When Kal Ho Naa Ho hit the big screens in 2003, many fans of Karan Johar’s signature style assumed he had directed the film. However, it was Nikkhil Advani who brought the Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Preity Zinta-starrer to life. Despite the film’s immense success, it caused a temporary rift between Karan Johar and Nikkhil Advani, one they later reconciled.
In a recent interview, Nikkhil offered deep insights into the making of the beloved classic. Karan Johar’s Regret and Nikkhil Advani’s Take Speaking to Digital Commentary, Nikkhil addressed Karan Johar’s recent statement that not directing Kal Ho Naa Ho was his greatest regret. “I read somewhere yesterday that Karan’s greatest regret is that he did not direct Kal Ho Naa Ho .
But that’s not true because, in my opinion, the script was director-proof,” Nikkhil shared. He explained that Karan’s precise scriptwriting left little room for error, ensuring the film’s success regardless of who directed it. A Script That Was ‘Director-Proof’ Nikkhil highlighted how Karan’s writing shaped every aspect of Kal Ho Naa Ho, from the heartfelt emotions in the second half to the comedic moments with Sushma Seth, Rajpal Yadav, and Delnaaz Irani.
“Karan is an incredible dialogue writer. The emotions in the second half..
. Jaya ji’s emotion, the revelation that Shah Rukh is dying at the interval point. It was director-proof,” he said.
Technical Contributions by Nikkhil Advani While Karan Johar’s script.
