When 'Homeless' Dibakar Banerjee Had To Request His Wife To Take A Job In Mumbai

Dibakar Banerjee made his filmmaking debut with the comedy thriller Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006). The film featured Anupam Kher and Boman Irani in prominent roles and opened to critical acclaim. Years after the release, the filmmaker looked back at the time he was attempting to sell the film while staying in Delhi. As the realisation donned on him that he may have to move to Mumbai, Dibakar shared he had to rely on his wife for finances.

Dibakar Banerjee recalls living from a suitcase in Mumbai 

Dibakar Banerjee and his wife were residents of the National Capital before moving to Mumbai for their careers. The director recalled not having a home while trying to sell his debut film in the city. In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, he said, “I was living out of a suitcase in Mumbai when I was trying to sell the film.” 

The filmmaker recalled relying on his wife to find a job and move to Mumbai so that they have a place to stay. His wife, Richa, he recalls readily agreed. Dibakar recalled, “That’s when I called my wife and I asked her that please see if you can find a job in Mumbai.” 

Dibakar Banerjee says his wife supported the family for two years

In the same conversation, Dibakar recalled that his wife got a job almost immediately and then they shifted to her company house in Mumbai. He also recalled the hardships he faced while trying to sell Khosla Ka Ghosla. He asserted that people were not interested in buying the film and were offering him other movies instead. 

The filmmaker said, “She (Richa) moved here to the company’s flat and I moved into our house, that’s how we started living in Mumbai. After that, for two years, my wife supported us.” The director recalled his ordeal of knocking on the doors of various producers in an attempt to sell Khosla Ka Ghosla. The film was eventually released by UTV Motion Pictures in 2006. The film starred Anupam Kher, Pravin Dabas, Tara Sharma, Ranvir Shorey, and others. The comedy thriller remains a cult classic to date.