‘Black & White, Iqbal in the same league’

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: He is known to be a master of the big canvas. He ruled Bollywood for decades with multi-starring, action-packed, music-filled hits. Think Karz, Karma, Khalnayak or even Ram Lakhan and Saudagar, Pardes and Taal. But then came a period of lull for Subhas Ghai when his magic failed to work at the box-office (both Yaadein and Kisna were commercial flops). After a hiatus of two years, Ghai is back, directing two films — Black & White, which is releasing on March 7, and the big-banner Yuvraaj, starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor and Zayed Khan, slated for an October release. “I like to be the controller of creativity,” says Ghai, as he takes time off from his busy Yuvraaj schedule to talk about a most “un-Ghai film” like Black & White. “It’s in the league of Iqbal… it will touch a chord somewhere,” he adds. Ghai talks to Sudipta Datta on why he is the “captain” of the films he directs, on his banner Mukta Arts’ growth plans and why remakes — Karz is being re-made and Om Shanti Om too doffed its hat to Bollywood’s ultimate showman — make perfect business sense. Excerpts:

You have always been the master of big projects. But do you think the times have changed and the plot and script call the shots rather than stars?

Well, the stars are now calling all the shots. Financiers go straight to them to finalise stories. Commerce has gone to the actors’ hands. Now, directors are being groomed under the stars. Of course, there are some directors like myself who believe in being the controller of creativity. So, while I will always request actors and other specialists to give inputs and incorporate them if necessary, I am still the captain, the bade babuji, if you will.

So, this is the new trend in Bollywood, stars controlling big projects?

Yes, every few years or so, a new business model sweeps across the industry and now directors are being groomed by stars.

Your earlier films were massive hits. But your last few films as director didn’t fare too well at the box-office with critics saying you have lost your touch…