Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate completed 20 years on July 7, 2026. The 2006 film, starring Bipasha Basu, Kay Kay Menon, Raj Babbar and Rajat Kapoor, remains one of the director’s most discussed works because of its look at boardroom rivalries, finance, image management and the cost of ambition.
Looking back on the film, Bhandarkar said the idea came after Page 3, which had become a sleeper hit in 2005. He did not begin with a complete story. The title Corporate interested him first, and he then decided to build a film around the corporate world. He worked again with writer Manoj Tyagi, who had also collaborated with him on Satta and Page 3.
Research after Page 3
Bhandarkar said the response to Page 3 made research difficult in some circles. According to him, some corporate figures and socialites felt the film had exposed the private side of the rich, so they were wary of allowing him into boardrooms. Even so, he met people in Mumbai and Delhi and also spoke to those connected with finance and journalism.
The story eventually used the rivalry between two soft drink companies as its main conflict. Bhandarkar said the film was about 70 percent inspired by real incidents from that period. He also paid attention to small details, including the habits and superstitions of senior business figures. One example he cited was Raj Babbar’s character wearing a ring according to the day of the week.
He said the film also benefited from inputs by finance journalists and people working in stock market circles. For him, the aim was to make a film about a complicated world without making the storytelling difficult for the audience.
Why Bipasha Basu was cast
Bipasha Basu played Nishigandha Dasgupta in Corporate. Bhandarkar said she came to his mind early, though people around him were unsure about the casting. At the time, she had a strongly glamorous screen image, especially after Jism. In Corporate, he wanted to present her in a formal, fully covered corporate look.
He said he had not seen Jism then, and still has not seen it. The film of hers he had watched was Ajnabee, and he liked her work in it. Some people questioned whether she could carry a performance-heavy role, but Bhandarkar said he was confident he could bring out the required performance.
He also recalled that Basu later used DVDs of Corporate as a performance reference when filmmakers wanted to see her work. In that sense, he felt the film helped show another side of her as an actor.
Office screenings and unusual feedback
After release, Corporate became a strong multiplex performer, according to Bhandarkar. He said some organisations criticised the film, arguing that it showed the corporate world too negatively. There were also concerns, he claimed, that the film might discourage people from pursuing an MBA.
At the same time, Bhandarkar said many business people appreciated the film’s accuracy. Some contacted him directly after finding his number. He recalled being told that the language, office details and boardroom atmosphere felt real. People from stock market circles also responded to the research in the film.
One of the more unusual memories he shared was about office group screenings. In some offices, he said, a half-day was declared and employees were encouraged to watch Corporate. Groups of 30, 40 and even 50 people went to see the film together. Bhandarkar described this as an early example of corporate booking in a positive sense.
He also said he received constant SMS messages on his Nokia phone after the release. Bipasha Basu, too, received bouquets and positive responses. Bhandarkar added that Sahara and Percept hosted a success party at Taj Lands End and gifted him a Pajero car.
Soft drink debate and IIM Ahmedabad
The film’s plot led many viewers to connect it with the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, especially because of the pesticide angle. Bhandarkar said many people told him they had stopped consuming soft drinks after watching the film. He also said some people who had opposed the film before release later invited him to their events.
Corporate was also studied at IIM Ahmedabad, and Bhandarkar said he got a chance to address MBA students there. He recalled asking them what they took away from the film. Their answer, he said, was that people in the corporate world should work with their minds and not their hearts. They connected this to Bipasha Basu’s character, whose emotional decision leads to jail.
Will Corporate 2 happen?
Bhandarkar said people have asked him about Corporate 2 since the original film’s release. He believes the subject has scope for a sequel because the corporate world has changed significantly since 2006. However, he did not announce a project. If he makes it, he said, it would be set in a different context and explore a different corporate world.
Source: Bollywood Hungama.