Renowned filmmaker Karan Johar recently shared his humbling experience when his iconic directorial “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” (K3G) was compared to the blockbuster “Gadar: Ek Prem Katha” upon its release in 2001. In a candid interview with Pinkvilla, Karan recalled the challenges and expectations he faced due to the simultaneous release of these two major films in the same year.
In 2001, “Gadar: Ek Prem Katha,” starring Sunny Deol, emerged as a massive hit, setting the bar for commercial success that year. Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” featuring Shah Rukh Khan and an ensemble cast, also made waves but faced the inevitable comparisons with the action-romance juggernaut, “Gadar.”
Karan Johar candidly shared how he reached out to his distributors after the release of K3G. He recounted that the Punjab distributor had an interesting observation, saying, “Han, bahut badi hit hai par Gadar jaisi nahi hai” (Yes, it’s a very big hit, but not like Gadar). In response, Karan showed his humility, saying, “Theek hai bhaiya. Number 2 toh hai na. Wo main seh loonga. Par flop toh nahi hai na?” (It’s okay. But it’s number 2, right? I can bear that. But it’s not a flop, is it?). To this, the distributor affirmed that all the shows were running full, reassuring Karan.
Despite the success of K3G, Karan candidly admitted that it was a humbling experience for him when he didn’t win any awards the following year. This contrasted with his previous film, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (1998), which had won numerous awards and marked his directorial debut. He reflected, “That was a really grounding experience for me. I fell back on my feet and realized that you just have to work and don’t expect anything from the beginning. Because there’s no replacement for hard work.”
The year 2001 was marked by several notable hits across diverse genres in Bollywood. Ashutosh Gowariker’s historical sports drama “Lagaan,” featuring Aamir Khan, left an indelible mark. Anil Sharma’s “Gadar,” starring Sunny Deol, became an iconic film of the era. Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut, “Dil Chahta Hai,” showcased Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna. Additionally, Madhur Bhandarkar’s National Award-winning film “Chandni Bar,” starring Tabu, made significant contributions to Indian cinema.
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Source: Hindustan Times
