Subhash Ghai planning to quit film making

By: Molly, IndiaFM
Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Yes, the showman who has been making films for the last 29 years (he founded his company, Mukta Arts on October 24, 1978) is planning to leave the field as a director. He said in so many words to this writer just 2 days before his company celebrates its 29th anniversary tomorrow.

But admirers and fans of the showman need not panic. He will quit as a director, that"s for sure but he is not going to quit so easily or so fast. He has planned out the walking out phase for himself. He has just completed the shooting of what he calls the first “un-Subhash Ghai like film" called Black&White starring Anil Kapoor, one of his favorite heroes down the years and “a brilliant new actor who is in the class of Amitabh Bachchan or any good actor in the world," Anurag Sinha, a student from the FTII from the batch which has passed out after a gap of 28 years during which the acting course was scrapped there. Ghai is also busy shooting Yuvraaj with Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif all over Europe, the budget of which is a hopping 50 crores which makes it one of the most expensive films to be made in recent times.

After completing Yuvraaj, Ghai will clutch the brake on his work as a director. He will start out with directing just one film in a year and he has a target marked out for himself. He will direct just seven more films and then give up directing for good. “I have been thinking about the future for quite some time and this is the conclusion I have come to. I have directed some of the biggest films. I feel I have even overworked myself which has sometimes affected the quality of my work. It is when I realized this truth that I decided to take my own decision," Ghai says in a tone which is very measured which shows how much of deep and practical thinking has gone into the decision which is certainly going to take the industry by surprise.

Talking about his plans for the future, Ghai who has planned all his moves says, “There is so much still to do besides directing films. I will continue to produce good and meaningful films and encourage other directors, especially directors of the new generation. I am now planning to take an active part in the working of my dream school, Whistling Woods International. I will try my best to groom the future generation of actors, directors and technicians. It is a good way of making use of all my experiences. After all, how long can I go on directing films with the same passion and give films of the same quality. I don"t want to be thrown out. That is why I am opting out myself. I am not one to impose myself on the new generation," Ghai who is not worried about losing his position as a director and the title of the showman being taken away from him says.

This is certainly one decision which is going to make a big difference to the future of the business of entertainment, to the Hindi films scene which has got used to looking up to him as a pillar of strength.