Bhandarkar defends 'Heroine' in blog

Bhandarkar, who depicts the rise and fall of a Bollywood actress in the film, was criticised for sticking to cliches while telling the story.

"'Heroine' was made on a controlled budget of Rs 21 crs and released at the cost of Rs 32cr with print and publicity and it had garnered a net collection of nearly Rs 53.5 cr worldwide by the second week, which is a phenomenal verdict for a heroine oriented film," he wrote in his blog.

The 44-year-old says he goes by his conviction alone while making a film.

"When 'Chandni Bar' released the initial knee jerk reaction of the critics was not very encouraging but my conviction was validated with the box office reports.

"I have always been a maker who has loved to tell stories of my own conviction through my cinema. I told them when I was criticised and I told them when I was applauded. For me what matters is my honesty in my narrative," Bhandarkar wrote in his blog.

The filmmkaer adds that had he not gone by his conviction he would not have travelled this far - from "Chandni Bar" to "Heroine".

"Have always respected the criticism but have stood strong by my convictions. Otherwise the journey from 'Chandni Bar' to 'Heroine' would have been an impossible one to take.

"I chose to make films that are from our very surroundings and more real than the original unsaid diktat of cinema to be fiction," he said.