Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai recently shared his perspective on the declining number of true superstars in Bollywood. He attributed this shift to actors prioritising financial success and brand-building over honing their craft. He stated that the business perspective had brainwashed stars.
In a conversation on the YouTube channel Game Changers, Ghai reflected on the past, highlighting how actors were deeply immersed in their characters on set. He added that they never used to call stars by their real names on set but preferred to address them by their character’s name. He gave examples such as calling Anil Kapoor ‘Lakhan’ and Jackie Shroff ‘Ram’ on the sets of Ram Lakhan.

Ghai expressed concern over the modern approach, where actors rely heavily on talent managers who influence their choices based on commercial prospects rather than artistic merit. According to him, actors nowadays think of themselves as brands. They are surrounded by talent managers who read scripts on their behalf. However, this does not help actors understand how their character will appear on screen just by reading the script. He suggested that they should pick a scene and act it out to determine whether they can portray the role convincingly.
He further criticised the increasing role of managers in shaping an actor’s image. Ghai stated that they prioritise brand deals and image-building over artistic decisions. He noted that earlier generations of superstars managed their careers without such interference.
The filmmaker cited the success of actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan, who, according to him, became superstars because they focused on their craft rather than commercial calculations. “That’s why the actors of the 80s are still superstars—Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, and others. It is because they come from that culture. In the last 10 years, who has become a star? No one except Ranbir Kapoor,” he stated.