CNN-IBN

Mumbai, Jul 19: After numerous films as director, producer and sometimes actor, Subhash Ghai is ready with his latest blockbuster - a state-of-the-art film institute, Whistling Woods.

And only the showman could bring all of Bollywood under one roof. And the who's who of the film industry were present to pay their obeisance.

"There can never be a substitutes for any kind of formal education," filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor said.

And there was a little dose of cynicism too. "They are here to learn something that cannot be taught," actor Vinod Khanna said.

The list of faculty and board members reads like the cast from one of Ghai's multi-starrers.

Director Shyam Benegal heads the academic council, actor Naseeruddin Shah heads the acting course while actor Hema Malini and choreographer Shiamak Davar will teach classical and contemporary dance, respectively.

The advisory board includes actors Shah Rukh Khan, Shabana Azmi and directors Ashutosh Gowariker and Karan Johar.

"I will be teaching them dance and how it helps in acting," Hema Malini said.

Regular faces from the Ghai camp are eager to be a part of Whistling Woods and some even have tips for the first batch of the institute.

"It would be an honour if they call me for one of the lectures but I wonder if they could learn acting from me," Shah Rukh Khan quipped.

"Muh band rakhne ka aur kaan khulla rakhne ka. Pehle sunne ka, phir bolne ka. (Keep your mouth shut and your ears open. First hear and only then speak," Jackie Shroff said.

For Ghai this is just the beginning. "What you see now is just the beginning. I have to struggle a lot and have a long way to go," he said.

All of them will train the task force that Bollywood will eventually hire. Twenty-six classrooms, a library, several studios and opportunities in Ghai's films - all you have to do is cough up the dough - in this case, Rs 12 lac.