By Justin RaoMumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) Director Subhash Ghai had planned anambitious war film with three of the biggest Bollywoodsuperstars -- Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan-- but he had to shelve it.
The director said he had even a title for the film, whichwas to be called "Mother Land".
"In 2003, I wanted to start a war film called 'MotherLand', where I had cast Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and ShahRukh Khan. The script was ready and three songs were alsorecorded, but at the last minute Shah Rukh backed out," Ghaisays in a PTI interview.
The filmmaker, who has previously worked with Shah Rukhin the 1997 hit film "Pardes", said the superstar wanted asolo-hero project back then and hence the dream projectcould not go on floors.
"He (Shah Rukh) felt there are so many characters in thefilm. He wanted to do a solo hero film then, but mine was not.
It was a story of Dilip saab, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh. Onmy wish list were also Aishwarya Rai, Priety Zinta and MahimaChaudhry for the film but that's destiny," he says.
"Mother Land" did not take off but there was anotherfilm, called "Shikhar", that Ghai had planned to make withShah Rukh. However, that also got shelved, thus giving birthto "Pardes".
"Before 'Pardes' I had designed a film called 'Shikhar',staring Jackie Shroff and Shah Rukh, where we were to cast anew girl. It was a love story with a war backdrop. We had doneour muhurat too and recorded a song after signing A R Rahman,"he says.
"'Ishq bina kya jeena yaaro' was a song from 'Shikhar'(which eventually became one of the most popular songs fromhis 'Taal'). But when 'Trimurti' (1995) released and flopped,the media and distributors said 'how could you give a flopafter ten hits? You better retire'!" he says.
The phase put Ghai and his team in confusion, as theydecided to scrap the ambitious war film and instead focused onmaking a "small film.""My team thought, since 'Shikhar' was a very big warfilm with huge investment, let's make a small budget film. Ithought let's make a small film, which happened to be'Pardes', shoot within a year and come back to 'Sikhar'later," Ghai says.
When "Pardes" released and became a hit, Ghai moved onto helm "Taal" (1999).
The 72-year-old filmmaker recently showcased "Pardes"at New Excelsior Cinema, acquired by Mukta A2 Cinema, a branchof Ghai's Mukta Arts. PTI JUR GKBK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.