By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On His Birth Anniversary
एक दिन वो मिले, रोज़ मिलने लगे
फिर मुहब्बत हुई, बस क़यामत हुई
खो गये तुम कहाँ, सुन के ये दासताँ
लोग हैरान हैं, क्यों की अन्जान हैं
इश्क़ की वो गली, बात जिसकी चली
उस गली में मेरा आना, जाना था
इक हसीना थी, इक दीवाना था
क्या उमर, क्या समा, क्या ज़माना था
Subhash Ghai, a luminary from the FTII Pune, reached the tinsel town with dreams in his eyes to make it Big as an actor like many others. He started his journey with “Taqdeer” (1967) followed by “Aradhana” (1970 & “Umang” ( 1970) but failed to get the desired results. He then took to writing & later turned a director with N. N. Sippy’s “Kalicharan”. As producer Sippy wanted Rajesh Khanna in the film but Ghai, taking calculated risk, went for Shatrughan Sinha whose romance was at the zenith with ‘Zaroorat Girl’ Reena Roy. The film starring , Prem Nath, Ajit, Madan Puri & Danny Denzongpa with Shotgun opposite Reena Roy, did wonders & was declared a blockbuster. I watched the film at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.
Ghai hit the bull’s eye with another blockbuster “Vishwanath” (1978) featuring Bharat Bhushan, Parikshit Sahni, Pran, Madan Puri, Ranjeet & Prem Nath with the same lead pair. I was then posted in Varanasi & met the actor during a stage show, albeit brief. The film is remembered for its dialogue “Jali ko aag kehte hain, bujhi ko raakh kehte hain, jis raakh se barood bane use Vishvanath kehte hain” became too popular. Ranjeet’s dialogue “once in a blue moon, kabhi kabhie” also became popular. There is no denying the fact that the films is remembered for its razor-sharp dialogues with show stealer Prem Nath also there.
“Karz” (1980), based on ‘reincarnation’ starring Rishi Kapoor and Tina Munim in the lead with Simi Grewal, & Prem Nath was a musical-hit with “Ek Haseena Thi” being ‘pick of the lot’ composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. It was one of the top five grossing films of the year ( other four being ‘Qurbani’, ‘Asha’, ‘Insaaf Ka Tarazu’ ,and ‘Alibaba & 40 Chor’).
Ghai shaped the career of many players including Jackie Shroff whom he cast in “Hero”(1983) also starring Meenakshi Seshadri, was among the first 5 top grossing movies opposite “Himmatwala”, “Coolie” & “Souten”. He was repeated later in Karma” (1986), Ram Lakhan” (1989) and “Trimurti” (1995) .His “Vidhata” ( 1982) & “Karma” were the highest grossing films of 1982 & 1986 respectively followed by another hit “Meri Jung” (1985) .He ventured to cast two arch rivals Dilip Kumar & Raj Kumar in “Saudagar”( 1991); the two were last seen in”Paigham” ( 1959).
Ghai cast Sanjay Dutt in “Khalnayak” opposite Madhuri Dixit singing “Choli ke neeche Kya Hai”. The film became super-hit in general and super-duper hit in the East Punjab territory. I was then posted at Jalandhar. “Taal” ( 1999),” Yaadein” ( 2001) & “Kisna”(2005) were his other movies. Towards the fag end Ghai produced few films including Dhamendra starrer Punjabi movie “Double Di Trouble”(2014). “Kaanchi: The Unbreakable” (2014) was his last film as director.
Ghai married Rehana in 1970 & renamed her Mukta. Ghai’s production house Mukta Arts produced many films starting with “Kalicharan” in 1976 as director. He adopted his brother’s daughter Meghna in late 1970s. She is married & runs an acting institute named ‘Whistling Woods International ‘ as President with a worldwide recognition. In a career spanning more than 50 year Ghai gave many hits as a director. Ghai lives with his wife Mukta, & second daughter Muskaan born in 2000.
