Vikram Bhatt turns novel writer, explores ‘intense romance’

Mumbai, March 21 (IANS) Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, who is debuting as a novel writer with "A Handful of Sunshine", has explored the world of intense romance in the book. The irony is, he says, is that the thought of love brings him pain instead of joy.

"When I think of love, I think of pain and not joy. I know that is not the way it's supposed to be but it has been that way for me," Vikram, who was married to Aditi, but then had an extra-marital affair with actress Sushmita Sen.

After his relationship with the former beauty queen ended, Vikram reportedly dated actress Ameesha Patel.

The father of one daughter says: "Love is the most elusive thing I know. Always an arm's length away, teasing me and asking me to stretch a bit more and grab it. The more I stretched, the more it slipped away. Through those many slips comes my book, 'A Handful of Sunshine'."

It is the debut novel by Vikram, known for his thriller and horror films like "Raaz", "1920" and "Haunted - 3D". The book is being brought out by Penguin Random House India in April 2017.

"Vikram's writing is extremely visual and arresting and forms an immediate connect with the reader," Vaishali Mathur, Executive Editor and Head Rights and Language Publishing, Penguin Random House India, said.

Vikram is the grandson of filmmaker Vijay Bhatt, one of the pioneers of the Hindi film industry, and son of Pravin Bhatt, an acclaimed director of photography.

Having had the good fortune of being under the tutelage of renowned filmmakers Shekhar Kapur and Mahesh Bhatt, Vikram has spent 25 years in the industry directing films and writing screenplays.

He has also produced a number of films and now heads Loneranger Productions Pvt Ltd, a company that specialises in films, television and now also the web.