When Karan Johar believed Kajol might not be available for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, as she had recently gotten married.
Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar recently revealed an interesting anecdote about his 2001 blockbuster film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, where he initially had Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in mind for a pivotal role. However, due to a series of unforeseen events, Johar missed the chance to work with her at the time. In a candid interview with film critic Komal Nahta, Karan Johar shared that he had considered casting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the role that went to Kajol in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Johar believed Kajol might not be available for the project, as she had recently gotten married and might have been looking to start a family.
Reflecting on his thought process at the time, Karan Johar recalled, “When I was casting for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, I got to know that Kajol won’t be able to do the film because she was married and maybe she wanted to start a family. I thought I will approach Aishwarya.”
However, fate had something else in store for Karan Johar. On the day he had planned to approach Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the role, Kajol surprised him by expressing her keen interest in being a part of the project. Johar explained, “On that particular day, at 3 p.m., I reached Kajol’s studio, and I thought she will say no, we will shed some tears, and I will leave. I, of course, felt bad because Kajol had already worked with me.”
Moved by Kajol’s enthusiasm to collaborate once again, Karan Johar decided against meeting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the role. However, this missed opportunity marked the beginning of a series of near collaborations between the filmmaker and Aishwarya.
Fast forward to 2016, when Karan Johar finally had the chance to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. The romantic drama featured Aishwarya in a prominent role alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, and their on-screen chemistry was highly appreciated by the audience.
Despite the missed opportunity in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Karan Johar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan successfully collaborated on Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, creating a memorable cinematic experience for fans.