18 years after Karan Johar's ensemble-cast family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham hit screens, the filmmaker opened up about getting a "reality check" after the film's release on Audible Suno's show Picture Ke Peeche, reported news agency IANS. "I thought that I'm making the biggest film in Hindi cinema since Mughal-e-Azam until Aamir Khan's Lagaan and Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai," the 47-year-old filmmaker said on the show. Soon after, Karan Johar made a confession of sorts as he said: "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is the single biggest slap in my face and my biggest reality check," reported IANS.
Elaborating on his point about Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham being a "reality check" for him, Karan Johar said: "I made the same film as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, that's what Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was," and added: "I took the storyline of Kabhi Kabhie and the family values of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and made this mush of a film."
However, Karan Johar added that Kareena Kapoor's role as Poo/Pooja will always remain special: "Poo, OMG! You should go and check online. There are lines, memes and games on Poo, but at the time only Bebo and I loved her character. I am Poo, that's who I am, I wrote all the lines, picked the clothes, everything," he said on the show.
Here's what Karan Johar tweeted as the film clocked 18 years in December 2019: "Blessed to have this story to look back to and still feel the love. It's always about loving your parents... and the solid and spectacular actors and team you get to work with! #18YearsOfK3G."
Blessed to have this story to look back to & still feel the love. It's always about loving your parents...and the solid & spectacular actors and team you get to work with! #18YearsOfK3G @SrBachchan #JayaBachchan @iamsrk @itsKajolD @iHrithik #KareenaKapoorKhan @DharmaMovies pic.twitter.com/M0OWAHcHdq
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) December 14, 2019
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was Karan Johar's second film as a director after his filmmaking debut in 1998 with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Apart from casting friends Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan, Mr Johar had also roped in Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor for the movie. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham won five Filmfare awards including Best Actress for Kajol and Best Dialogue for Karan Johar.
(With IANS inputs)
