Ram Gopal Varma reflects on Satya in heartfelt confession: A journey of self-awareness and sincerity

In a deeply emotional and introspective tweet, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma recently reflected on his iconic 1998 film Satya, a project that marked a turning point in his career and in Indian cinema. With a powerful confession on social media, Varma revealed his raw feelings and realisations, 25 years after the film’s release, about the personal and professional journey that Satya triggered.

In his tweet, Varma confessed that it was only after watching Satya for the first time in over two decades, just two days ago, that he was overcome with emotion. “I started choking and tears were rolling down my cheeks… The tears came from somewhere deep inside me—not just for the film, but for everything that had gone into its making and, more than that, for what happened since,” Varma wrote, reflecting on how the film’s impact had been much larger than he had initially realized.

The filmmaker shared how, upon seeing the movie’s final cut after so many years, he and his team had not fully grasped what they had created at the time. “We didn’t realize what we had created—not me, not them,” he admitted. He likened the filmmaking process to “giving birth to a child originating from the throes of passion,” explaining how filmmakers often work on their creations in bits and pieces without truly understanding the outcome until much later.

Varma went on to explore how he had been blind to the true value of Satya until recently. Despite the film’s massive success and profound impact on audiences, Varma revealed that he had failed to reflect on its significance until years later. “Till two days back I was blind to what people saw in Satya… I ignored the countless inspirations it sparked in so many by dismissing it as just another step in my journey towards an objective-less destination,” he confessed.

Reflecting on his arrogance, Varma shared how he became consumed by his success and moved on quickly to new projects without taking the time to appreciate his earlier work. He wrote, “I became drunk not on alcohol but on my own success and my arrogance… When the bright lights of Rangeela or Satya blinded me, I lost my vision.”

This emotional epiphany led Varma to realize that, while some of his subsequent films may have been commercially successful, none captured the honesty and integrity of Satya. He acknowledged that his later work was often driven by gimmicks or technical wizardry rather than the emotional depth and sincerity that Satya embodied. “Some of my later films might have been successful, but I do not believe that any of them had the same honesty and integrity which is in Satya,” he wrote.

He expressed deep regret about not using Satya as the benchmark for his future work. “I wish I could go back in time and make this one cardinal rule for myself: Before deciding on any film to make, I should watch Satya once again,” Varma stated. “If I followed that rule, I’m sure I would not have made 90% of the films I made since then.”

In an impassioned vow, the filmmaker promised that every future project he undertakes will be infused with the same sincerity and reverence he had for Satya. “I might not be able to make a film like Satya ever again, but not even having the intention to do so is an unpardonable crime against cinema,” he declared.

In his tweet, Varma also urged filmmakers everywhere to take a moment for self-reflection and not get carried away by fleeting trends or their state of mind. “I truly mean this as a wake-up call to every filmmaker who just gets carried away in self-indulgence… without measuring it against the standards set by themselves or others,” he wrote.

In concluding his heartfelt confession, Varma promised to spend whatever time he has left in his career creating films that match the sincerity Satya brought to the screen. Whatever little of my life is left, I want to spend it sincerely and create something as worthy as Satya, and this truth I swear on Satya,” he pledged.

Ram Gopal Varma’s emotional reflection on Satya offers a rare and honest look at the internal struggles and realizations of a filmmaker who has been at the top of his game. His vow to honour the sincerity of his past work moving forward serves as a poignant reminder that true artistic integrity should never be compromised in an industry driven by trends and commercial success.