After graduating from college, he made his directorial debut with the young romance Maine Pyaar Kiya, and filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya claims that all of his films since then have been a reflection of his real life.
In Hum Aapke Hain Koun… and Vivah, he looked at marriage through the ages. He presented a nuanced take on broken relationships when he directed Prem Ratan Dhan Payo several years after directing the idealistic family drama Hum Saath Saath Hain.
Every director, according to the filmmaker, draws inspiration from their own life experiences.”We are constantly borrowing from life.” Your own life experiences have influenced your work. “How much I demonstrate in movies is equivalent to my life,” he explains, “but it’s presented in an idealised way.”
As a father of three, Barjatya believes that because the definition of family and togetherness has evolved, it is critical for his cinema to keep up. “Family is really about giving a child space; as mom and dad, we expect something else from our children, but we also need to do something for ourself.”
“We have a film about 65 people who go on this journey to challenge themselves.” They’re leaving everything behind. “Everything has been a part of my life,” said the director, who grew up in a Marwari film family.
The grammar of storytelling has changed dramatically in the last two years, thanks to the rise of the OTT medium and increased exposure to global cinema. But, for Sooraj Barjatya, remaining “relevant” in the film industry comes second to following his calling.
“The moment I try to be relevant, I am doomed.” You must be yourself and do what you enjoy in order to find your own audience. Every genre has an audience, and I know I’m there for that (family dramas), and I’m happy. “If I attempt to be pertinent, I’ll be a scam,” he added.
During the pandemic, Barjatya stated that he decided to challenge himself as a director with Unnchai, which, unlike his previous films, was shot in real locations throughout Delhi and parts of Nepal. “I’ve never done so much outdoor stuff, like going to 13,000 feet… “You fall in love with all of these visuals,” he explained. The director is grateful to his cast and crew, who believed in his vision and followed him to the treacherous Himalayan terrain.