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Subhash Ghai calls upon tinsel-world to make the most of industry status

Conferring of industry status to Indian cinema gave an identity to people involved in making films apart from opening up possibilities of institutional finance, noted film-maker Subhash Ghai said today.

Speaking to newsmen in New Delhi on the eve of the launch of Taal's music, he said that this status had furthermore enabled his forthcoming film Taal to become the first film to be insured against all risk factors except profits.

(An aside: Rediff On The NeT will Webcast live, for the first time in India, the music launch of Taal from 2000 hrs IST on June 12).

Sharing his experience, Ghai said the film was insured with New India Assurance which had put a long questionnaire before him and had gone over his previous record including some of his biggest box-office hits in Hindi cinema.

Asked why he turned to insurance, he quipped: ''Jo dartaa hai wohi insurance karta hai'' (only a frightened person will resort to insurance).

On a serious note, he said that it was now up to the industry to ''encash on the status of being an industry''.

Actor Amrish Puri, who was also present, added humorously: ''I have felt insured and assured whenever I have worked with Subhash Ghai.''

Others present besides Ghai and Puri were film stars Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, music director A R Rehman, Tips audio music company chief Ramesh Taurani, set designer Sharmishtha Roy and cameraman Kabir Lal.

Referring to Taal becoming the first to go on the Internet through Rediff On The NeT, he said that the Webcast was one more mode of advanced communications that will help the film industry.

Rediff's live Webcast will feature interviews with Akshaye Khanna, Aishwarya Rai, Anil Kapoor, Amrish Puri and music director A R Rehman, he said.

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