The Showman of Bollywood opens up on his OTT debut, why engaging content is important, and plans to make a Broadway drama
“I am not a man who lives in the past. I like to live in the present and prepare for the future,” says Subhash Ghai. At the age of 76, with a Hindi film 36 Farmhouse, the director is “deliberately trying to sabotage his image of a filmmaker who creates larger-than-life images”. Directed by Ram Ramesh Sharma, the film (currently streaming on Zee5) marks Ghai’s OTT debut, “I want to grapple with the issues and struggles of today. father’s revenge [avenging one’s father] are over,, Says the filmmaker, who delivered several blockbuster films in the 1980s and 1990s, when revenge was a common theme.
Inspired by the movement of migrants during the pandemic, Ghai has not only written and composed comedy, but also composed music. ,I have a background in theatre. I acted and directed plays during my university days before getting into the Indian Film and Television Institute [FTII, Pune] where I found art and world cinema,” he says, if he has made films like blockbusters karma And bargaining, he has also written small budget films like joggers park And black White.
story telling grammar
As someone who survived the video parlor wave in the 1980s, Ghai believes that if filmmakers create visually and audibly compelling content, they will find an audience. “I am a storyteller and the grammar of writing is the same, be it poetry or OTT. You just have to make a few changes to suit the medium. Like, how the concept of interval in theaters forced us to write peak point right after the interaction.”
The focus is on speed and characterization in the OTT format. What he wants to change, however, is the excess of sex and violence in the guise of a thriller – he wants OTT to become an avenue for family entertainment.
In 36 Farmhouse, Sanjay Mishra and Vijay Raaz play the lead – actors who would have played supporting roles or ‘character’ roles in Ghai’s universe of the 1980s. “Even stars ask for scripts these days because the hero is a character in today’s times,” he shared, underlining that he avoided star culture in his heyday and looked for new ‘stars’. (like Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor). and Madhuri Dixit).
He describes the film as a creative result of “Work from Home”. With an ensemble cast led by Mishra, it is the story of a migrant worker who seeks shelter in a farmhouse. “During the lockdown, I often wondered why so many people are being forced to leave the city of dreams? [Mumbai], The story is filled with two types of characters: one who steals for need and the other who steals for greed.”
police material
Off screen, what does he think of the government’s recent intervention – to merge existing bodies such as the National Film Archives of India, the Children’s Film Society of India and the Directorate of Film Festivals with the National Film Development Corporation? Or a directive to censor content on OTT platforms? Ghai, who has been the voice of the film fraternity in the past, is diplomatic. “Whenever there is a flood of new technology, the government tries to streamline it. All governments try to look after the morals of the people when they feel that freedom is being abused. It is not about any particular party, it is about the role of government in our lives.” He added that some film bodies have in fact “lost their relevance” and should not turn it into an “arrogance issue”.
In the meantime, the director is actively considering turning his musical blockbuster Debt And rythm in Broadway plays. “There was a proposal from the RPG group but the pandemic has stalled our efforts. We will make an announcement soon,” he concluded.
36 Farmhouse is currently streaming on Zee 5.
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