A song 'Dil Diya Hai Jaan Bhi Denge Ae Watan Tere Liye' from the film 'Karma' released on August 8, 1986, its producer director Subhash Ghai wants to release afresh. Same music, same singer, only this time the language is Sanskrit. Yes, Subhash Ghai has prepared the Sanskrit version of this song written by Anand Bakshi and composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, which has been playing continuously for the last 37 years on every national festival. The song is to be released on Wednesday at an event to be held here in Mumbai. Meet Ghai at his Andheri wala home ahead of the anniversary of the film 'Karma', he is still as excited about the song as he would have been about releasing the song before the film's release.

Subhash Ghai's multistarrer film

Karma is Subhash Ghai's second film as a producer and ninth as a director. To make this film, Subhash Ghai tried every formula, every gimmick and every trick. Bringing together so many stars in the film was not easy. As a producer, Ghai adopted Saam, Daam, Dand, Bheda, and as a director, Ghai showed stories, stories, artwork, extortion and this film was directed by Ketan Desai, starring Jackie Shroff, Meenakshi Seshadri and Dimple Kapadia.

Story created with Sachin Bhowmik

It is a matter of those days when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated at her residence. And, Amitabh Bachchan went into politics to help his childhood friend Rajiv Gandhi. Amitabh Bachchan had left all the films in those days. One of them included a film by Subhash Ghai. This film was to start after the release of 'Hero' and 'Meri Jung'. When this film got closed, Subhash Ghai started 'Karma'. In a way, Subhash Ghai along with famous screenwriter Sachin Bhowmick had prepared a new version of Ramesh Sippy's film 'Sholay'. The miscreants released from the jail go out to catch the main villain there too, here also the prisoners sentenced to death go out to help the jailer of Sitapur Jail.

Reason for the name 'Karma'

Why was the film named 'Karma' instead of 'Karma'? On asking this, Subhash Ghai says, 'Yes, it is true that this film talks about karma and if it is true, the title should also be the same, but a filmmaker should try to reach his art to maximum audience and make it grand and grand. Wants some cinematic leeway to present it brilliantly. I also took this exemption and named the film 'Karma'. It is similar to the way in the climax, when Dr. Dang is fired upon, the map of India seen behind him does not even light up. So it happens in films.

Jalwa Jackie Shroff Ka

Jackie Shroff also had a lead role in the film 'Karma' and at the same time Amitabh Bachchan had left a filmmaker Manmohan Desai, 'Allarakha'. Manmohan Desai's son Ketan made his directorial debut with this film. On the recommendation of Amitabh Bachchan, Manmohan Desai gave the lead role written for Amitabh in 'Allarakha' to Jackie Shroff. He was also given a hefty fee to complete the shooting of the film as soon as possible. Here, Subhash Ghai felt that it might not happen that his own made hero might go out of his hands. The shooting of 'Karma' and 'Allarakha' was going on simultaneously. Both the films were earlier supposed to release on the same day. But, then Manmohan Desai and Subhash Ghai held a meeting and decided to gap the release by a week.

Ghai does not like to be called showman

These were the days of Subhash Ghai, when he was considered a philosopher's stone, the artist whom he touched would become a superstar. 'Kalicharan' and 'Vishwanath' were his hit films. 'Karz' and 'Gautam Govinda' also earned a good name. The hat-trick of 'Vidhaata', 'Hero' and 'Meri Jung' made him famous as the new showman. Although he says, 'If the word showman appears in front of my name, then I feel myself bound in a circle. I feel more free as a filmmaker.

This is how Poonam Dhillon got a chance in the film

When Subhash Ghai was looking for heroines for Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor in the film 'Karma', Sridevi's name was immediately finalized but there is also an anecdote of bringing Poonam Dhillon along with Anil Kapoor. For this role, Subhash Ghai had a big heart to take Tabu's sister Farah Naaz. Farha Naaz was then tied up with Yash Raj Films and Yash Chopra then refused to show her the rushes of his film 'Faasle' even after Ghai wanted. Ghai wanted to take a village fair looking girl for this role. When Poonam came to know about this, she herself went and met Subhash Ghai and got the film.

Dr. Dang became a classic character

There have been only a few villainous characters in Hindi cinema whose names are remembered even decades later, such as Gabbar Singh, Dr. Dang and Mogambo. Anupam Kher has played the role of Dr. Dang in the film 'Karma', although earlier this role was created according to Amrish Puri. On talking about this, Anupam says, 'I had a shift at seven in the morning that day, so I was ready with make-up and beard. Dilip Saab came at 11 o'clock. As soon as he came, Subhash said to Ghai, Hey brother, will I get some tea etc.? I was shocked to see Dilip Kumar in front of me. When Subhash Ghai saw this, he picked me up and took me to a corner and said, what are you doing. If you get so impressed then how will you face in front of the camera? I then repeated in front of him the sentence learned in my acting training, Abhi Anupam Kher jo hai woh Dilip Kumar ko dekh raha hai. If the camera is on, Rana Vishwa Pratap Singh will be seen by Doctor Dang. Don't worry.'

The wonder of Kader Khan's dialogues

Naseeruddin Shah's role in the film 'Karma' tells that earlier Rajinikanth was supposed to do it, Subhash Ghai wrote this role also according to him. However, Naseeruddin Shah's entry in this film took place on the advice of Anil Kapoor and his elder brother Boney. But, in this film, all the scenes of Naseeruddin Shah and Dilip Kumar are seen together while watching this film, the most important scene of the film in which there was a lot of dialogue between the two, was shot separately by Subhash Ghai. The dialogues of the film 'Karma' have been written by Kader Khan. Subhash Ghai has a close relationship with his writers. Every writer from Ram Kelkar to Kader Khan was a fan of his cinematic understanding.

While going...

Comedians Mukri and Dilip Kumar have had a long association in films. The pair of the two were rarely seen together later and Mukri's small Khan role in 'Karma' became memorable for the people. The film turned out to be a very rich film technically as well. All the songs written by Anand Bakshi in the film were hits and Laxmikant Pyarelal's music was a superhit. Dilip Kumar and Nutan worked together for the first time in this film and what a great chemistry both of them had on screen. I talked about the first song of the film at the beginning of this article, 'Har Karam Apna Karenge Ae Watan Tere Liye'. This song is now going to be released in Sanskrit and Kavita Krishnamurthy has sung it in Sanskrit as well.