Karan Johar’s directorial Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was released in 2001. The family drama film boasted a giant star cast with popular names like Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, and Amitabh Bachchan, among others. As much as the film enjoys a cult fan following, many of you might be surprised to know that the movie was made on a whopping budget that caused Yash Johar to admit to not having any money.
Nikkhil Advani shares interesting anecdotes about Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Popular filmmaker Nikkhil Advani was an assistant director on Karan Johar’s second directorial, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. In a recent interview, he spilled the beans on the hardships they had faced while working on the film and ensuring its smooth release. The Kal Ho Naa Ho director recalled narrating the film to legendary filmmaker Yash Johar on a Saturday. After hearing the film, they were called to the office the next day.
Upon being asked about the film’s budget, Nikkhil shared that initially, the estimated budget of the film was Rs 24.5 crore, which included Rs 3 crore just for the art direction. “He took the paper on which we had written it, folded it, put it in his pocket and said, ‘Ok, go and make the film.’ It was a huge number back in 2000. On the first day of the shoot, we were shooting Bole Chudiyan, with 200 dancers, 300 juniors, and the entire star cast was there,” he said.
He further added, “We had taken Filmistan studio, which actually has ten floors, and all ten were taken by us. So Filmistan studio had become Dharma studio, where one floor was Yash Johar’s office, another was the HoD’s office, and one was just the eating room. We had painted the makeup rooms, re-done the bathroom and plumbing, put MF Hussain prints, fridge, TV, cable, everything. There used to be a letterpad (which would read) ‘from the desk of Jaya Bachchan.’ There was one note from Karan every morning about what he felt that day! On the first day of the shoot, Karan fainted!”
Yash Johar’s reaction after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’s budget exceeded the limit
He went on to recall a conversation with Yash Johar outside the sets as the legendary producer asked him if he remembered the film’s budget. Responding to Johar, he recollected memories of telling him, “‘Yash ji, there is too much stress now, I need to check a lot of things on set, so I don’t know.’ Then he removes the same piece of paper, unfolds it, and says, ‘The art budget was Rs 3 crore for the entire film; you have spent Rs 3 crore and 60 lakhs on one set.’ He tore the paper and said, ‘Now go and make this film.’ The eventual budget of the film was Rs 54.5 crore!”
Yash Johar self-distributed the film as he had ‘no money’
Nikkhil further revealed that it wasn’t just the cost of production that exceeded, but they also had to work hard on its release. The director shared how a deal with a distribution company couldn’t work out, and a trusted close associate also stepped back from releasing the film. “We were about to sign with a very big studio, but the deal fell through. He went to a person he was very close to and said, ‘I have no money. I have spent so much money, and I need this.’ But that person said, ‘No, I can only give you this much.’
“So Yash ji self-distributed the film. It was distributed at 17 and a half percent refundable commission with the distributors,” he shared, further adding that Dharma Productions thrives on the shoulders of three films– Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Kal Ho Naa Ho.
