Veteran director and birthday boy Subhash Ghai ventured into Bollywood hoping to be an actor. While he played small parts in Taqdeer (1967) and Aradhana (1971), he realised that what he was actually cut out for, was film direction. Proof lay in Kalicharan (1976), his directorial debut, and all the praise it got.
Whether it was his love for acting or they simply worked as lucky charms, Ghai’s Hitchcock style cameos are just as entertaining even today. Here are some of his most epic ones-
Hero (1983)
Let’s go back to 1983 when Subhash Ghai decided to show up in the middle of the peppy number Ding Dong from Hero. While he’s trying to fix a car in the middle of the road, he has a strange encounter with some youngsters passing by, on their swanky bikes. They tease him and drive off. But Ghai’s reaction is just so priceless!
Khalnayak (1993)
Bang in the middle of Madhuri’s charm, that worked wonders in the Palki Mein Hoke Sawar Chali Re song from Khalnayak, you’ll suddenly notice a suited booted man. Yup, that’s Subhash Ghai himself. Even though he pops up just for a few seconds, one can tell that he gives it his very best.
Pardes (1997)
Who doesn’t remember the patriotic I Love My India melody from the Shah Rukh Khan- Mahima Chaudhary starrer Pardes? And just as the song nears its end, you’ll notice a fedora-donning man, singing in high spirits. That’s Ghai and he definitely looks like he’s feeling the song deep within his heart.
Taal (1999)
Romance is brewing between Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai, and guess who’s playing cupid? It’s Subhash Ghai of course. His ear for music and love for cameos really does make his style of filmmaking stand apart. And what a cute little cupid he makes!
Yaadein (2001)
“Yeh toh hoga ji, yeh toh hoga,” says Subhash Ghai as he predicts that it is almost inevitable for Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor to fall in love, in the film. Actually, considering that he’s the director, he’s always had the power to make the inevitable happen. But what we love is the way he points us in the right direction with his signature cameo nudge.
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