Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai recently appeared on the Game Changers podcast, hosted by trade analyst Komal Nahta, to discuss the significance of music in his films. Renowned for his musical blockbusters, Ghai shared how he viewed music as an integral part of storytelling, using songs to enhance the narrative.
During the conversation, Nahta asked, “Subhashji, music was a very important part of your films. You gave one superhit song after another. But was there a different way of creating your music? How did you work on it?”
Ghai, known for his deep understanding of cinema, responded thoughtfully, “In our time, when music was even bigger, there was only one difference: I considered music as poetry. For me, Anand Bakshi was greater than even Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Rahman. I used to write the spoken dialogues in the movie, while Anand Bakshi wrote the singing dialogues. When we worked on the antara (stanza), it felt like he knew my story better than I did.”
He further emphasized how music was not just an added element but an essential storytelling device, seamlessly blending emotions with the plot. His approach to film music, rooted in lyrical depth and narrative purpose, played a crucial role in making his films timeless classics. Ghai’s insights reaffirm his legacy as a filmmaker who truly understood the power of music in cinema.