Cabaret helped Its Director Overcome His Alcoholism

Pooja Bhatt who once helped Sunny Leone find her bearings in Bollywood  by casting her  as the leading lady  in  Jissm 2, has played saviour and godmother to director Kaustav Narayan Niyogi .

Kaustav who suffered from a drinking disorder quit his alcoholism when Pooja offered him the chance to direct Cabaret. Apparently the only pre-condition  she laid down for the debutant director was that he should be off drinks for as long as the film was shot.

And now Kaustav has quit alcohol completely.

Says Pooja, “For me Cabaret is a triumph on two major counts… One is Richa Chaddha’s transformation and acceptance as someone who can be as glamorous as she can be authentic as an artiste. And secondly ,because my director has managed to give up and stay off alcohol through this film which is a major personal victory for him.”

The character of Richa’s love interest played by Gulshan Deviah is actually based on the director.
Concedes Pooja, “Yes, Gulshan’s character is based on Kosty(Kaustav) himself. He too was drowning in a spiral of alcohol until he decided to direct Cabaret and make a debut as a director and music director at age 50!!”