Vikram Bhatt reflects on 70 days in jail, bail in fraud case

Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt reflected on the 70-plus days he spent behind bars in Udaipur after being arrested in connection with an alleged large-scale financial fraud. The Supreme Court has granted regular bail to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt, who were booked by the Rajasthan police in an alleged fraud case involving large-scale misappropriation of funds.

‘My God is powerful’: Bhatt on lessons learned

In an interview with ANI, Bhatt said the past few months had been extremely challenging, but the experience taught him several valuable lessons. ” I have learned a few things…My wife and I were innocent. My daughter didn’t do anything. But I understood one thing while I was in jail, the power of prayer. I have always believed in God, but there I surrendered everything to Him. I told myself, ‘Look, I am not wealthy enough to hire the world’s best lawyers. If I have any support, it is from God.’ Someone told me to strike a deal with a very powerful person. I replied, ‘I may not be powerful, but my God is. If I am not a criminal, I will get bail. And even after securing bail, if the case continues, I will prove my innocence,” Bhatt shared.

Bhatt revealed that some of his friends distanced themselves from him during the jail ordeal. “There are some friends who no longer speak to me, even though they used to before. Maybe they believe I did something wrong, or perhaps they simply don’t want to associate with someone who has been to jail. That could be the reason. But I always think that those who know me don’t believe me. Those who believe me don’t really know me,” he noted.

Life behind bars

Recounting his experience behind bars, Bhatt said he shared a barrack with dozens of inmates and found unlikely friendships in the midst of one of the toughest periods he had ever faced. “Everyone took good care of me. Whatever they could do for me, they did,” he said, adding that most inmates were familiar with him and his work.

Bhatt recalled that when he arrived at the jail late at night, the inmates in his barrack welcomed him warmly. They arranged a place for him to sleep, with some providing a pillow, a blanket and even a water bottle. “I couldn’t even figure out which medicines I needed to take, so someone took responsibility for helping me with that,” he said.

According to Bhatt, the inmates continued to support him throughout his stay, never allowing him to wash clothes or clean utensils, and ensuring he was looked after during his time behind bars.

‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of the jail

Bhatt also revealed that his fellow inmates were particularly fond of listening to the stories he narrated, especially the haunted ones. “In jail, people used to call me ‘Bhishma Pitamah,’ and they enjoyed listening to the stories I shared,” he said.

The fraud allegations

Both Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt were booked in the case, which stems from an FIR lodged in Udaipur in November 2025 over an alleged fraud linked to a film project. The case was registered at the Bhupalpura police station.

The complainant alleged that, in memory of his late wife, he entered into an agreement with Vikram Bhatt’s company for the production of films and documentaries. As per the FIR, the complainant paid a sum to Bhatt’s company and signed a contract for the production of four films. However, it was alleged that the production house failed to deliver the films.

Two films that were produced were allegedly not rightfully attributed, while the highest-budget project under the contract was never initiated. Responding to the allegations, Vikram Bhatt had earlier told ANI that he believed the police were being misled. He claimed he had not received any prior notice before learning about the FIR through media reports and a journalist acquaintance. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)