Mumbai: Actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar announced Monday he is cancer free. His announcement came two months after he underwent a surgery for urinary bladder cancer. Mahesh Manjrekar, 63, said he was diagnosed with the disease during the making of his upcoming directorial Antim: The Final Truth. The film stars Salman Khan and Aayush Sharma. The filmmaker shot the last leg of the action movie amid his chemotherapy sessions, he said.
“During Antim, I was diagnosed with cancer. I shot the last portions when I had cancer and was taking chemotherapy. Today, I am happy to tell you all that I am cancer free,” Manjrekar told reporters. The director was speaking at the trailer launch of the film. He was joined by Salman Khan and his co-star and brother-in-law Sharma.
Manjrekar is known for helming acclaimed films like the 1999 drama Vaastav: The Reality, National Award-winning Astitva (2000) and the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Viruddh… Family Comes First.
Manjrekar was asked if it was difficult to shoot the film while undergoing chemotherapy. He said it was fortunate that the procedure didn’t affect him a lot.
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“I had to take chemotherapy first before going in for a huge surgery. During the shoot, I was under chemotherapy but it didn’t affect me that much. I have realised that work, passion drive you. I always think positive,” Manjrekar said.
“When I was told I have cancer, it didn’t shock me. I accepted it. There are so many people who get cancer, (but) they fight and survive. So it didn’t bother me too much. All of them (the team) were caring and helping, there was no problem. I was quite comfortable. Both of them (Salman, Aayush) were very supportive,” added the filmmaker.
Antim is billed as a ‘gripping tale of two powerful men’ with polar opposite ideologies. One of them is a cop (Salman Khan) and the other a gangster, played by Sharma.
Manjrekar, who also stars in the film, said he didn’t want to feature in Antim but was forced by the 55-year-old Salman to do so. They have previously co-starred in many films like Wanted (2009), Dabangg (2010) and Dabangg 3 (2019).
“I prefer not to act in films I direct, because you can’t see yourself act, you can’t say ok (to your own shot) and you don’t know what you have done. It was a nice, beautiful cameo, so I did it… I have known Salman for so many years. He is like a brother to me, we have done so many films together,” Manjrekar said.
“It was not difficult to direct him. It was easy because I knew exactly what I wanted from him – to say the lines and mean them. I was not overwhelmed or scared of him (Salman),” the filmmaker added.
Antim will be released in theatres worldwide November 26. The film will be distributed globally by ‘Zee Studios’.