Subhash Ghai
Executive Chairman - Mukta Arts Ltd
Founder & Chairman - Whistling Woods InternationalDirector - Mukta A2 Cinemas
Websites: www.muktaarts.com / www.whistlingwoods.net
Born in Nagpur, India, Subhash Ghai, son of a dentist in Delhi, graduated in commerce from Rohtak Haryana, graduated in Cinema from the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, started his career in Mumbai as a screen actor, then shifted to writing screenplay and got his first directorial break in film KALICHARAN [1976] which proved a big hit and thereafter he did not have to look back and went on making blockbusters with lot of acclaim from public and critics. He has been awarded with various laurels and titles including ‘showman’ and ‘dream merchant’ by various media establishments. The President of India has honored him with a national award for making “KARMA” an anti-terrorism motion picture in 1986. His later films like PARDES and TAAL opened a wider audience’s world wide for Indian movies and featured in Hollywood top twenty at box-office for various weeks. He won a national award for producing film ‘IQBAL’ and, in 2001, ventured into education and set up world-class film & media institute in Mumbai.
Subhash Ghai is one of the most renowned names among Indians and south Asians for his excellent record as an Indian filmmaker in mainstream cinema for the last 35+ years and his contribution to Film & Media education.
Mr. Ghai has written and directed 19 motion pictures out of which 14 have been hits / blockbusters. He started his production company in 1978 as a partnership concern Mukta Films to begin with a film ‘Karz’, then formed a Private Limited company known as Mukta Arts Pvt. Ltd. in 1982 with the blockbuster film ‘Hero’. He has since produced and directed many more blockbuster hits under the company, which continues to be one of the leading production houses in film-making in India. In the year 2000, his Mukta Arts went public, listed on the stock exchange to an overwhelming response from the public and the Indian capital markets.
Subhash Ghai is the chairman and managing director of MUKTA ARTS LTD. – India’s first Film industry corporate, which is in the active business of Film Production, Distribution, Exhibition and Education.
In the Hindi film industry, Subhash Ghai has introduced many new performers and groomed emerging & struggling talent into success & stardom. He has also introduced several new technicians and immensely contributed to the development of Indian Cinema.
In 2007, he has been conferred a National Award as producer of the film ‘Iqbal’ which won the Best Film on Social Issues. He has further been selected as final round jury member for the International EMMY Awards for several years.
Widely traveled internationally, Mr. Ghai has been on the board, committees, associations with various activities and missions in the field of social, economic or human welfare. He is a member of executive committee of Producers Guild of India and a member of United Producers forum. He has also been appointed as the Chairman of the Entertainment Committee of Trade body CII and also the member of organisations like FICCI, NASCOM and TIE and has been invited to address at various forums and seminars including on corporate governance and other subjects relating to the growth of media and entertainment industry in India and worldwide.
As Chairman & Founder of Whistling Woods International, Asia’s largest Institute for Film, Television, Animation & Media Arts, he has been overseeing the setup, academic staffing, smooth functioning of the first-ever privately setup world-class media institute in India and ensuring imparting of quality education to the next generation of film-makers. It is his vision that India will be able to hold its own against the rest of the world in the field of entertainment.
Under his leadership and vision, within a short span of time since its inception, Whistling Woods International has established itself as a leading Internationally recognized film and media international institute. The institute continues to scale greater heights and aims to be the institute of choice for media education globally.
Today Whistling Woods International has been rated as One of The Ten Best Film Schools in the World by ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Today, Mr Ghai is one of the most respected Indian filmmakers and educationists and has been often felicitated with ‘Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema’ and ‘Outstanding Contribution to Film education’ awards.
Awards & Felicitations:
• National Award - United Nations Council of Indian Youth (1986)
• Member of film censor board of India (1988)
• Hon. Executive magistrate in Mumbai in (1990-93)
• Filmfare Award for Best Director Saudagar(1992)
• Diploma of Honour - American Biographical Institute (1995)
• Certificate of Commendation – United States Senate (1996)
• Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay - Pardes (1997)
• Jury member for the final round at the International Emmy Awards (2006)
• Jury member for the final round at the International Emmy Awards (2007)
• Jury member of IBDA awards, UAE (2002)
• Winner of the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award (2015)
• Director of Mumbai Film Festival
• International Panel member at the Cannes Film Festival, 2004 on anti-piracy
• Honored by the United States Senate in October 1996 for his achievements
• State Honor award from Haryana government for his life achievements
• National award for ‘Iqbal’ - Best Film on Social issues (2006)
• Final round jury member at the International Emmy Awards (2007)
• Special recognition award at the Zee Cine Awards 2007 for opening up Whistling Woods International - Asia’s largest film, television, animation and media-arts institute.
• International panel on film piracy at Cannes film festival in 2008.
• Numerous popular media companies awards for his 14 blockbusters during his 30 years career.
• Pune international Film Festival special distinguished award for his outstanding contribution as a Filmmaker and Educationist in 2011.
• Honored as a leading Educational Evangelist of India by ET NOW.
• Awarded the Karamveer Chakra Award, awarded by the ICONGO (International Conglomerate of NGOs), a United Nations body.
• IIFA – International Indian Film Academy – Outstanding contribution to Indian cinema 2015
• Pioneering contribution in the field of Cinema Exhibition – May 2015 (Business World)
• Cinema Tourism Award – Thailand – Pioneer of Cinema Tourism
• Society Leadership Award 2017
• Star screen Lifetime Achievement Award 2017
• Amar Ujala Excellence Award 2017 – Lifetime Excellence
• The Power to Empower Awards – Ficci – Excellence in contribution to the society and country
• Iconic Brand of Indian Cinema – Economic Times-Edge
• WCRC – The Pride of India Awards – The Most Responsible Leader (education & empowerment)
• Sony YAY – Heroes behind heroes – contribution to society
• Lifetime Achievement Award – DIORAMA International Film Festival
Contributions to the Film Industry
• Introduced film insurance to the Indian Film Industry. Mukta Arts Production ‘Taal’ was the first Indian film to be insured. The insurance policy was co-written by Mukta Arts alongwith the insurance company and the policy, which continues to be one of the most regularly used policies in India has been named after the company – called ‘the CineMukta policy’
• Introduced many new actors and performers and groomed them into stars. He has also introduced many technicians and contributed to the development of Cinema.
• His Company, Mukta Arts Limited was the first Film studio to undertake an IPO and list on the major stock exchanges of India.
• He was instrumental in bringing IDBI (Industrial Development Bank of India) and leading film producers on one platform by arranging a symposium which paved way for producers to get corporate loans for their projects from IDBI.
• He is one of the pioneers in bringing the digital revolution in small centers of India by introducing digital projections systems in theatres.
• In May 2004 he represented India on the anti-piracy panel at the Cannes International festival along with other International personalities from the entertainment industry.
• He acted as chairman CII [Entertainment] for two consequent years and planned many innovative steps to institutionalize the Indian entertainment and media industry
• He is the only film-maker who also evolved into an educationist in Bollywood and set up the first private Film & Television training institute in Filmcity Mumbai in 2006 with an investment of over Rs 100 crores. Named Whistling Woods International, this institute of world-class standards, curriculum, faculty, infrastructure & affiliations has redefined the meaning of professional Film & Media Education in South Asia. Whistling woods is Asia’s largest film and animation school and has been rated as one of the ten best film schools of the world by The Hollywood Reporter.
Contributions to Society
Mr. Ghai has risen to various occasions from time to time in order to help/support the government and other charitable institutions through his active, creative and financial contributions. Notable amongst these are:
• Charity for earthquake victims of Armenia, Russia 1889
• Participation in campaigns for AIDS, anti-drugs campaign and many other social issues from time to time
• Produced and Directed a music video for Doordarshan on National Integration ‘Pyar ki Ganga Bahe’ in 1993
• Participated in Mr. Sunil Dutt’s ‘Mahashanti Padyatra’ for peace in Punjab.
• Contributed towards Chief Minister’s fund for earthquake victims of Latur.
• Contributed towards Prime Minister’s fund as well as the Army Wives Welfare fund at regular intervals through Charity premieres.
• Contributed towards the Chief Minister’s fund for the victims of the Andhra Pradesh Floods in 2009.
• Spreading and promoting media education in India including introducing Media Studies as an academic elective in the CBSE Board.
• Active promotion of Swachch Bharat Diwas and International Yoga Day through events & activities involving Film Industry celebrities.
• Active Promotion of the Cause of Organ Donation
Honorary positions held:
• The former Chairman of National Entertainment Committee of CII (the Confederation of Indian Industries) 2005 to 2007
• Member of the Executive Committee of Producers Guild of India
• Director in United Producers Forum
• Member of FICCI, CII and NASCOM (e-alliance)
• Member of the IDBI bank Film Financing advisory board
• Chairperson of the Sectoral Mentor Council (SMC) on 'Entertainment, Media, Advertisement & Event management' under the Ministry of Labour & Employment (DGE&T)
• Chairman of The Media & Entertainment Skill Council of India (MESC)
Filmography
as Writer & Director
• Kalicharan (1976)
• Vishwanath (1978)
• Gautam Govinda (1979)
• Krodhi (1981)
• Vidhaata (1982)
As writer director and producer
• Karz (1980)
• Hero (1983)
• Meri Jung (1985)
• Karma (1986)
• Ram Lakhan (1989)
• Saudagar (1991)
• Khalnayak (1993)
• Pardes (1997)
• Taal (1999)
• Yaadein (2001)
• Kisna (2005)
• Black & White (2008)
• Yuvraaj (2008)
• Kanchi (2014)
As Producer:
• Trimurti (1995)
• Rahul (2001)
• Ek Aur Ek Gyarah (2003)
• Joggers’ Park (2003) - written and produced by Subhash Ghai and directed by Anant Balani
• Aitraaz (2005)
• Iqbal (2005)
• 36 China Town (2006)
• Apna Sapna Money Money (2007)
• Sanai Choughade (2008)
• Valu (2008)
• Paying Guests (2009)
• Right Yaa Wrong (2010)
• Love Express (2011)
• Naukadubi (in Bengali) and Kashmakash (in Hindi) (2011)
• Samahita (in Marathi) (2013)
• Double Di Trouble (2014)
• Vijeta (in Marathi) (2020)