Filmmaker Devashish Makhija who is known for his recent directorial venture Joram opened up about the extreme personal hardships he suffered while prioritising his work. In a candid interview on Pranav Chokhani's YouTube channel, Makhija talked about the sacrifices he made and the lessons he learned through all of it.

Makhija talks about his ill health

Devashish recounted the toll his dedication to his craft took on his health and well-being and revealed that he suffered a heart attack at the age of 31 but couldn't afford the medical treatment required. Despite this setback, he resumed working tirelessly, often neglecting his own health. During the making of Ajji, Makhija battled prostate cancer, yet remained resolute in his commitment to the film's production.

He expressed, “I was bleeding through my penis every day. My shot breakdown and planning was so solid, the shoot wouldn’t have stopped had I dropped dead. There was a standing instruction to my associate director, ‘If I die today, you cannot stop the film. Give me a posthumous directed by credit’. That’s how Ajji was made.”

Devashish Makhija struggled with suicidal thoughts

“In March 2014, I bought a gun with the intention to kill myself”, he said. It wasn't until the production of Bhonsle, another collaboration with actor Manoj Bajpayee, that Makhija confronted the consequences of his constant pursuit of his art. Neglecting to visit his ailing father, who inspired the film's narrative, Makhija was met with the devastating reality of his father's dementia and subsequent passing.

He expressed, “A six-foot man was 26 kilos when he died a terrible death. That made me question the point of this fight.” Despite the accolades received by Joram, including Best Writing honours at the Critic’s Choice Awards and multiple wins at the Filmfare Awards, Makhija’s struggle to make ends meet continues.