Author, former navy man Harinder S Sikka had claimed that Bhardwaj had told him that Talvar [2015] was a ‘gurudakshina’ to his guru Gulzar, father of Meghna

By Mayur Lookhar

A week ago, author, former navy man Harinder S Sikka had an exclusive conversation with Beyond Bollywood wherein he had expressed his many grievances against the veteran poet, lyric writer Gulzar and his filmmaker daughter Meghna for alienating him from the film Raazi [2018], that is adapted from his book Calling Sehmat [2008]. Sikka had claimed that the Meghna Gulzar-directed Talvar [2015] was actually a creation of filmmaker, composer Vishal Bhardwaj.

“Meghna was struggling after Talvar [2015] and the reason behind this was that the market was abuzz that Talvar wasn’t made by her but by Vishal Bhardwaj. I asked Bhardwaj this question, he simply said, “This is my gurudakshina [repaying one’s teacher] to my guru [Gulzar]. Sikka claimed that Vishal’s name was removed by Meghna to grab all credit Sikka told Beyond Bollywood earlier.

Now director Bhardwaj has denied all such claims by Sikka. The reticent Bhardwaj took to Twitter to make it clear that Talvar [2015] was very much Gulzar’s creation.

“I only went on the sets of Talvar once, on the muhurat to break the coconut and have gulab jamun . Talvar was directed by @meghnagulzar and it was out and out her creation. Anyone who refutes this is misinformed @JungleePictures #PritiShahani @PritiShahan” tweeted Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj though is credited as the writer of the film with Aditya Nimbalkar chipping in as an associate writer. Talvar was based on the infamous 2008 Noide Double Murder where a 14-year-old girl and the family servant were killed.