By:
Subhash
K.
Jha,
IndiaFM
Friday,
March
24,
2006
Ace
director
Karan
Johar
says
the
three
months
spent
in
New
York
shooting
for
his
latest
Kabhi
Alvidaa
Na
Kehna
were
the
most
difficult
phase
of
his
life.
"Those
were
the
toughest
three
months
ever.
It
was
traumatic.
There
were
production
problems,
locations
issues
and
a
hurricane,
plus
everyone
away
from
home," says
the
hit
maker
of
films
like
Kuch
Kuch
Hota
Hai
and
Kabhi
Khushi
Kabhie
Gham.
The
film,
he
says,
is
about
marriage
and
other
man-woman
relationships,
but
is
definitely
not
a
remake
of
Silsila
as
is
being
made
out.
Karan
rubbishes
rumours
about
animosity
between
Rani
Mukerji
and
Preity
Zinta
on
the
sets
of
his
film
that
stars
Amitabh
Bachchan,
his
favourite
Shah
Rukh
Khan,
whom
he
describes
as
"god,
my
hero
and
brother",
and
childhood
pal
Abhishek
Bachchan.
"Problems
happen
when
the
navigator
is
weak.
I
don't
see
myself
as
a
weak
captain
of
the
ship.
Rani
and
Preity
share
very
little
cinema
space
in
my
film.
And
they
got
along
very
well.
And
I
mean
that...
There
was
no
problem."
Karan
describes
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
as
a
Hindi
film
like
any
other.
"I
have
just
fine-tuned
it
differently,"
he
told
IANS
in
this
interview.
Excerpts:
Lots
of
curiosity
about
your
new
film?
What
for?
I
am
just
an
ordinary
director
making
an
ordinary
film.
I
guess
the
curiosity
comes
from
my
making
my
first
film
since
2001
after
Kabhi
Khushi
Kabhie
Gham
(K3G).
"Kabhi
Alvidaa...",
too,
has
a
huge
cast.
So
there
will
be
a
certain
expectation.
Films
involving
Shah
Rukh
and
me
are
talked
about.
They
have
been
very
successful
in
the
past.
People's
expectations
are
scaring
me.
I
am
not
getting
much
sleep.
But,
yes,
I
have
tackled
marriage,
an
institution
I
am
not
familiar
with.
Now
that
I
am
33
and
greying,
I
have
stopped
seeking
the
support
of
hair-dye.
I
was
more
than
ready
to
take
on
a
mature
theme.
I
was
quite
tired
of
being
counted
among
the
new
generation
of
filmmakers.
I
am
not
young
anymore.
I
am
10
years
into
the
industry,
and
quite
qualified
to
tackle
a
mature
subject.
So
no
research?
None.
Except
emotional
research!
My
cinema
is
always
a
result
of
personal
observations.
I
don't
read,
listen
to
current
music
or
run
to
see
every
film
in
town.
My
education
comes
from
past
Hindi
cinema
and
music.
I
observe
strangers,
or
friends
at
parties...
But
let
me
tell
you
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
is
not
about
real
people.
It's
a
complete
piece
of
fiction.
It
comes
from
a
space
I
don't
know,
but
understand.
I
created
the
characters
for
various
reasons.
I
hope
to
God
no
one
connects
personally
with
the
characters.
Most
of
the
film
is
shot.
Does
it
look
as
unconventional
as
people
think?
I
think
people
will
connect
as
well
with
this
film
as
they
did
with
K3G
and
Kuch
Kuch
Hota
Hai.
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
is
a
human
drama.
It's
about
marriages
and
other
man-woman
relationships.
Last
time
when
I
directed,
they
said
it
was
Yash
Uncle's
(Yash
Chopra)
"Kabhi
Kabhie".
This
time
I
am
supposed
to
be
re-making
Silsila.
It's
also
supposed
to
have
elements
of
the
film
Closer.
But
it's
not!
I
admire
Yash
Chopra
more
than
any
filmmaker.
That's
why
I
would
never
dare
remake
his
films.
Silsila
is
one
of
my
favourite
films.
But
all
of
us
filmmakers
are
perfectly
capable
of
doing
original
work.
Don't
you
think?
We
just
need
to
apply
ourselves.
So
what's
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
about?
I
don't
want
to
say
much.
Anything
I
say
can
and
will
be
held
against
me.
So
let's
just
wait
for
audiences
to
see
the
film
and
let
them
form
their
opinions.
All
I
can
say
is,
it's
a
Hindi
film
like
any
other.
I
have
just
fine-tuned
it
differently.
Your
cast....
Shah
Rukh...
is
he
presented
differently?
Who
am
I
to
even
try
to
present
him
differently?
There
has
never
been
an
actor
like
him.
Personally,
for
me
he
is
my
god,
my
hero
and
brother.
I
don't
have
to
think
about
how
he'll
play
a
character.
He
does
all
the
thinking
on
his
own.
The
character
comes
from
my
heart.
And
then
Shah
Rukh
takes
over.
He
needs
no
presentation.
His
presence
is
enough.
He
gives
a
sub-text,
graph
and
everything
that
a
character
needs.
He
understands
what
I
want
from
his
performance.
And
he
gives
that
extra
bit
by
himself.
I
feel
I
fail
Shah
Rukh.
When
will
I
give
him
that
one
film
where
I'll
write
a
role
that
would
do
justice
to
him?
In
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
he's
done
everything
on
his
own.
I
wrote
a
simple
character.
He
gave
it
the
right
nuances
and
complexities.
And
Abhishek
Bachchan?
You
know
to
direct
someone
whose
birthday
party
you
have
attended
as
a
child,
is
an
emotional
experience.
Working
with
Abhishek
is
like
working
with
someone
I
have
known
all
my
life.
Those
birthday
parties
I
attended
continue
on
the
sets.
For
Abhishek
shooting
is
a
party.
We
just
have
to
agree.
He
is
a
super-brat.
He's
a
combination
of
man
and
child.
I
think
I
have
captured
that
quality
in
"Kabhi
Alvidaa..."
And
Amit-ji
(Amitabh
Bachchan)?
Just
working
with
him
is
an
honour.
I
have
worked
with
Lata-ji
(Lata
Mangeshkar
in
K3G)
and
Amit-ji,
the
two
legends.
I'd
say
Amit-ji's
character
is
flamboyant
-
a
very
unusual
character
compared
with
what
he
has
played
so
far.
And
he
is
looking
like
a
rock
star.
He's
cool
in
"Alvidaa...".
Your
two
girls?
Rani
Mukerji
is
someone
I
appreciate
for
various
reasons.
I
love
Rani
as
a
person
and
a
performer.
Her
Black
is
a
landmark
performance.
I
don't
think
she
can
ever
do
it
again
which
is
so
unfortunate.
She
stood
by
me
when
I
was
just
starting
out.
And
after
Kuch
Kuch
Hota
Hai
she
did
a
special
appearance
for
me
in
K3G
when
she
was
going
through
a
career-low.
All
these
years
she
has
been
in
touch
with
me
nearly
every
day
without
expecting
anything
in
return.
She's
like
my
kid
sister.
I
feel
that
much
more
for
her
because
her
love
for
me
is
unconditional.
That
eclipses
her
other
equally
important
ability
as
an
actor.
Her
strengths
as
human
being
will
always
be
more
important
to
me.
Today
she's
a
rock-solid
professional.
She
did
everything
right
to
get
her
character
in
"Alvidaa..."
right.
What
about
her
animosity
with
Preity?
Totally
untrue.
Problems
happen
when
the
navigator
is
weak.
I
don't
see
myself
as
a
weak
captain
of
the
ship.
Rani
and
Preity
share
very
little
cinema
space
in
my
film.
And
they
got
along
very
well.
And
I
mean
that...
There
was
no
problem.
Just
because
there
were
a
whole
lot
of
stars
in
New
York
doesn't
mean
there
will
be
problems.
Why
can't
people
understand
that?
There
doesn't
have
to
be
a
fight
if
you
put
two
actors
and
two
actresses
in
the
same
room.
This
isn't
the
Stone
Age.
Catfights
between
actresses
are
passe.
Everyone
works
for
the
best
interests
of
a
film.
How
was
the
New
York
stint?
Let
me
put
it
this
way...
it
was
the
most
difficult
phase
of
my
life.
Those
were
the
toughest
three
months
ever.
I
thank
my
cast
and
crew
for
seeing
me
through
them.
The
conditions
and
crises
were
tackled,
thanks
to
my
on-line
producer
and
my
CEO.
It
was
traumatic.
There
were
production
problems,
locations
issues
and
a
hurricane,
plus
everyone
away
from
home...
Are
you
and
Yash
Raj
Films
joining
hands?
We
have
been
together
in
every
way
for
a
long
time.
I
am
still
structuring
my
own
production
house.
Yash
Raj
distributes
my
films
worldwide.
To
me
Dharma
and
Yash
Raj
are
the
one
and
the
same.