‘Abhishek Bachchan dies in Delhi 6’: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says ‘India hasn’t evolved’ to accept film’s original cut | Bollywood News

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6 remains an intriguing work, as it was a piece of art that not only interrogates the cultural contours of India’s past but also hints towards the ethical and social trajectories that will influence its future. Yet, in an industry often governed narrow commercial imperatives, such nuances often go unnoticed. When the film released in 2009, it was a box office failure. Over time, however, it has grown in stature, proving to be more incisive and relevant than many films of that decade. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Mehra revealed that the country is still not ready for the film’s original version, which remains unreleased. This version, he says, opens with the death of the film’s protagon, Abhishek Bachchan:
“The original film opens with the ashes immersion of Abhishek’s character in the Ganges. And over that, a voiceover comes, in Abhishek’s voice, saying, ‘These are my ashes.’ That’s how the story begins, and in the very opening frame you are told that your hero is dead.” Mehra continued: “That’s the original version. I still have it with me. That’s the one that went to the Venice Film Festival. They saw the film, they freaked out, they said ‘wow,’ and they gave it a lovely reception out there. And that’s why I call it the Venice cut, or the director’s cut. And Variety, the film magazine, gave it a front page, calling it ‘(un)Bollywood’.”
In the version of the film that was released, Abhishek Bachchan’s character survives, and the narrative concludes with a decidedly optimic ending.
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On why he changed the ending for the Indian release, Mehra admitted: “Out of foolishness. Sheer foolishness. We filmmakers are foolish people, mad, foolish, all of that. I think there was so much dark humour in the film. There was so much going on that everybody who saw the cut said, ‘Leave it with some hope,’ and all that. And I fell for it. I shouldn’t have.”

Asked if he plans to release the original director’s cut someday, especially at a time when older classics are being re-released, Mehra remained uncertain: “I don’t know, I really don’t. If I were to re-release, I still feel the time isn’t right. I still feel the nation hasn’t evolved; in fact, we have gone down the hole in many ways. Of course, we have progressed in many ways as well, but I don’t know how to define that progress.”
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Anas Arif is a prolific Entertainment Journal and Cinematic Analyst at The Indian Express, where he specializes in the intersection of Indian pop culture, auteur-driven cinema, and industrial ethics. His writing is defined a deep-seated commitment to documenting the evolving landscape of Indian entertainment through the lens of critical theory and narrative authorship.
Experience & Career
As a core member of The Indian Express entertainment vertical, Anas has cultivated a unique beat that prioritizes the “craft behind the celebrity.” He has interviewed a vast spectrum of industry veterans, from blockbuster directors like Vijay Krishna Acharya, Sujoy Ghosh, Maneesh Sharma to experimental filmmakers and screenwriters like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Varun Grover, Rajat Kapoor amongst several others. His career is characterized a “Journalism of Courage” approach, where he frequently tackles the ethical implications of mainstream cinema and the socio-political subtext within popular media. He is also the host of the YouTube series Cult Comebacks, where he talks to filmmakers about movies that may not have succeeded initially but have, over time, gained a cult following. The show aims to explore films as works of art, rather than merely commercial ventures designed to earn box office revenue.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Anas’s expertise lies in his ability to deconstruct cinematic works beyond surface-level reviews. His focus areas include:

Auteur Studies: Detailed retrospectives and analyses of filmmakers such as Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, and Neeraj Ghaywan, often exploring their central philosophies and creative evolutions.
Cinematic Deconstruction: Examining technical and narrative choices, such as the use of aspect ratios in independent films (Sabar Bonda) or the structural rhythm of iconic soundtracks (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge).
Industrial & Social Ethics: Fearless critique of commercial blockbusters, particularly regarding the promotion of bigoted visions or the marginalization of communities in mainstream scripts.
Exclusive Long-form Interviews: Conducting high-level dialogues with actors and creators to uncover archival anecdotes and future-looking industry insights.

Authoritativeness & Trust
Anas Arif has established himself as a trusted voice consently moving away from standard PR-driven journalism. Whether he is interrogating the “mythology of Shah Rukh Khan” in modern sequels or providing a space for independent filmmakers to discuss the “arithmetic of karma,” his work is rooted in objectivity and extensive research. Readers look to Anas for an educated viewpoint that treats entertainment not just as a commodity, but as a critical reflection of the country’s collective conscience. … Read More

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