up of films like Lootera (2013), Queen (2014), NH10 (2015), Masaan (2015) and Udta Punjab (2016), Anurag/Phantom had a tough time finding money for his Mukkabaaz, as it had Vineet Kumar Singh as its lead actor, not someone synonymous with big bucks in Bollywood. Not to forget, Phantom already had a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Entertainment.

So, Anurag went to Anand L Rai and got him on board for Mukkabaaz. In exchange, Anurag agreed to direct Manmarziyan, a romantic film, apparently out of Anurag’s league.

This struggle in Bollywood to convince is real. And it will become more real as the rags-to-riches-to-rags story of Phantom is out there for everyone to see.

Apart from the sex scandal which finally brought its curtain down, there were rumours of a creative rift brewing among the four. The failure of Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet (2015), and Vikash Bahl’s Shandaar (2015) was not something Phantom was prepared for. But it continued to be the platform for faces unknown, voiced unheard.

But that is what Anurag Kashyap believed.

For outsiders, it started toeing the Bollywood line of falling for star power — albeit slowly and reluctantly. But it did, when it roped in Hrithik Roshan and Ranveer Singh for two of its upcoming projects.

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Phantom Films recently launched its own merchandise as well. (Photo: Phantom Films website)

At the same time it was part of small projects like Youngraad, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, High Jack, Wrong Side Raju, etc. So obviously, it did not keep all its eggs in the same basket, as it also launched its merchandise with its signature ‘ph’ in Hindi.

We are sure that there will be no dearth of work for these people — including accused Vikash Bahl — in the future. But the dissolution of Phantom does more damage to the industry as it would not get to see another Masaan.

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Masaan: Small budget, big impact: Who will risk that now? (Photo: Twitter)

Recently, there was a report of Salman Khan getting miffed with Remo D’Souza for his apparently disparaging comments about Race 3. It was also said that Salman decided not to repeat Remo in Race 4.

Well, that happens to directors in Bollywood.

Most of the powerful directors today are favourites of some groups/stars in the industry.

The idea of being an independent director has never been easy.

And now, it’s just a phantom.

Last updated: October 08, 2018 | 17:49
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