Filmworld
Cinema reduced to cash trap industry: Subhash Ghai
By
Sandeep SharmaNew Delhi, June 28
Filmmaker Subhash Ghai,
whose repertoire is studded with films like "Karz", "Ram Lakhan",
"Khalnayak" and "Pardes", believes commercialisation has nowadays made
the Indian cinema world a cash trap -- a mode for brand promotions.
His
last few movies -- "Yuvvraaj", "Kaanchi: The Unbreakable" and "Black
& White" -- failed to spin the magic the 'Showman' was known for in
the 1980s and 1990s.
"The (Indian) cinema has been reduced to a
cash trap industry. Earlier, it was a creative industry, but now more of
commercialisation has entered in it. Now actors don't talk about a
particular scene or performance, they talk about the collection," Ghai
told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
Also concerned by the rising
pay cheques reserved for the A-listers, Ghai said: "Film corporate
companies have faced big losses in recent years. The only ones who have
gained are the stars and the marketing companies.
"Producers
should try and make films having a good story and director rather than
giving out half of the budget to the stars. I used to pay only 10
percent of my film's budget to the stars... But now, stars are more
interested in endorsing products rather than acting in a film," added
the filmmaker, who takes pride in the fact that "stars used to run after
me" during his prime.
The 70-year-old, who was honoured with a
Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Indian Film Academy
(IIFA) Weekend and Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier this month,
is even against the idea of actors turning producers as he feels it
makes the director's job more difficult.
"Directors have become
producers because they don't want any other person to interfere in their
credibility. But when actors become producers, they try to dominate the
director. Nowadays, the corporate people are asking every actor to
become a producer. Apart from three to four directors like Rajkumar
Hirani and Rohit Shetty, rest all are obligant," he said.
Having
started his directorial career with the 1976 film "Kalicharan", Ghai
considers himself "blessed" to have stayed in the industry for such a
long time. He says the 1980s were the best time of his almost
four-decade-long journey.
"I was really flying high in the
1980s as most of my films did well at the box office. Since
'Kalicharan', I made 19 films in all, out of which 14 were blockbusters.
From 1975 to 2005, it was the best era of my life which spanned for 30
years," said Ghai, whose two 1980s hit films "Karz" and "Hero" were
screened on Zee Cinema some time ago.
"I feel blessed that I'm
one of those achievers who stood in the industry for four decades. But
now I make films on my own terms and happiness, not under anybody's
pressure. I ran constantly on a treadmill for 30 years. So, I'm a happy
and peaceful person today," added Ghai, who also has a film institute in
Mumbai.
Enjoying the slow pace on the film direction front, he
said: "I used to take six months for making a film prior to 2005, but
after that I took four years' gap while directing a film. It's just that
you feel a lot more responsible and try to do something for the
upcoming generation and the country."
(Sandeep Sharma can be contacted at [email protected])