K Subash was a well known writer and director of the Tamil film industry. He had given several successful subjects and films to the industry, notably ‘Kshatriyan’ (for Mani Ratnam with Vijaykanth), ‘Kaliyugam’ with Prabhu, ‘Sabhash’ with Parthiban and ‘Brahma’ with Satyaraj. He also gave Ajith to Tamil films with ‘Pavitra’ and worked with Prabhu Deva for three films, Ezhiyin Sirripil, Ninaivirukkum Varai and One Two Three.
It was in 2001 with ‘One Two Three’, the trilingual project (Tamil, Telugu and Kannada), that Sandeep Malani got introduced to K Subash. Since then, Malani has been part of K Subash films as he turned co-director with the Kannada version of 123.
Malani said, “If I am known as a film director today, it’s all because of K Subash, who gave me my first break to be a co-director along with him for 123, which was followed by another Kannada film ‘Manasella Neene’ for Mugoor Sundaram (Prabhu Deva’s father). Since then, being associated with Subash sir, I have learned the nuances of film making. He was my mentor, my God father, my guru. He made me stay with him for several years as he moved to Bombay from Chennai, and got associated with Bollywood”.
K Subash directed the Hindi film ‘Insan’ for Raj Kumar Santoshi, starring Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, and Tusshar Kapoor. Malani had taken a break during that period as he was directing his own Kan-glish film ‘SMS 6260’. Malani gives credit to K Subash for this break too. “It was because of Subash sir, that I got to direct my first film ‘SMS 6260’, for which he gave his best wishes, blessings and called the Muhurath Shot, over the phone (on a speaker) as the shoot was in Mangalore,” he said adding that he went back to K Subhash after the completion of ‘SMS 6260’. During that period, Krishnan Subash (as he was also known) got involved in Hindi script writing.
Malani worked with K Subhash on many scripts as he was his chief associate and assistant. One such script was ‘Mumbai to Rameswaram’, which was later renamed ‘Chennai Express’, and was directed by Rohit Shetty for Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. Malani continued, “Being a journalist and having the art of creative writing, I also learned a lot of things from Subash sir like writing scripts, screenplays and doctoring the script. When sir (K Subhash) was working with Raj Kumar Santoshi, I was at home, working on doctoring, correcting, spell checking and understanding the screenplay. That’s when, through sir’s contacts – I got to write a fresh script for an old shelved film, titled ‘Hello India’ (the old film was ‘Purab Ki Laila, Paschim Ka Chaila’ with Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, and Namrata Shirodkar). I also got to be part of the shooting team at Bangkok.”
Thinking fondly of his mentor, Malani said, “I was one of his favorite associates or ‘assistant’, as termed in the Film industry. But more than that, I was like a member of his family as he treated me like his younger brother and I stayed with him in Mumbai for 6 years. Subash sir gave me ideas, tips and narrated many scripts for me. Infact, he helped me with my scripts and suggested changes, and that gave me a different platform- as with his help and support I directed meaningful films that got me awards, recognition and an international platform for the social awareness HIV Aids film, ‘Jo Jo Laali’ and the woman empowerment filem, ‘Sulige Sikkidaaga’. He used to criticize my work too, which I took positively and that helped me grow even more. That’s why, today I can proudly say that I have gone from being an actor to becoming a recognized director, and it is all thanks to K Subash sir.”
On his first death anniversary (November 23), Sandeep Malani has dedicated his latest film- shot on an iPhone 6s- titled ‘Yeh CineMaa Hai’ to his guru, K Subash. Malani also worte this on his Facebook wall as a tribute to the great filmmaker:
“It’s been a year today that you left us. I still can’t come to conclusion that you are not amongst us. Wherever you are (in heaven) and in the minds and hearts of your loved ones – be with them always…
And for sure, You will always be in my heart.
RIP sir! My Guru, my mentor!
Krishnan Subaash sir – Miss you!”
