When allegiances expire: Black Warrant director Vikramaditya Motwane's silent exit strategy

Vikramaditya Motwane is a much-admired filmmaker, known for his indie masterpieces and sharp societal commentaries. But of late, an unflattering piece has been doing the rounds on the internet, written by an anonymous whistleblower about the director, which has caught the attention of many.

It says that the acclaimed director seems to be working overtime in scripting an off-screen narrative quite different from the ones he so passionately crafts on film. While he often speaks of ethics and artistic integrity, industry whispers suggest that his ethics and integrity may come with a ticking clock.

Those who have observed him over the years can’t help but notice a familiar pattern. He postures and presents a very ethical stance but is known to downplay and “discreetly” handle serious allegations, particularly when it’s his close friends who are in the dock.

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Take the case of Pratik Shah, his DOP on his last outing “CTRL” featuring Ananya Panday. It is being said that Vikram tried to hush up allegations of sexual misconduct against his favourite DOP, but when the heat on him became too much, Shah was silently removed from his next feature, the biopic on Sourav Ganguly.

Similarly, in the past, as the founding member of Phantom, when allegations against fellow partner Vikas Bahl were made, a hurriedly formed committee to look into his misdemeanours gave him a clean chit. But lo and behold, who was heading that committee?! Yes! Vikramaditya’s own mother, Dipa Motwane. But the moment Phantom was dissolved and Vikramaditya sold off his shares for a cool sum, he rushed to post a holier-than-thou tweet against Vikas Bahl, trying to take a moral position. A carefully timed public statement followed, subtly distancing himself from his embattled associate, as though loyalty had an expiry date!

Now, insiders claim that history is quietly repeating itself. Whispers suggest that while the director initially took no steps and tried to hush up the matter, amid emerging scrutiny, strategic moves are already underway to ease Pratik Shah out of key projects so as to maintain his feminist and idealist image.

Those in the know, say this filmmaker has mastered the art of impeccable timing, knowing exactly when to stand by and when to step away, all while carefully safeguarding his image of untouchable credibility. Over the years, he has skillfully positioned himself as a “human-turned-director” with an idealistic worldview, winning audiences over with both his work and his carefully crafted persona.