Mohit Suri opens up on directing parts of 'Tumsa Nahin Dekha' before debuting with 'Zeher' - 'Anurag dada was unwell at the time'

Time of India

2 days ago

With 'Saiyaara' drawing crowds and praise in equal measure,
Mohit Suri
is riding high. But even as his latest musical-romantic drama heads for blockbuster territory, the filmmaker is looking back — with gratitude, humour, and a few unexpected confessions.
In a candid conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Mohit shared a lesser-known detail from his early career: before making his directorial debut with Zeher in 2005, he had already directed significant portions of another film — Tumsa Nahin Dekha.
'I had no formal training"
He said, 'Anurag dada (Basu) was unwell at the time, and I had to step in and shoot some parts,' Mohit recalls. 'I had no formal training. That was my schooling — on set. I had assisted on eight Vikram Bhatt films and two of
Anurag Basu
's, but this was different.
I also got to work in post-production, which was a huge learning experience.'
T
umsa Nahin Dekha — starring Emraan Hashmi and Dia Mirza — may not have become a landmark film, but for Mohit, it was a defining moment. 'I didn't even intend to direct Zeher,' he admits. 'I had just written the idea and hoped Vishesh Films would produce it. But Bhatt saab and Mukesh ji simply said, 'Go make the film.' I didn't know if I was ready.'
Twenty years later, 'Zeher' is remembered fondly — not just for its tight narrative but also for its iconic soundtrack, a hallmark of most Mohit Suri films.
Quiet beginnings, bold choices
Mohit was in his early 20s when 'Zeher' released. 'Siddharth Anand, Aditya Datt — all of us debuted around that time,' he notes. 'Back then, we started assisting early, we got our hands dirty. Today's generation has a different path, and that's fine.
But I think I was lucky to get opportunities so young — even if they came with a push off the deep end.'
Shaad Randhawa, a long-time collaborator who also features in 'Saiyaara', had once spoken about those early days in an interview: 'Mohit was just 21 when he stepped in on Tumsa Nahin Dekha. But even then, it was clear he had something special.'
On comparisons with Anurag Basu's next
With both 'Saiyaara' and Anurag Basu's upcoming film starring Kartik Aaryan in the musical space, Suri addressed comparisons directly. 'I'm very close to Dada… I went and narrated this film to him. He had started his film and I had finished mine by then. He didn't seem worried in the least.'
'There was a Rockstar being made when I was making Aashiqui 2,' he added. 'This is not Interstellar that we would worry about.'
Meanwhile, 'Saiyaara' is getting good reviews from the audiences.
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