Filmmaker Karan Johar recently appeared on the Sony TV singing reality show Indian Idol where he made several revelations about top actors who’ve worked in blockbusters produced by him in the past. Sharing his personal anecdotes about Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Karan revealed how Salman Khan had left him stunned by agreeing to do the role even when many other actors had refused to share the screen space with Shah Rukh Khan.
Karan said, “Since I am talking about Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I would like to share one funny anecdote. This film also had one more superstar Salman Khan. Nobody was willing to play this character (Salman) since we already had Shah Rukh and Kajol since they thought why they should act in Shah Rukh’s film.”
Karan continued, “I don’t want to name those actors, but there were three or four of them who refused to play this role. I was feeling very depressed and happened to be at Chunky Pandey’s house one night. He had organised a party and I had gone there with a sad face. Salman Khan was also there.”
“He (Salman) came to me and said in his own inimitable style, ‘are you done with your shopping?’ I asked him what he meant by shopping. He said, ‘You went to everyone (for this role). That’s called shopping only.’ Then he told me, ‘One has to be mad to do this role and I am that mad person.’ Salman was such a big star that he was not even on my list.”
Salman asked Karan to meet him at his house a day later to narrate the story. “I went o his house and narrated the first half with full passion. He said, ‘Very good, I am on.’ I got frightened thinking that Salman may have assumed that I was offering him Shah Rukh’s role.”
Salman, according to Karan, told him, “How does it make a difference? I know your father and I am doing this film for him whatever the role.”
Karan said that he had gone to Salman to thank him for the impact he created with his acting in the film.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai starring Sws hah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Salman Khan was released in 1998. The film had gone on to become a huge commercial blockbuster. Even though Salman had a small in the film, his role was widely appreciated.