I wasted many years: Tigmanshu Dhulia recalls shelved films with Irrfan, Sunny Deol

Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia has opened up about two ambitious projects that were shelved despite having already gone on the floor. The director recalled making Killing of a Porn Filmmaker with Irrfan Khan and later mounting the period film Ghulami with Sunny Deol, Sameera Reddy and Irrfan, only for both projects to be halted midway due to production issues.

In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Dhulia revealed that he began work on Killing of a Porn Filmmaker immediately after the release of Charas. He also recalled how the project came together, what led to its eventual shelving, and why Ghulami met a similar fate despite an impressive cast.

“My third film — the day Charas released, the next day, I started a film which was called Killing of a Porn Filmmaker. It was a different kind of film. It was really different,” the filmmaker recalled.

Dhulia said that he had already shot for several days before the producer backed out. “I started shooting, and we shot for seven to eight days. And then the producer kind of backed out. I was making that film with Irrfan,” he said.

That was not the only project that met a similar fate. Dhulia recalled beginning work on Ghulami in 2005.

“In 2005, I started a film called Ghulami, which was based on the First War of Independence in 1857, with Sunny Deol, Sameera Reddy and Irrfan, and many actors from London. It was a period film. Horses, elephants, weapons, costumes, locations, sets — everything was made. After three days of shooting, the film stopped,” he said.

Looking back, the 59-year-old filmmaker admitted that working with an inexperienced producer proved costly. “I was stupid. I had a new producer, and he said, ‘I had to get money from somewhere,’ which did not come, and then the film stopped. I wasted many years doing this kind of work,” Dhulia said.

Despite the setback, the director has not entirely given up on Ghulami. Asked whether he would consider reviving the film, Dhulia said he still intends to make it, although the project has evolved considerably over the years.

However, the Bullet Raja director added that finding actors capable of speaking the language authentically has become another challenge.

“I don’t get any actor who speaks that kind of language. Actors are also a problem here. Where do we have them?” he said.

During the conversation, Dhulia also reflected on why filmmakers often struggle to move beyond the kind of cinema with which they become associated. Known for stories centred on crime, politics and the hinterlands, he agreed that audiences and the industry expect a certain kind of film from him.

“Yes, they do. And it’s very unfortunate. They will not let you blossom,” he said.

Dhulia cited Bullett Raja, starring Saif Ali Khan, as an example of what happened when he attempted to adopt a different, more commercial aesthetic. “If I take a different kind of story — even approach-wise — I made a film called Bullett Raja with Saif Ali Khan. It was action, again, set in UP, but the aesthetic of that film was very different. It was very commercial. So people wondered, ‘How can Tigmanshu Dhulia make such a film?’ And they rejected the film. It did not work,” he said.

The filmmaker said he felt the response may have been different had another director’s name been attached to the same film. “Then I felt that if some other director’s name had been attached to it, the picture would have worked. They expect only that I will make the same kind of film. So, I said, okay,” he added.

Referring to Ghamasaan, he said the film is markedly different from his earlier work.

The director added that while typecasting is commonly associated with actors, filmmakers too can find themselves boxed into a particular identity after a certain kind of success. “There are only one or two Hindi film directors who have made varied and versatile work. Vijay Anand’s name should be on top of that list, and Raj Khosla,” he shared.

Drawing a parallel with international filmmakers, Dhulia added, “Everyone expects a Martin Scorsese-type mafia film.”

According to him, producers also play a crucial role in determining whether a director gets the freedom to experiment. He pointed to Yash Raj Films while speaking about filmmakers and production houses moving beyond an established image.

Dhulia then summed up what he believes is one of the larger problems within the industry: “We have a problem with visionary producers.”

The filmmaker also spoke about The Offer, the series based on the making of The Godfather, which he said he recommends to new producers. “There was a show on the making of The Godfather, The Offer. I tell all the new producers to see The Offer. See how The Godfather was made,” Dhulia said.

When asked whether the absence of that kind of support ultimately prevents directors from experimenting with genres, Dhulia agreed, saying, “I think so.”

Ghamasaan, starring Arshad Warsi and Pratik Gandhi, is currently streaming on Zee5.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 18, 2026 19:46 IST