As ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’ completes 25 years since its release, director Anil Sharma has opened up about the challenges he faced before delivering one of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters. The filmmaker recently spoke about a difficult period in his career and recalled how some people in the industry questioned his relevance before the release of the landmark film.

Anil Sharma opens up about difficult phase

During a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Anil Sharma looked back at a period when he was facing uncertainty in the film industry. The director recalled that a producer had once withdrawn a cheque and dismissed him as an “irrelevant director.” However, Sharma explained that such remarks never affected his outlook.Addressing the issue, he said, “I don’t want to prove relevance in front of anyone, till today I don’t, even back then I did not. When someone says such things, I laugh. I’m not hurt by the industry. All that matters to me is that the audience has seen my film and has liked it, nothing else.”Not long after facing those challenges, Anil Sharma directed ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’. Released in 2001, the film featured Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel in lead roles. The movie emerged as a massive commercial success and became one of the most talked-about films of its time.

More about ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’

‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’ was set during the Partition of India and Pakistan. The film followed a powerful love story unfolding amid a turbulent historical backdrop. The narrative combined romance, patriotism and family emotions. The film also became known for several iconic moments and dialogues that continue to be remembered even today. More than two decades after the original film’s release, the franchise returned with ‘Gadar 2’. The sequel also turned out to be a super hit, even though it received mixed reviews. Directed by Anil Sharma and headlined by Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel, the film remains one of the defining blockbusters of its era.