Filmmaker Karan Johar recently reminisced about the memories associated with his directorial debut, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (KKHH). The film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji, was released on October 16, 1998, and became a blockbuster. Karan, who was in London with his parents at the time, received the news of the film’s success from his close friend, filmmaker Aditya Chopra.
Karan, who was feeling nervous about the film’s performance at the box office, reached out to Aditya, as Yash Raj Films was the distributor of KKHH. Aditya surprised him with a question: “What is the most expensive thing you want to buy?” At first, Karan didn’t understand the significance of the question, but Aditya went on to reveal that the film had emerged as a massive success.
Recalling that moment, Karan said, “It was on the Tuesday morning of the film’s release that I had to call Adi because Yash Raj was distributing the film. He was like, ‘I have been trying to call you!’ I told him that I was really nervous, I wanted to know how the film is doing because I had not heard anything. He said, ‘What is the most expensive thing you want to buy?’ I said, ‘I want to move to a bigger house with mom and dad.'”
Aditya’s response left Karan overwhelmed, “He told me, ‘Come back to Mumbai and buy the biggest house because your movie is a blockbuster.’ I was holding the phone—and I am a bit of an emotional maniac—and I was weeping! He told me to stop crying as it was great news, the film was playing well everywhere!”
Karan immediately woke up his parents to share the joyous news. However, when his mother heard the word “hit,” she asked what it meant, as the family had not experienced success in their productions for a long time. Karan’s father, Yash Johar, had previously faced setbacks with films like “Duplicate,” “Gumrah,” and “Agneepath,” which, although acclaimed, were not commercial successes.
Karan described the emotional moment, saying, “We hadn’t seen success in so long. Then my dad called up all the distributors to check. It was just the three of us, so we had our own little party. It was emotional for us.”
Following the success of KKHH, Karan Johar also shared a comical memory of his mother’s reaction. She insisted that he dye his hair, as he had started prematurely greying. Karan recounted how he opted for “jet black” hair color, which turned out to be a blunder.
“They asked me what color they should use, I said black. I came back looking like mad! You are supposed to do light brown or medium brown, so I came home, and my parents were looking at me…. it was jet black, the color of night on my hair. I was so embarrassed I didn’t know what to do. So, I started to walk around in a cap. It was just mad that I looked so crazy for about 25 days.”
Karan’s decision to go with such a dark hair color left him feeling self-conscious and led him to hide under a cap. Despite the embarrassment, he recalled the humorous moment with fondness. However, he also admitted that, being a 25-year-old at the time, he didn’t know any better.
In terms of his recent work, Karan Johar enjoyed success with his latest directorial venture, “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,” starring Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh. This film marked his return to directing after a seven-year hiatus following “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.” Rumors suggest that he may direct an action film in the near future. Karan’s journey from the emotional rollercoaster of KKHH to his recent accomplishments in the film industry showcases his enduring passion and dedication to the world of cinema.
