In a candid revelation, filmmaker Nikhil Advani has shared some never-before-heard anecdotes about Bollywood icons Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, shedding light on their early working relationship and the making of the iconic film Kal Ho Naa Ho. The stories offer a glimpse into the pressures and camaraderie that define the Hindi film industry.
The Day Shah Rukh Khan Scolded Karan Johar
Nikhil Advani, who worked as an assistant director on Karan Johar's directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, recently recounted a memorable incident from the first day of the shoot. Speaking to Radio Nasha, Advani described how the team's over-enthusiasm led to an unexpected reprimand from the film's star, Shah Rukh Khan.
The team had prepared extensively, ordering nearly every piece of filming equipment available, including a dolly and a jib, for a relatively simple scene. The shot featured children crying outside a dentist's office, followed by Shah Rukh Khan's character also in tears, being scolded by a young Anjali. The scene, which featured a dentist's nameplate reading 'Dentist Nikhil Advani', was ultimately cut from the final film.
However, the lighthearted mood shifted once filming wrapped. Shah Rukh Khan called both Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani into his vanity van. "He said, 'Boss, you all don't know anything; tumhe kuch nahi ata hai. Why did you get all this equipment? It wasn't required for this shot. Figure it out!'" Advani recalled. This direct feedback from the superstar left a lasting impression on the young filmmaker.
Learning from Farah Khan and Shooting the Climax
The experience prompted Nikhil to seek a different learning path. He approached Karan Johar and suggested, "We should just shoot the song, and I'll learn from Farah Khan." This decision profoundly influenced his directorial style. Advani admitted that even now, much of his shot composition feels like he is shooting a musical sequence, a technique he credits to learning from choreographer-director Farah Khan.
Shifting focus to his own directorial venture, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Nikhil Advani opened up about the immense pressure of filming the film's emotionally charged climax—the death scene of Shah Rukh Khan's character, Aman. He confessed to being overwhelmed, unsure of how to visually approach such a poignant moment.
"I started crying because I didn't really know how to shoot this scene," he said. It was cinematographer Anil Mehta who advised him to keep it simple and shoot from Shah Rukh Khan's point of view. The pressure was compounded by the fact that Shah Rukh had just delivered an iconic death scene in Devdas, featuring Aishwarya Rai's dramatic run with a nine-metre saree.
Advani realized he had to take a completely different, more intimate approach. "I had to understand that I have to make the scene between just two people," he explained. His philosophy for the climax was rooted in the audience's accumulated emotion. "Jitna rona tha film mein, utna aap pehle hi ro chuke ho (However much you had to cry while watching the film, you have already cried)," he stated.
He concluded that since the audience already knew Aman was dying and had sacrificed his love, the scene needed simplicity. This is why the film never actually shows Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) dying on screen, leaving the final moment to the viewers' imagination and the emotional groundwork laid throughout the story.
A Bond Forged in Early Struggles
These revelations highlight the deep, familial bond between Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, which was forged in these early professional experiences. While SRK's on-set critique was stern, it came from a place of mentorship and a desire for efficiency, shaping Johar and Advani's future filmmaking journeys. The stories from both Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho underscore the collaborative spirit, creative challenges, and lasting lessons that define some of Bollywood's most beloved films and enduring friendships.
