Mishti shared screen space with Kangana Ranaut in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. (Photo: Mishti Chakravarty/ Instagram)Actor Mishti on Thursday revealed director Krish completed Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi and wanted to finish the patchwork as well, but the makers didn’t want him back.
Days after Manikarnika released, Krish accused Kangana Ranaut of hijacking the project and also alleged she lied about shooting 70 per cent of the film.
During the film’s promotions, Kangana had said she had no option but to take over the directorial duties because Krish left the project mid-way.
Mishti, who plays Kashi Bai in Manikarnika, said everyone, who worked on the film, knows that Krish completed the whole film. She added that Krish had decided he would break his silence over the issue only weeks after the film’s release but had to give in because of multiple calls made to him by other people.
“He was supposed to speak up only one or two weeks after the film’s release. The truth, which I know and I believe 90 per cent people know, is that the director completed the film. I was there till the end in the movie, so I know who shot how much.
“The whole film was completed and then he told Kangana and producers that he needed to shoot a film in South, which was NTR biopic. Krish said that after he is done with the shooting, he would come back for patchwork. He wanted to come back and complete the patchwork, but till then it was decided here that the film would be presented in a different way and which character would do what. He wasn’t welcomed back. He wanted to come back, but he wasn’t welcome on sets,” Mishti told reporters at the launch of her new music video.
The actor also made it clear that she was unhappy with the way her character finally looked in the film.
“Whenever you sign any artiste, be it big or small, you should have respect for the artistes not for the stardom. You should be clear to them that they are needed only for this much time.
“There are times when we shoot for over 100 days, but not all is retained. So, obviously, a little bit would be cut. But if you unnecessarily, to glorify yourself, diminish other characters, that is very wrong. No sensible artiste would do that,” she said.
Mishti further said she was “tricked” into giving extra dates, as she later realised she had not much to do in the film.
She said, “Many people are saying if a film is on Manikarnika, it will be about her only, not about Kashi Bai or Tatya Tope. It will definitely not be about them. But at least you deserve to know what is your role in the film. No one can lie to you about it. In the beginning, you are told that you are doing this much and in the end, you realise you are not doing anything. To top that, someone tricks you into giving them extra dates so that they can cut the previously shot scenes. That’s very wrong.”
The actor went on to say that she would never work on a film, which is helmed by an actor because actors are narcissists and wouldn’t be able to perform their duties in a fair manner.
“The person I signed my film with was another director. And then one day, when the film is nearing its end, someone tells you, ‘Madam, your director is this, not that and that person happens to be your co-star.’ We artistes are narcissists and there is nothing wrong in that.
“So, I will never work in a film whose director is the actor itself because he or she is only going to think about themselves. The director should always be neutral. He or she cannot be biased about anything and for him or her, the film’s every aspect is important. A real director can never be self-obsessed. Artistes have the liberty to do that but a director cannot do that. The director has to be fair to everyone,” Mishti said.
