Filmmaker Karan Johar on Tuesday took a trip down the memory lane to share what went behind the making of his blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham 20 years ago.
The 2001-family drama, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, is the story of an Indian family which faces troubles and misunderstandings.
Johar, 49, took to social media to share glimpses from the world of K3G, as it is widely known among cinegoers on the 20th anniversary of the film’s release on Tuesday.
“Thank you falls short. A little piece of my heart for you on this day,” he wrote.
‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ became part of pop culture. The dialogues became part of everyday conversation, each scene and sequence were beautifully conceptualised, the costumes set fashion trends that exist even today, the dance moves are followed even today on various occasions, besides the music of the film lives on even today,” the director recalled.
“20 years later I am so happy to have created something that brought so much joy across the world and forever indebted to the legendary cast who I am proud to call my friends and family.”
In a four-minute video clip, Johar shared moments from the film and recalled the contribution of every department towards its making. “A film, a journey and memories that are indispensable”, he said, adding, “I feel sometimes I don’t have words to describe my feeling when it comes to this film, drama, emotion, sentiments, something that I grew up on.”
The director-producer said the true challenge was justifying the icons that he cast in the film.
“…The icons that I was bringing together on celluloid Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan – the living legends and the eternal duo Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol – who are dearest to my heart since my very first film. And the trendsetters of that era Hrithik and Kareena and even today,” he added.
He also shared that he has heard many people across the world sing and dance to popular tracks from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham like ‘Say Shava Shava’ and ‘Bole Chudiyan’ at family functions, weddings, celebrations
Johar also lauded the efforts of choreographer Farah Khan, costume designer Manish Malhotra, production designer Sharmishta Roy and cinematographer Kiran Deohans.
Johar said his filmmaker father, late Yash Johar, who appears in the video, fell in love with the caption of K3G. “What I loved the most is, the caption of the film, that is, ‘it’s all about loving your parents’. I don’t think anyone has ever given me such a beautiful gift,” he said.
To celebrate the 20 years of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, several celebrities such as Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Sidharth Malhotra and fans have been sharing videos and messages on social media, recreating their favourite scenes from the movie.
Upon its release on December 14, 2001, the film received polarised reactions from critics but commercially it turned out to be one of the highest grossing movies of the year.