Vishal Bhardwaj ended Meghna's 'sanyaas': Gulzar

It was only when celebrated filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj insisted that director Meghna Gulzar came out of her self-declared "sanyaas" and made the critically-acclaimed "Talvar", said her father and eminent lyricist Gulzar.

The father-daughter duo were speaking at the session, "Because We Are: A Portrait of My Father", at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival here at the Diggi Palace.

"She (Meghna) was in a sanyaas for good 6-7 years. Always saying, 'Nahi maine bachha palna hai' (I need to raise my child).

"But then it was Vishal (Bhardwaj), who held her hand, brought her out of it telling that 'you have to make films and you cannot stop'. It was then that 'Talvar' was made, which of course was a beautiful movie," he said.

Talvar, based on the 2008 Noida double murder case involving a teenage girl and her family servant, was produced by Vishal Bhardwaj and Vineet Jain.

The 84-year-old poet praised his daughter and the present generation of filmmakers at large, who have "moved much ahead" of him in their way of telling stories.

"I knew the entire story narration of this generation has changed... they are writing literature on celluloid. Now, this is huge and certainly a thing to be admired," he added.

Meghna described her parents' appreciation as the "biggest gratifying" thing, even more than "audience appreciation, box office numbers or critics ratings".

"When my films succeeded and particularly after 'Raazi' I started hearing the word 'tasalli' (satisfaction) in the household a lot. Papa would say it and mumma would say it. For me it was the biggest gratifying thing," she added.

Meghna's next "Chhapak" will be a biopic on acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.