KABHI KABHI EK KSHAN AADMI KI ZINDAGI BADAL DETA HAI

Sometimes an entire life is nothing but one moment which can either make you or break you. Take any life or take your own life and you will know that this and only this is the antim truth - ALI PETER JOHN

Subhash Ghai had completed doing his course in acting at the FTII and had come to Bombay to find roles as an actor.

He was among the many other boys and girls who had passed out with gold medals and other medals, but the industry which already had its big star and other well known actors were not willing to give these unknown names and faces any 'chance'.

Subhash Ghai was among the very lucky ones who got his first break as a leading man in a film called 'Umang' which was being made by Aatma Ram who was the younger brother of Guru Dutt.

He was paid 650 rs a month till the film was completed, was given a first class season ticket between Andheri and Churchgate stations and Aatma Ram gave him a room to live in at his bungalow in Juhu and life was a fine season with nothing really to worry about for Subhash like it was for his colleagues and contemporary from Pune.

Aatma Ram's Umang was a big flop and the umang ( desires) of all the actors in the film who were also from FTII also faced a setback.

Subhash was luck a he found work as a leading man in nine other films, but he was also very unlucky because all those films also flopped.

The only time he could find some recognition was when he played the pilot - thrilled of the new star Rajesh Khanna who was destined to be the first superstar of India. He failed as an actor again after 'Aradhana' .

He was recognized as a writer even when he was at the FTII and wrote a thesis on the work of Dilip kumar as an actor.

He decided to give up acting and take to writing scripts. And after writing a number of scripts, he went from office to office and from director to director to try and attract their attention with his scripts.

For a short time , he also formed a team with another flop actor from the FTII B.B Bhalla. But the team had differences and broke up..

Subhash now decided to struggle on his own. One morning, he went to the famous Naaz building in the Grant Road area which had the offices of some leading filmmakers besides Naaz theatre.

He was determined to meet producer N.N. Sippy who had produced films like 'Gumnaam' , 'Woh kaun thi', 'Mera saaya'.

Sippy was known for giving breaks to unknown and untested writers and directors. He asked Subhash to give him a narration of his script and Sippy heard him out patiently or more than an hour which was enough to give Subhash the confidence he needed at that stage...

Sippy didn't say a word after Subhash completed his narration and Subhash began walking down the wooden steps, thinking that he had lost one more chance.

He had hardly walked down a few minutes when Sippy's man came running after him and said," Sippy sahab ne bulaaya hai".

Subhash went back to Sippy's office with his heart beating fast. He was thinking about his script which he felt could get him some money which could help him carry on living in Bombay for sometime.

Sippy gave him a smile and told him that he loved his script, but more than the idea of the script, Sippy said he loved the way Subhash narrated the script to him and before Subhash could even finish saying 'Thank you' to Sippy, Sippy said ,"why don't you direct the film? The way you have given me the narration is as good as you directing the film".

Subhash told him that he had not even worked as an assistant and Sippy told him," Raj Kapoor or Ray kya direction apne maa ke peit se seekh ke aaye the ? Tum mere liye yeh film direct kar rahe ho." That film was 'Vishwanath' which made Subhash Ghai a director and who is the showman today.