"Nikhil has a special place in my life" - KJo

Says Karan Johar about Advani, who he once had a fallout with. And to prove it, he attended the mahurat of the filmmaker's next film, Patiala House. After their fallout five years ago and their subsequent patch-up Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani have come together again -- this time with Karan's best friend Shahrukh Khan's archrival Akshay Kumar being present too -- at the mahurat of Nikhil and Akki's next film Patiala House on Monday.

Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar, Nikhil Advani and Dimple at the Muhurat of Patiala House. Karan says, "Yes, Nikhil called me a couple of days ago and asked me to give the mahurat shot. Naturally, I said yes. It's been such an old association and even after Kal Ho Naa Ho, we have been in touch for years. I don't have any problems with him. In fact, I am exceptionally fond of him. I believe he's a very talented scriptwriter and a good director."

Karan adds that Nikhil and he studied in the same school (Greenlawns) together. "Nikhil was my senior in school. Nikhil and I have had a close association for all my films till Kal Ho Naa Ho. We are always there for each other. Just because there is a professional distance between us today doesn't mean there's a personal distance too.

After the release of Kal Ho Na Ho which was directed by Nikhil and produced by Karan Johar, the two had differences in opinion and had parted ways. They, in fact, weren't in talking terms for more than a year till Karan and Nikhil buried their differences and Karan did a cameo in Nikhil's Salaam-E-Ishq. Karan played a film director for Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra's episode in the film.
Nikhil will always have a very special place in my life. It was a warm and wonderful mahurat with Chintu uncle (Rishi Kapoor) and Dimpy aunty (Dimple Kapadia) and Akshay."

Karan meeting Akshay is a strange coincidence considering Akki is now the hero of Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan -- something which Karan's best buddy Shahrukh Khan and Farah had a fallout over. How was it bonding with Akshay?

Karan says irritatedly, "It was a happy atmosphere on the sets and meeting Akshay was as pleasant as always. People forget that I am very close to Tina (Akshay's wife Twinkle) and we have been childhood buddies who have grown up together. Tina and I have a a childhood in common and also that my mom and her mom (Dimple) are extremely close too so Akshay's like part of the family."

Nikhil Advani says, "I asked Karan to give the clapper board shot and despite a very busy schedule (he's busy finalising his edit for My Name Is Khan) Karan came. For me, Karan's coming is a very important event for me and starts the film on a special note."