Exclusive! R Balki: Be it the media or actors, people without ethics and morals exist in every profession

Celebrated Indian film director R Balki has generated a lot of buzz recently for the quirky trailer of his intriguing psychological thriller Chup: Revenge of the Artist.

On Monday, while interacting with the media in New Delhi, we asked Balki if the subtle insinuation in the movie—where Dulquer Salmaan's character asks a film critic if he was 'gifted' a gold watch in exchange for a four-star rating—was derived from his personal experience. 

The filmmaker, who is known for his work as a director in films such as Pad Man, Ki & Ka, Cheeni Kum, among others, joked about his films never have the budget for such transactions before talking about the flip side of every profession we take.

"My films don't have the budgets to give out such kind of gifts (laughs!) Anyway, but, this is not that. See, any profession in the world—be it an artiste, acting, this industry, be it the police, critics, media, everywhere—there are good people and then there are bad people in every profession. Yes, there are a lot of bad things that do happen. People without ethics and morals exist in every profession that you kind of take. And I think it is one of those things. And if you want to know if its true or not, these are anecdotal and this is a story. Of course, there will be an element of truth somewhere. But, have I ever had any such personal experience? I can never tell you that (smiles!)"

For the unversed, Chup: Revenge of the Artist is a psychological thriller written and directed by renowned filmmaker R. Balki, who is known for his films like Paa, Cheeni Kum, and Pad Man. The film, which is described as an ode to the legendary Indian filmmaker Guru Dutt, features performances from Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Sunny Deol in prominent roles.

It is slated to release in theatres on September 23, 2022.