In a candid revelation, filmmaker Vikram Bhatt recently recounted a challenging period in his career when a string of box office failures led to widespread doubt, even among his own crew members and distributors. The director, known for his work in the horror genre, shared his experiences in a recent interview, highlighting the struggles he faced while making the 2008 film '1920'.

Bhatt's career trajectory saw a downturn after the success of 'Raaz' in 2002. He revealed that the industry's unforgiving nature quickly became apparent as his subsequent 13 films failed to make a mark at the box office. "After a couple of hit films, I had a series of flops and in the industry, there is a rule: ‘if you have a couple of bad Fridays then people stop taking your calls’,” Bhatt explained in an interview. He described feeling helpless during this period.

Despite the setbacks, Bhatt decided to direct '1920', a horror film that he believed in. However, the challenges persisted throughout the production. "I struggled a lot to make that film. I had nobody to buy it from me. Nobody believed in me," he said. The lack of faith in the project was so pervasive that even members of his own crew began to express doubts. Bhatt recalled a light man questioning the film's quality, asking, "Sir, yeh kaisi film hai? (What kind of film is this?)" Despite the skepticism, Bhatt remained resolute, stating, "This is what is going to work".

The difficulties continued even after production wrapped. Bhatt revealed that he held approximately 35 trials of the film, but was unable to secure a buyer. He tirelessly approached studios and producers, but to no avail. "Everybody had their own opinions and reasons," Bhatt explained. Ultimately, he took the risk and released the film himself.

'1920', starring Adah Sharma and Rajneesh Duggal, was a low-budget horror film that defied expectations. It earned ₹14 crore at the box office and spawned a successful franchise. Following '1920', Vikram Bhatt delivered further hits with films like 'Haunted 3D' and 'Raaz 3'. However, his more recent films have not replicated the same level of success.