Renowned director Vidhu Vinod Chopra recently revealed a very intimate anecdote from his past, during a difficult time in the 1980s, he contemplated suicide. The incident took place following the lacklustre response of Sazaye Maut (1981), his debut feature picture. Disillusioned and dejected, Chopra stood on the Lonavala highway, considering suicide, before the thought of his family pulled him back from the brink.
Speaking during the promotions of his latest project, Zero Se Restart, which narrates the making of his 2023 hit 12th Fail, Chopra spoke about that trying time. He said he was left feeling hopeless with the failure of Sazaye Maut and the pressure of writing his next film, Khamosh. “I was just one step away from ending it all,” he said. “But the love of my family saved me. That’s why it is important to acknowledge these struggles because life is about fighting battles—winning some and losing others. The joy lies in the fight itself, not the result,” he added.
Despite the initial failure, Chopra’s career made a remarkable turn. He received critical acclaim with Parinda in 1989 and commercial success with 1942: A Love Story. Blockbusters like Munnabhai MBBS, 3 Idiots, PK, and Sanju are now attached to his name. He was also away from the sets after a gap of 13 years as he directed Shikara in 2020 and 12th Fail.
There is much to be learned about resilience and the ability to stay strong in the face of adversity from Chopra’s journey from despair to triumph.
