Hansal Mehta Reflects on Omerta, His Most Challenging Film to Produce

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta recently revealed that his 2017 crime action film, Omerta, holds a special place in his heart as it remains his favorite movie in his filmography. Starring the talented Rajkummar Rao, the film delves into the global terror activities of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and was met with both critical acclaim and controversy.

As Omerta celebrates its 6th anniversary, Mehta reflects on the challenges he faced while producing the movie, describing it as a “nightmare” due to the involvement of certain individuals. Despite the hardships, the filmmaker is proud of the end result and praises Rao’s performance as the most complex among all their collaborations.

The film, which was cleared by the CBFC with an ‘A’ certificate, faced scrutiny for a particularly controversial scene where Sheikh is depicted urinating in prison while the Indian national anthem plays in the background. The censor board requested the removal of the anthem from the scene, to which Mehta reluctantly agreed, only allowing one major cut in the film.

Mehta, known for his gritty and raw storytelling, has had his fair share of battles with the censor board in the past but remained steadfast in his commitment to preserving the integrity of Omerta. The filmmaker’s journey from Shahid to Gandhi has been marked by a series of impactful and thought-provoking films, with Omerta standing out as a testament to his fearless approach to storytelling.