Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 20: Ram Gopal Varma’s iconic crime drama Satya made its return to theatres on January 17, sharing screens with Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency and Ajay Devgn’s Azaad. The film, starring Manoj Bajpayee as Bhiku Mhatre and JD Chakravarthy as Satya, has achieved cult status over the years for its gritty portrayal of the underworld.
To mark the film’s re-release, Varma shared a heartfelt and emotional note, reflecting on the impact Satya had on his career. The filmmaker confessed that, after watching the film again for the first time in 27 years, he was overwhelmed with emotion and “choked with tears.” The tears, he explained, were not just for the film itself, but for everything that followed its massive success.
In a post shared on his X account, Varma described how deeply moved he was by the experience, admitting that he had been “blinded” by the success of Satya and Rangeela, which led him to lose his creative focus. “By the time Satya was rolling to an end, while watching it two days ago for the first time after 27 years, I started choking with tears rolling down my cheeks. The tears were not just for the film, but for what happened since,” he wrote.
He continued to reflect on the nature of filmmaking, comparing it to giving birth to a child without fully understanding its potential. “A film is made in bits and pieces without one really knowing what’s being made. When it is ready, the focus shifts to what others are saying, and after that, whether it’s a hit or not, I move on, too obsessed with what’s next,” Varma explained.
Looking back, Varma admitted to feeling “drunk” on his success, not from alcohol, but from the overwhelming praise following Satya and Rangeela. He acknowledged that the success of these films had caused him to lose his creative vision, which led him to make films for shock value and technical gimmicks rather than meaningful content. “I cried in guilt for my betrayals of all those who trusted me due to Satya. I became drunk, not on alcohol, but on my own success and my arrogance,” he confessed.
In his post, Varma also offered a sobering reflection aimed at fellow filmmakers. “I truly mean this as a wake-up call to every filmmaker, who just gets carried away in self-indulgence, without measuring it against the standards they set for themselves or others,” he wrote.
Finally, Varma vowed to dedicate the remainder of his career to creating films as worthy as Satya. “Whatever little of my life is left, I want to spend it sincerely and create something as worthy as Satya, and this truth I swear on Satya,” he concluded.
Satya, written by Saurabh Shukla and Anurag Kashyap, is widely considered a game-changer in Indian cinema for its gritty storytelling and unforgettable performances. The film also featured Urmila Matondkar, Paresh Rawal, Shefali Shah, and others, and remains a touchstone in the evolution of Indian crime dramas.