Few filmmakers have moved audiences with empathetic storytelling the way Subhash Ghai has. His films range from mainstream entertainers such as Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Pardes and Taal to smaller, socially driven films such as Iqbal, Black & White and Joggers’ Park. Through Mukta Arts, he has also built a business spanning film production, distribution, exhibition and education.
Mukta Arts celebrates its 48th anniversary on 24 October. The company is expanding into animated features, feature films, OTT series and documentaries, and several of these projects will be released soon.
This year, Subhash Ghai is working with Sanjay Dutt on Khalnayak Returns and with Anil Kapoor on a courtroom drama, alongside other projects in development.
But the latest news is that Subhash Ghai and Shreyas Talpade have come together, two decades after Iqbal, for Manya. The film centers on the life of a juvenile boy and will look beyond the crime to explore the human story behind it. Directed by Sameer Joshi, Manya is produced by Mukta Arts, Puneet Aggarwal and Rahul Puri, in association with Slow Burn Entertainment. Manya also stars Samvedna Suwalka, Divya Sharma, Priyadarshini Pooja, and Zoheb Farooqui in pivotal roles.
Speaking about Manya, Subhash Ghai said, “This milestone marks a significant beginning in Mukta Arts Journey with more exciting projects and with stories that matter, first of which is Manya. Working with Shreyas after almost 2 decades has been great; it reminded me of his caliber and range he brings to the table, and also all the wonderful cast on this film who brought depth to the story. New and upcoming talents have a lot of potential and that can be seen in other characters in this film portrayed so beautifully. Can’t wait for all to see the journey of Manya through our eyes.”
For Subhash Ghai, who completes 50 years in Indian cinema this year, Manya arrives at a significant moment in his journey. Followed by other projects in pipeline which will be announced soon, Mukta Arts joins the new wave of cinema keeping the old values intact, which is that of entertaining through stories that matters.
