Subhash Ghai Birthday: A King Made Subhash Ghai the Showman

In over 70 years, Dilip Kumar inspired generations of actors, directors, writers, and other creative minds. Some of his prominent followers who learned from his name and talent include Manoj Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, writers Salim and Javed, and Subhash Ghai. Ghai was a boy from a middle-class family in the streets of Delhi, but his mind was always focused on Hindi films, especially on the work of Dilip Kumar as an actor.

Subhash Ghai’s FTII Journey: A Thesis on Devdas and His Passion for Dilip Kumar

It was his passion for learning more about Dilip Kumar that led him to enter FTII and pursue an acting course. While at FTII, he wrote a thesis on Devdas, directed by Bimal Roy, analyzing the characters of Chandramukhi and Paro, played by Vyjayanthimala and Suchitra Sen. Many of Ghai's friends at FTII, as well as several others, appreciated the thesis. However, it was this very thesis that fueled his growing passion to meet his idol, a desire that only grew stronger over time.

Subhash Ghai arrived in Mumbai as one of the many FTII graduates and was fortunate to land lead roles. However, the films he acted in failed at the box office, prompting him to shift his focus to scriptwriting. This decision set him on the path to success. His scripts eventually led him to direct films like Kalicharan and Vishwanath, but he truly came into his own with major films like Karz, Meri Jung, Kroadh, and Gautam Govinda. These movies solidified his place in the industry as a successful filmmaker.

Subhash Ghai arrived in Mumbai as one of many FTII students and was fortunate enough to land lead roles. However, the films he acted in failed at the box office, prompting him to make a pivotal decision to focus on scriptwriting. This decision paved the way for his success. His writing talent led him to direct films like Kalicharan and Vishwanath. However, he truly established himself with major films such as Karz, Meri Jung, Kroadh, and Gautam Govinda, which marked his rise as a prominent filmmaker in the industry.

He left a lasting impact on everyone who mattered in Hindi cinema. His greatest achievement to date remains his success in directing Dilip Kumar in three films—something the legendary actor had never done with any other director in his long and illustrious career. Ghai directed Dilip Kumar in Vidhaata, Karma, and Saudagar.

Vidhaata was a significant challenge for Ghai as he had to manage a powerhouse of talent, including Dilip Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dr. Shreeram Lagoo, and Padmini Kolhapure. Despite the pressure, the film became a landmark in his career, further cementing his legacy in Indian cinema.

Following this, he made Karma, which was his interpretation of the works of his mentor, Dr. V. Shantaram. The film was a massive hit! Ghai then brought together two legends, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar, in Saudagar, reuniting them after decades since their iconic collaboration in Paigham, which is considered one of the classics of Hindi cinema.

Saudagar also featured talented actors like Anupam Kher and Amrish Puri. The three films that Ghai directed with Dilip Kumar elevated his stature, earning him a place among the finest directors in the country.

Ghai worked with almost all the major actors of his time, but none had the kind of impact on him that Dilip Kumar did. He would have loved to create more films with his idol, but time was not on his side. Dilip Kumar's health began to decline, and he was no longer in a position to work. Ghai often expressed regret over not being able to direct more films with him.

Like everyone else, Ghai, too, went into a state of shock after the passing of his idol. Dilip Kumar’s death left a profound void, not just in the industry but in Ghai’s life as well.

But, his admiration and respect for his idol made him give expression to the lessons he learned from his idol. Recently while talking about his idol on a new channel he has set up, Ghai spoke about some of the lessons he learned during his close association with his idol. Let me give our readers a brief about Ghai and what he has learned from the greatest entity called Dilip Kumar... -Respect yourself first and be a good human being -Have dignity even in trivial tasks or conversations -Even if it is a small task, do it with love.

Accept all, respect all - Respect the viewpoint of others, even if you don't agree - this is the spirit that matters in any work of art - Don't be a part of the market. Just be a good artist. The market will run after you. - Never take shortcuts. Think of staying here for a long time. - Keep in constant touch with literature to stay in touch with the best in the world. - Write one line every day to enrich your intellect and self-improvement. Subhash Ghai imbibed all those things and became a showman. Hope many more young artists learn these things. There is power in search, there is life in search and learning is also religion, faith and path.

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