# Subhash Ghai

Subhash Ghai (born 24 January 1945) is an Indian film director, producer, actor, lyricist, music director and screenwriter, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema. He was one of the most prominent Hindi filmmakers in the 1980s and 1990s. His notable films include Kalicharan (1976), Vishwanath (1978), Karz (1980), Hero (1983), Vidhaata (1982), Meri Jung (1985), Karma (1986), Ram Lakhan (1989), Saudagar (1991), Khalnayak (1993), Pardes (1997), and Taal (1999).
In 1982, Ghai founded Mukta Arts, which became a public company in 2000, with Ghai serving as its executive chairman. In 2006, he received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues for producing Iqbal, a film addressing social issues. That same year, he established Whistling Woods International, a film and media institution in Mumbai. In 2015, Ghai was honoured with the IIFA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema. His films are noted for their iconic characters, grand sets, dramatic climaxes, and themes of divine justice and duty.

## Early life

Born in Nagpur, India, Subhash Ghai's father was a dentist in Delhi. Ghai graduated in commerce from Rohtak, Haryana, and then went to pursue graduation in Cinema from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

## Career

In an interview with Rajya Sabha TV, Ghai recounted that after graduated from FTII, he came to Bombay, but was not allowed to enter any studio as he was unknown. He then read self help books like Dale Carnegie's How to Win friends and influence people, and used techniques given in it to help him try and enter the film industry. At the same time, he learnt of and entered a United Producers Filmfare talent contest. Of the 5,000 participants, three people were selected in it, he, Rajesh Khanna and Dheeraj Kumar. While Khanna received a role soon after, Ghai received a role a year later.
Ghai started his career in Hindi cinema as an actor with small roles in films including Taqdeer (1967) and Aradhana (1969). He was the male lead in the 1970s Umang and Gumraah. His directorial debut was the action thriller Kalicharan (1976) which he obtained through a recommendation by Shatrughan Sinha.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he formed a successful collaboration with Dilip Kumar whom he directed in Vidhaata (1982), Karma (1986) and Saudagar (1991), the latter for which he won his first and only Filmfare Award for Best Director. He introduced Jackie Shroff as a leading actor in the action romance Hero (1983) and helped establish Anil Kapoor's rising career with the legal drama Meri Jung (1985). He went on to frequently work with Shroff and Kapoor, casting them together in the films Karma (1986), Ram Lakhan (1989) and Trimurti (1995), the latter which he had produced and it was directed by Mukul S. Anand. His action crime film Khalnayak starring Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit and Shroff featured the hit songs "Nayak Nahin Khalnayak Hu Main" and the controversial "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai".
In 1997, he directed the musical romance Pardes which starred Shahrukh Khan and newcomers Mahima Chaudhry and Apoorva Agnihotri. In 1999, he directed the musical romantic drama Taal which starred Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor. Both Pardes and Taal were released internationally. His following films were Yaadein (2001) and Kisna (2005). He then took a break from directing and turned producer with films including Aitraaz (2004), Iqbal (2005), 36 China Town (2006) and Apna Sapna Money Money (2006). In 2006, he set up his own film institute Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. The institute trains students in filmmaking: production, direction, cinematography, acting, animation. Ghai has done brief cameos in his directorial ventures.
After a three-year hiatus from directing, he returned in 2008 with Black & White released on 7 March 2008 and, later Yuvvraaj released in November 2008 with collaboration Yash Singhaniya (award-winning journalist and writer). which did not perform well at the box office. A. R. Rahman stated in an interview that Ghai had asked him to use the words "Jai Ho" in a song. Although intended for Yuvraaj, the song resulted in Jai Ho!, featured in Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 81st Academy Awards.
At the Cannes International Film Festival in May 2018, Ghai announced that he is co-producing a biopic on Osho Rajneesh along with an Italian production house. The movie would be directed by Lakshen Sucameli.
As of 2016, he has written and directed a total of 16 movies.

### Advisor

Currently, he is also on the Board of Advisors of India's International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.).

## Personal life

In 1970, following a four year-long courtship, Ghai married Rehana Farooqui, whom he met while he was in FTII in Pune. She is better known as Mukta Ghai. They live in Mumbai along with their daughters, Meghna Ghai Puri and Muskaan Ghai. Meghna is the President of Whistling Woods International Institute.

## Controversies

In 2018, Subhash Ghai was accused of sexual assault by an anonymous woman. The victim, who used to be an assistant of Subash Ghai alleged that he raped her at Fariyas hotel, Lonavala after spiking her drinks with drugs. No Criminal case or FIR was registered in this matter while Ghai denied it strongly, calling it false.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Film |
| 1992 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Saudagar |
| 1998 | Filmfare Awards | Best Screenplay | Pardes |
| 2022 | Filmfare Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| 2006 | National Film Awards | Best Film on Other Social Issues | Iqbal |
| 2015 | IIFA Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| 2015 | Business World | Pioneering contribution in the field of Cinema Exhibition | |
| 2017 | Screen Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| 2017 | Amar Ujala | Lifetime Excellence | |
| 2018 | Economic Times-Edge | Iconic Brand of Indian Cinema | |
| 2019 | 1st Diorama International Film Festival & Market | Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| 2022 | The FilmFare Award | Lifetime Achievement Award |

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Role |
| 1969 | Aradhana | Flight Lieutenant Prakash |
| 1970 | Umang | Supporting actor |
| 1972 | Bharat Ke Shaheed | act |
| 1973 | Sherni | Act (Punjabi film) |
| 1975 | Naatak | Act (Negative role) |
| 1976 | Kalicharan | Writer, Director |
| 1978 | Vishwanath | Writer, Director |
| 1979 | Gautam Govinda | Writer, Director |
| 1980 | Karz | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1981 | Krodhi | Writer, Director |
| 1982 | Vidhaata | Writer, Director |
| 1983 | Hero | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1984 | Naan Mahaan Alla | Story Credit |
| 1985 | Meri Jung | Writer & Director |
| 1986 | Karma | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1989 | Ram Lakhan | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1991 | Saudagar | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1993 | Khalnayak | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 1995 | Trimurti | Producer |
| 1997 | Pardes | Director & Producer |
| 1999 | Taal | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2001 | Yaadein | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2001 | Rahul | Producer |
| 2003 | Ek Aur Ek Gyarah | Producer |
| 2003 | Joggers' Park | Producer |
| 2004 | Aitraaz | Producer |
| 2005 | Kisna: The Warrior Poet | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2005 | Iqbal | Producer |
| 2006 | 36 China Town | Producer |
| 2006 | Shaadi Se Pehle | Executive Producer |
| 2006 | Apna Sapna Money Money | Producer |
| 2007 | Good Boy, Bad Boy | Producer |
| 2008 | Black & White | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2008 | Yuvvraaj | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2009 | Paying Guests | Producer |
| 2010 | Right Yaa Wrong | Producer |
| 2011 | Love Express | Producer |
| 2011 | Cycle Kick | Producer |
| 2011 | Naukadubi (Bengali) | Producer |
| 2011 | Kashmakash | Producer |
| 2013 | Samhita | Producer |
| 2014 | Double Di Trouble | Producer |
| 2014 | Kaanchi: The Unbreakable | Writer, Director & Producer |
| 2014 | Nimbehuli | Producer, Kannada Film |
| 2015 | Hero | Producer |
| 2022 | 36 Farmhouse | Producer, writer |