Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai who made some of the most celebrated films in the 80s and 90s, such as Karz, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak and Taal, is all set to revive his production house, Mukta Arts in 2018 with the announcement of three films. The first of the three films will be the remake of the 1993 Sanjay Dutt starrer, Khalnayak. At one stage, he was contemplating a sequel to the film, but now he has made up his mind about remaking it. “We had a ready script for Khalnayak Returns, but we noticed that there was a huge demand for the remake of the film. Also, if we make a sequel, the original will be lost. We are now looking at a grand remake of Khalnayak,” he said. There has been speculation that at least three new generation stars are in the race for the title role but Ghai is yet to take a final call. “A good number of young stars are eager to play the role of Ballu, which Sanjay Dutt essayed in the original. I cannot name them but I am in talks with them. They are very much keen to reprise the roles from the original,” he said.
Apparently Ghai’s decision to revive his production house is in keeping with his plan to club production, distribution and exhibition, under one umbrella, which is why his exhibition wing Mukta Cinemas, has been acquiring major screens. He is also planning to tap the expertise of ex-Whistling Woods filmmakers like Shashank Khaitan, who recently delivered a hit in Badrinath Ki Dulhania. “I am looking at intensifying my production base and combining it with the best of the 1,400 strong alumni from Whistling Woods; I am proud of Shashank,” he said. Recently Ghai hosted a special screening of his 1980 classic Karz at his recently acquired iconic theatre, New Excelsior. “I want to revive the golden era of cinema where a 500-plus audience celebrates the biggest of films,” he said.
