Mumbai, March 6 (IANS): Subhash Ghai-directed "Kaanchi" is set for an April 25 release and the filmmaker says he didn't plan to release it during the election period.

India will go to polls from April 7. The Lok Sabha elections will be spread over nine days ending May 12.

"I wanted to release the film in December, but as a director I take my own time to complete the film. I never make a film with the release date as the target. It is just a coincidence that it is releasing during elections," Ghai told IANS during the press conference of "Kaanchi".

He was one of the most successful directors in the late 1970s and 1980s and gave a string of hits like "Kalicharan", "Karz", "Karma", "Ram Lakhan", "Saudagar" and "Pardes". Thanks to the successes, he was crowned as "the showman" of the industry.

When asked about the title, he said: "I still don't know why people call me showman, but I see a showman in every second person I meet in the industry and I am happy about it."

But the tide turned against him when his "Yaadein" bit the dust at the box office. His last directorial venture was the flop movie "Yuvvraaj". But he is undeterred by the failure.

"I make films when I feel like making them. The most important thing for me is the passion to make films. Every director goes through ups and downs. There is a difference between a film that doesn't work and a bad film. I will keep making films," said Ghai.