When M.F. Husain slammed Sooraj Barjatya for his biggest flop: “Brush phenk ke aaya hu!'

In the golden era of Bollywood family dramas, director Sooraj Barjatya stood tall with classics like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and Hum Saath Saath Hain. But in 2003, his streak stumbled dramatically with Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon — a film that despite its star-studded cast of Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, and Abhishek Bachchan, was met with disbelief and disappointment from fans and critics alike.

Among those dismayed was none other than legendary painter M.F. Husain. A longtime admirer of Barjatya’s cinematic purity, Husain was so rattled after watching the film that he did something dramatic — he hurled his paintbrush at the screen in Mumbai's Liberty cinema and called the director to demand answers.

“What Have You Done?”
In a candid conversation on the YouTube show Game Changers, Sooraj Barjatya revisited the fateful moment when he received Husain’s call. “He didn’t hold back. He said, ‘What have you made? I threw my brush at the screen!’” Barjatya recalled, visibly humbled.

But this wasn’t mere criticism. It was a wake-up call from a fan who believed in the director’s original voice — a voice rooted in tradition, family values, and emotional storytelling.

The Cost of Chasing Trends
Barjatya admitted that the early 2000s saw a shift in Bollywood, with filmmakers like Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra embracing Western locales and modern narratives to cater to the growing overseas audience. Wanting to “go with the times,” Barjatya attempted to follow suit, albeit reluctantly.

“I had the biggest stars, a massive budget, all the resources… but I wasn’t sure of myself,” he said. For the first time in his career, he found himself constantly seeking validation from his assistants on set. “If a director is asking someone else, ‘Will this work?’ then something is already wrong.”

Even his father, the producer behind Rajshri Productions, warned him that the film was overambitious and disconnected from the ethos of their legacy.

Back to the Roots
M.F. Husain’s blunt honesty served as a turning point. During the call, he asked Barjatya to close his eyes and imagine a party at his home. “What is everyone wearing?” he asked. “Sarees,” Sooraj replied. “Then why are you making all this?” Husain shot back. “We see all of that in other people’s films. We come to your films for their purity. We want tears of happiness.”

Those words, Sooraj said, are etched in his memory. They reminded him that his strength lay not in trend-chasing, but in telling stories that resonated with familial emotion and cultural sincerity.

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon may have been a box office disaster, but for Sooraj Barjatya, it became his biggest teacher. It taught him that cinematic authenticity cannot be replaced by spectacle, and that even the harshest critique — if honest — can guide one back to purpose.

As for M.F. Husain’s flying brush, it became the unlikely spark that reignited a filmmaker’s commitment to heartfelt storytelling.