What was the purpose, the intention of making a film like "Yuvvraaj"?

Very frankly, I decided to make "Yuvvraaj" to counter the effects of all the sound and fury that was going on in the name of popular music today, the kind of music played by MTV and other sources which I strongly felt was slowly but surely taking away the youth of today from all the best traditions of Indian music and even all that was the best in modern music and the great music of the past. I wanted to raise my voice against the spreading of music that was corrupting and even taking away all that was good and rich in music. And I decided to fight the outside onslaught of music with music which was really great, music that was genuine and touched every heart. I wanted music to be a force to bring people together and I knew that as a filmmaker I had to weave a story around same great music to say what I wanted to. That is what gave birth to the subject of "Yuvvraaj". It was both a risk and an experiment and I have never shirked or shied away from taking risks and making experiments come what may.

It seems like a lot of effort has gone into the making of the music of your film.

I should not be saying this, but you can ask Gulzar Sahab who I had the privilege of working with as a lyricist for the first time or Rahman or any of the musicians how much effort has gone into creating every song and every tune in the background. Tell me, which film in today's time has its music done by a hundred strong groups of some of the best musicians in the country working under the baton of a maestro like Rahman? Today, when a song is written, composed and recorded within two or three days, I have taken twelve days to record just one song. We, Gulzar Sahab, Rahman and I knew that music was the soul of the film and we gave the music our best without making and compromises and the results can be heard and seen.

Do you think something went wrong with the subject?

I worked very hard on my subject, like I always do. I could have made any film like most of the films being made today, but I realized that after doing so many films and working on entirely new subjects every time, I had to try my experience and talent in telling a new story with a universal message. How could I think of making such a big film with some of the biggest stars and with so much of shooting abroad on untouched locations and spending so much of money on every little detail make a film without having full faith in my subject? I know people and even the learned critics said that I should have continued making films like "Karz", "Ram Lakhan", "Hero", "Khalnayak" and "Saudagar". But how could I allow myself to make the same kind of films again and again? I believe I am a creative person and have fresh ideas whatever anyone may say. I believe in looking forward and backward. What is the use of doing something like a robot when you are born with the talent to create subjects to keep with the times and even move ahead of the times? You can see any of my films and tell me if I have repeated any of my subject or even parts of them in any way. I have gone in for a big change with "Yuvvraaj" without thinking about success or failure, but only with one motive and that is to bring about same change in the way we are making films these days.

Do you blame anyone for your film not been accepted the way it should have?

I have never blamed anyone whenever a film I have made is branded a failure and I have never taken all the credit for the success for any of my films. I am the captain and have led the entire team. Whatever has happened good or bad, I take the entire responsibility. What's the sense in calling my film "a Subhash Ghai film" otherwise?

Do you think the critics have been very harsh to you and your film and influenced the audience?

The critics have always loved to hate me and my films. They find some great pleasure in trying to run me down and tear my film to pieces. They come to see a Subhash Ghai film with pre conceived ideas and motives which I have never been able to understand. I sometimes feel that they have something going wrong with them especially when they come to see a Subhash Ghai film. And they have some leaders of what I call their gang of the intelligent ones. The so called leaders start their attack on my film and then all the others, even the ones in Talegaon, Jalgaon or Jhumri Talaiya follow their leaders blindly because otherwise they feel they will not be considered great critics or intellectuals. I have no ill feelings towards my friends in the press but I must tell that all their hard hitting reviews and all their Subhash Ghai bashing will not put me down but will only help me stand up and fight a tougher battle. I have faced their attacks all the time and have survived and I know I will.

What do you think about the box office reports of the film?

Yes, I know there are people in the business who feel very happy to believe that my film is a flop. But, I am confident that my film will pick up with time in the days to come. All my big hits have been slow starters but have gone on to do great business. I am sure "Yuvvraaj" will also will. And moreover my films have always proved to be reference points and of library value and for future generations. How many film makers and their films can fall in the same category? I am satisfied with the film I have made and God bless all those who wish to see my film flop. Subhash Ghai can only make films and will continue to make film till the last breath of his life. Main abhi haara nahi hoon, main abhi gira nahi hoon. Ab bhi mujhme woh shakti hai ladneki aur main ladta rahoonga chaahe kuch bhi ho jaaye, chaahe koi bhi kuch bhi kahe.

What are your immediate plans?

I have plans marked out for the next few years, but I am not going to talk about them till I am very sure about them.

What do you think of the corporate doom?

I don't know if you remember, I was the first to tell you that this whole business of pumping in all the crores would never work in this industry which has its own ways of functioning. I am not happy that my prediction has come true, but I hope what has happened and is happening will teach all those involved in the making of films now or in the future their own lessons from this accident of history as I call it. What is that saying about some people for sometime, some people fooling all the time but not all people can be successful in fooling all the people all the time? I think it applies very well to the way the corporate were functioning and are paying a heavy price for it.