'Screenwriter is the biggest star'

In the first half of the rediff chat, director Subhash Ghai took on questions about commercial and realistic cinema, and revealed that his next big film, a Salman Khan-starrer, would be the actor's best yet.

For those who missed the action, here's how that conversation continued:

Vermeet asked, Hello Ghai sir ..... Well i must congratulate u for the institute ...but i have a sugestion for u do provide oppurtunity to eveybody to work with u without any biasnesss...
Subhash Ghai answers, Thank you Vermeet. I have built up Asia's largest film and television institute with best of faculties and up to date curriculum where the next generation filmmakers should achieve academic excellence to make Indian movies for international market. Of course I am always there for them. Thats the whole idea.

diddu asked, Dear Sir, Kindly tell more about your academy Whistling Woods. Would you recommend a new guy to start his carrer with your institute and why?
Subhash Ghai answers, Hello Diddu. Whenever we enter into reality out of our dreams, we find ourselves freshers or new. Everybody at top today, was a newcomer once. But the difference is that some of them took seven years to make it and some with film educational background could achieve on the very first go. Remember the very first movies of Jaya Bachchan, Guddi and Shabana Azmi's Ankush, Naseer's Junoon and Shatrughan Sinha's created a big impact on the audience because they had film training backgound.

satish asked, sir is there any course in the film institute which will help us putting forward a story that we have in paper,and how to present it to the director
Subhash Ghai answers, Yes Mr Satish. It is called creative screenplay writing, which is the urnest need for making a good film. According to me screenplay writer is the biggest star of any great movie, more than the director or the actors. Screenplay is all about telling your five minute story into 120 mins play on the screen, with great interest in the collective heart of the audience. I believe everybody must go for this discipline first before he dreams to become a big filmmaker. And we have done a lot of research in designing the curriculum of screenplay writing at our institute, opening 15 July.

Eeshani asked, Greetings from Italy, Mr Ghai. With major production houses like yours, those of the Chopras, Johars, The Factory etc., do you see a situation emerging in Bollywood wherein major stars will be contractually bound to certain studios, much as was once the case in Hollywood?
Subhash Ghai answers, Hello Eeshani, of course, in the present changing scenario, big banners and corporates will rope in big stars and few will create stars, with the long term contracts. We are trying to train and groom the fresh talents into stars through the acting course at Whistling Woods for our future big and small films.

Subhash Ghai says, Hi All, there are too many questions so I am trying my best to answer as many as possible, preferably to the ones relating to the acedemic knowledge

Ranjan asked, Hello Sir, I had seen your movies and they are my all time favourite. Why are you not making any films like ram lakhan, pardes, hero? You are my favourite director. Under your banner can you make a film starting amitabh, shahrukh, aamir and ajay devgan. And sir last but not the least you are the best director in the Bollywood and we are waiting eagerly for a release from mukta arts.
Subhash Ghai answers, THanks Mr Ranjan. Could you please forward this message to Shahrukh, AMitabh, Aamir and Ajay to ask me to write a script for them. I assure you it will be an interesting and fascinating film.

Maya asked, Im from the UK, I want to be a director..how do I go about it? do whistling woods take talents from other countries?
Subhash Ghai answers, Hello Maya. You are most welcome to join Whistling Woods by visiting www.whistlingwoods.net to know the details. I am sure that we have best of faculty and curriculum to shape up the best of directors with academic excellence, irrespective of the country of origin. This is a truely world class institute.

Charlie 77 asked, Greeting from Tokyo, Sir. I am disappoined that you are not answering my question. Who do you think is the most Rocking Khan and who would be next superstar - Hrithik, Shahid or someone else?
Subhash Ghai answers, Hi CHarlie, that's a interesting question. I will try to contact a tarrot card reader and get back to you. COs as per my experience every year brings a different rock stars. And good actors become great stars only because of great movies.

Nikhil asked, Sir how can people with scripts reach you?
Subhash Ghai answers, Mr Nikhil, we have Mukta Art story workshop. Please send your scripts to storyworkshop@muktaarts.com after copywriting the same. But I would always advice to all those budding writers to go for academic training in Art and Craft of screenplay writing if they really want to achieve the professional excellence at the earliest.

vjayz asked, in spite of all the good intentions and efforts behind acting schools, i still feel that the idea is yet to catch up in our industry. still, star sons and daughters walk away with cream roles and genuinely talented actors are relegated to secondary and often isignificant roles. what are your views on that??
Subhash Ghai answers, Hi Vjayz, star sons and daughters enjoy the previlege of lineage like any other profession and have been in touch with the profession since their childhood, which others are not. That is one of the reasons, my company Mukta Arts has built up this international film school -- a platform for all those genuinely talented actors and technicians, to get themselves ready to be competent enough to make a mark in the industry.

farauq asked, Good evening Sir. Please provide insight into why our Hindi feature films are deviod of good story and screenplay? As an aspiring filmaker, one wonder why Hindi cinema (Bollywood) is not venturing into nurturing fresh talents with innovative thoughts? Your reply would be highly appreciable Sir. Thank you...
Subhash Ghai answers, Good evening Farauq and Darshit, It's really sad that 90% of hindi movies are inspired or imitated from the hollywood flicks. Cos we are in terrible dearth of original story and screenplay writers,though India has thousands of great stories to tell to the western world. Thats why we have given special emphasis at Whistling Woods, to develop screenplay writers to present Indian cinema in a new light, with it's original Indian stories. But we need matured applicants to join this discipline, cos they are going to be the real story tellers of movies tomorrow.

vishalshah asked, hello sir i am planning to start my career in filmaking and television industry, as i was very much fascinated abt your movies from childhood. i m planning to go to london for doing Ms in film making and television and i think this will hlp me a lot after coming back to india.can you pls tell me would this be my correct step to step in to such a vast industry. thanks vishal
Subhash Ghai answers, Hello Vishal, Good to know about your plans. But why go abroad and then come back to India? WHy not join a world class film school right here in India. I guess I am not over selling Whistling Woods, but it's my genuine advice to a genuine aspirant like you.

Aseem asked, SIR, I WANT TO KNOW WHEN WILL THE SELECTION LIST FOR THE FIRST BATCH OF WHITLING WOODS BE LET OUT?
Subhash Ghai answers, Dear Aseem, you can expect a reply latest by June 25. However if you have submitted your application earlier, we will let you know within 15 days of submission. Please email info@whistlingwoods.net for an update.

shilpy asked, Hello Mr. Ghai, Thank you for producing films like Iqbal...People like Nagesh Kuknoor need your support...And I always wonder why people like you who're genius produce films like Shadi ke pahele...Whyz there so much scarcity of original ideas why writers are stealing ideas from Hollywood...And why people like you and even Yash chopra support them...Atleast you people should discourage them...
Subhash Ghai answers, Hi Shilpy, Whistling Woods is the only answer to all these questions being raised by you and everyone, including our industry.

mickey asked, mr ghai..do u see the future of the indian movie industry more and more corporatised..do u envision ..movie mutual funds??
Subhash Ghai answers, Yes Mickey. Indian movie industry is going to be the world of corporates on Hollywood pattern. So I forsee the capital market and mutual funds pouring into this industries in a huge volume in future.

Aseem asked, sir, can i knwo who is the head of direction faculty at whitling woods?
Subhash Ghai answers, Dear Aseem, at the moment it is the Dean Mr. Kurt Inderbitzin who has been the producer director and teacher in Hollywood. But there are Indian professors like Kundan Shah and Shyam Benegal and huge list of guest faculty from the Indian and international industry.

Subhash Ghai says, Thanks everybody. With all my love and good wishes. Bye. Phir Milenge.

Don't miss Part I of the chat: 'It'll be Salman's best film'

Photograph: Jewella C Miranda