Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has expressed his strong opinions against comparing Bollywood to Hollywood, stating that such comparisons are an insult to the legends of Hindi cinema.
He highlighted the significance of icons like Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, and Shantaram, insisting that Indian cinema, across all languages, deserves respect for its distinct art, culture, and storytelling traditions.
Subhash shared his thoughts on Instagram, accompanied by a photo from the Jagran Film Festival. He noted, “I was delighted to see the backdrop of the Jagran Film Festival on the red carpet, which mentioned both the Punjab Film Industry and Assam Film Industry above polywood n aollywood.” (sic).
He further stated, “It is surely a big insult in disguise to every talent of the regional film industry. Bollywood itself means a ‘copyist of Hollywood’ and is an abuse to our Hindi cinema culture of Phalke Saab, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, and Shantaram. Indian cinema must be respected in its each language depicting its own art and culture. PLEASE DISCUSS IT IN VARIOUS FORUMS TO BRING OUR OWN DIGNITY. Thank you.” (sic).
Subhash Ghai is recognized as one of the leading Hindi filmmakers from the 1980s and 1990s, delivering a series of iconic films such as “Kalicharan,” “Vishwanath,” “Karz,” “Krodhi,” “Hero,” “Vidhaata,” “Meri Jung,” “Karma,” “Ram Lakhan,” “Saudagar,” “Khalnayak,” “Pardes,” and “Taal.”
His journey in Hindi cinema began with minor acting roles in films like “Taqdeer” and “Aradhana,” eventually leading to lead roles in “Umang” and “Gumraah.” He made his directorial debut with the action thriller “Kalicharan,” which he secured through a recommendation from Shatrughan Sinha.
Earlier this year, Subhash Ghai announced his return to filmmaking, revealing that actor Riteish Deshmukh will be the lead in his upcoming project. He shared a photo of Riteish from ‘Apna Sapna Money Money,’ where the actor appeared in women’s attire, captioned with a playful hint: “She is our next heroine in our forthcoming film under Mukta Arts. A classic beauty. Can you guess the name of this beautiful girl? Please do write.”