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on 2008/3/6 3:23:03
It's been three years since he directed a movie, Kisna, and a lot has changed. Today, a film sells on hype and the showman who's returning to the front with an experimental venture rather than his usual lavish entertainers, knows he has to be ready for some sticky queries, which he fields, head on.
Subhash Ghai in a talkathon with Roshmila Bhattacharya.
Feeling nervous after the break?
(Smiles) Yash Chopra made Veer-Zaara after eight years and Aditya Chopra is directing a film after nine years. I may not have anchored a film but I was in touch with filmmaking as I sat in on scripts and worked on the music with my directors. I was working 14 hours a day. And once I was back on the sets, it was as if I'd never been away."Yash Chopra made Veer-Zaara after eight years and Aditya Chopra is directing a film after nine years. I may not have anchored a film but I was in touch with filmmaking as I sat in on scripts and worked on the music with my directors."
Hasn't the failure of Kisna been weighing on you?
Kisna was my great-grandfather's story. Today's youngsters couldn't connect with the idea of aman leaving his love and the good life to return to a girl who was his father's choice. That was how it was then. But the idea of love has changed. (Smiles) Hundred years ago, it was a matter of life and death. Fifty years ago, love was passion. Ten years down, it may be out of fashion.
Is it because Mukta Arts is a corporate company now that you’re making so many films a year?
In 25 years I’ve directed 16 films. In the last five years I’ve produced 15 films. Over the last couple of years we’ve had four releases every year. In 2009 we want to go up to six. Upping the scale is important. I guess that’s why Yash Raj Films and Rajshri Productions haven’t turned corporate. But it was my dream to set up a filmmaking institute so I had to go to the market to raise funds.
But corporates seem to have lost some of their shine. Even Mukta’s share price hasn’t risen..
In 1996, 600 companies went in for IPOs. Barely 10 per cent survived. Today, everyone is trying to cash in on the corporate boom. The difference is that while these companies are lead by financiers Mukta is headed by professional and experienced filmmakers who know their job. I can hike up the share price tomorrow by announcing a movie with Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan even if it never gets made. But I’ll never fool my investors. "The film didn’t add up on the balance sheet but Iqbal is a film Mukta is proud of."
If you’re such a professional outfit how did an inane comedy like Bombay To Bangkok get made?
After Teen Deewarein, Nagesh Kukunoor narrated three stories to me. I didn’t like any. The next day he was back with the story of a deaf and dumb boy who wants to play for the Indian cricket team. He was on. Nagesh wanted the title Koliwada Express. I knew it wouldn’t connect with North Indians and suggested he name it Iqbal after his hero.When he showed me the final edit I advised him to trim the film by 25 minutes and add a close-up of Iqbal’s mother and sister crying at the end because it was their victory too. He didn’t agree with my inputs, but at the time he needed Mukta and complied. The film didn’t add up on the balance sheet but Iqbal is a film Mukta is proud of.
We were talking of Bombay To Bangkok.
I’m coming to that. After Iqbal Nagesh wanted to make Dor. I pointed out that it was a good subject but not a hit subject. And he took it to Percept. I held no grudges and even fixed an appointment with Ayesha Takia for him.
Then he met my son-in-law Rahul Puri and convinced him that Bombay To Bangkok was a surefire hit. His only condition was that I should not interfere. I was a guest at the launch of the film. After the shoot in Bangkok, Nagesh didn’t even have time to see the rushes or sit in on the edit because he was busy with an Akshay Kumar movie ( 8X10) that he was making for Percept. Bombay to Bangkok released six months late and overshot the budget by Rs 1 crore. When a director starts going for quantity, quality suffers.
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