Subhash Ghai talks about his long friendship with Shatrughan Sinha: 'He did a big favour on me and I’ll never forget that'

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai, renowned for his iconic films including 'Kalicharan', 'Karz', 'Hero', 'Meri Jung', 'Ram Lakhan', 'Saudagar', 'Khalnayak', 'Pardes', and 'Taal', recently opened up about his cinematic journey, shedding light on his experiences working with Shatrughan Sinha on 'Kalicharan'. He reminisced about their camaraderie and amusingly noted Sinha's tendency to be late.

In a recent chat with actor Arbaaz Khan on Season 2 of 'The Invincibles', Subhash Ghai recounted narrating 'Kalicharan' to Shatrughan Sinha at 4 a.m., reflecting on the challenges of justifying creative decisions. Ghai shared that Sinha initially questioned the film's appeal, noting he had already played similar roles of an inspector in more than four films. Ghai highlighted how an actor’s perception during a story narration significantly influences their decision to work with a director. He pointed out that established directors often receive more leeway from actors, regardless of the story's quality, due to their reputation.


Subhash shared a nostalgic moment about his enduring friendship with Shatrughan Sinha, recalling their early struggles together. Ghai expressed deep gratitude for Sinha's support, particularly highlighting a pivotal moment when Sinha’s endorsement of Ghai’s directorial potential led producer NN Sippy to reconsider the casting for 'Kalicharan'. Despite initial doubts, Sinha praised the script, ultimately supporting Ghai and acknowledging the film's potential for success. He further explained that Shatrughan Sinha’s change of heart was driven by his desire to assist a friend. Ghai recounted questioning Sinha about why he initially rejected the script but later agreed to it when presented by a prominent producer, highlighting Sinha’s supportive nature.

He finally discussed why he and Shatrughan Sinha didn’t collaborate on more films despite their successful past. He attributed it to Sinha’s chronic lateness, which disrupted production schedules. The filmmaker mentioned that Sinha would arrive around 12-1 p.m. for a 9:30 a.m. shift and 4 p.m. for a 1 p.m. shift. This troubled the whole crew, who were already waiting for him. Ghai once confronted Sinha about his tardiness, expressing concern that it might hinder future collaborations. Unfortunately, they never found another project that suited both their interests.