Subhash Ghai has looked back at one of the most turbulent releases of his career, recalling how Khal Nayak found itself surrounded by controversy even before it reached theatres. In a conversation with Times Now, the filmmaker spoke about the massive protests against “Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai”, the anxiety over a court verdict on the song, Sanjay Dutt’s arrest shortly before the film’s release, and the extortion calls he received from the underworld.

Released in 1993, Khal Nayak, starring Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit and Jackie Shroff, eventually became a major success. But its release was preceded by an extraordinary combination of moral outrage, legal battles and the real-life controversy surrounding its leading man. The film’s most famous song, “Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai”, drew objections from nearly 32 organisations, while Dutt’s arrest in April 1993 under TADA and the Arms Act prompted an overlap between his real life and his screen character.

‘I had to meet 32 organisations’

Ghai said the backlash against Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai was so intense that several groups tried to prevent the film from being released.

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“Thirty-two organisations were against the song and wanted to stop the release of the film. I had to struggle to get the film released. I had to meet all 32 of them. Protests began in Pune and Delhi, especially by women’s organisations. I told them, ‘At least watch the film. It is not what you think it is. It is an artistic expression.’ But they said, ‘Everyone says that. The song is so vulgar.’”

According to Ghai, even Shiv Sena workers had joined the protests, prompting him to approach Bal Thackeray directly.

“Shiv Sena people were also standing against it, so I went to Balasaheb Thackeray. I told him, ‘My film Khal Nayak is about to be released. Please watch it once.’ He watched the film, and the next day wrote in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna that people could interpret it as they wished, but the film was beautiful and ‘what is behind the choli is what is behind the choli.’ He reprimanded the entire Shiv Sena. That changed the atmosphere.”

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‘I was afraid the Censor Board would cut the song’

Ghai admitted that he was worried the controversy could result in the song being removed from the film. But he said neither the makers nor those working on it had initially viewed it as vulgar.

“I was afraid that the Censor Board would cut the song, but they didn’t. When we recorded and shot it, nobody felt it was vulgar. We saw it as a folk song. In parts of Bihar, women sing songs like this together — aunties, nieces, everyone. Given the situation in the film, that song was important to me.”

Madhuri Dixit in a still from Khal Nayak.

Ghai has previously defended the number as a folk song and expressed surprise that it came to be labelled vulgar.

Ghai recalled holding a premiere in Delhi while a hearing on the song was still underway.

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“My nervousness was that the court might say the film could not be released, even though the Censor Board had passed it. I had organised the premiere in Delhi and taken eight or ten director friends, including Shekhar Kapur, J.P. Dutta and N. Chandra, for it. The premiere was supposed to begin at 6.30 pm, and at 5.30 pm, the hearing was still going on over whether the film would be allowed to release. The court’s verdict came at 6.30 pm, allowing the release, and the premiere began at 6.30.”

Why Sanjay Dutt worked for less on Khal Nayak

Ghai also recalled reuniting with Sanjay Dutt years after their earlier collaboration in Vidhaata. He said Dutt had approached him wanting to work together again and readily accepted the filmmaker’s conditions for Khal Nayak.

“When I cast Sanjay, Saajan had become a hit. I had worked with in Vidhaata which was his second film after Rocky. Ten or twelve years later, he came to me and said, ‘I want to work with you.’ I told him I was making Khal Nayak and narrated the plot. He said, ‘I want to do it.’”

Ghai said he wanted to test the actor’s commitment rather than negotiate star terms.

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“I told him, ‘I won’t pay you more money, and I want all the dates according to my schedule.’ It wasn’t about being miserly. I wanted to see how passionate he was about the film. He took the money I offered, gave me every date I asked for, and worked incredibly hard. He would shoot until 2 am. I would tell him, ‘Let’s do it tomorrow,’ and he would say, ‘Let’s finish it today.’ It became one of the most iconic characters of his career.”

Sanjay Dutt in a still from Khal Nayak.

‘I didn’t have to spend money on marketing’

Then came the controversy that Ghai said no one could have anticipated. Sanjay Dutt was arrested on April 19, 1993, months before Khal Nayak reached theatres. The actor was later acquitted of charges under TADA but was convicted under the Arms Act in the long-running case.

Ghai said the timing created an extraordinary public perception because Dutt was playing the titular anti-hero in Khal Nayak.

“One or two months before Khal Nayak’s release, a gun was found in his house and the news broke in the newspapers. People immediately said, ‘There’s a film called Khal Nayak and Sanjay Dutt is the Khal Nayak.’ It was all over the papers. I didn’t have to spend any money on publicity or marketing.”

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Ghai said there was genuine uncertainty over the film’s release.

“You do get scared. You wonder whether, despite having made a good film, all these other things will affect it. But controversies are seasonal provocations, seasonal episodes. The truth is, if you have made a good film, that is what ultimately remains.”

On underworld extortion calls: ‘They told me they were my fans’

Ghai also spoke about the period when filmmakers and actors received extortion calls from the underworld. He said the film industry became an easy target because threats against celebrities immediately generated publicity.

“The film industry gives the crime world quick publicity. If an actor is threatened, it becomes news immediately, so they targeted the film industry. But I was not afraid at all. The most important thing is the truth within you. You feel fear when you are guilty.”

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Ghai said the callers often began by presenting themselves as admirers.

“I wasn’t afraid. Even the people who called me said, ‘We are your fans.’ I reported it to the police and told them, ‘They say they are my fans, but they are also asking for extortion money.’ I got the call, but it didn’t materialise because the police were strong. Many directors and actors received such calls in 1998 and 1999.”

He added that the strange irony was that some of those making threats would also praise his work.

“They would say things like, ‘We have watched Saudagar 30 times.’ But where there is money, there will be people coming after it. You cannot demand money from a poor man. Where there is honey, flies will come.”

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In Khal Nayak, Sanjay Dutt played the gangster Ballu, while Madhuri Dixit starred as police officer Ganga and Jackie Shroff played Inspector Ram.