It’s impossible for me to imagine a film without Shahrukh      - Karan Johar

Sitting in his Dharma productions office and finalizing the future activities of his company and the promotional activities of his much awaited ‘My Name Is Khan’ which brings the decades most loved jodi ‘Sharukh and Kajol’ together after eight years, Producer- Director-Anchor Karan Johar talks about his film, the chemistry between Shahrukh and Kajol and about his favorite actor Shahrukh Khan’

Experts

Q: The house of family, feel good NRI romancers gets ‘real’?
A: I made only one family movie ‘‘Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham’ which had all the rona dhona. ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ was a bubble gum love story; ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’ was based on extra martial relationships. But still I am labeled as a maker of family films.     

Maybe my previous films belong to one production house and they where somewhere related like distant cousins had made people feel in that way.

In ‘My Name Is Khan’ I have challenged myself as a maker. The movie is love story, its predominantly a love story surrounded with a real atmosphere with real people. Previously it used to be more of glamour but here its more real. Emotions, characters, and situations are real. It’s challenging to break your mould and with ‘My Name Khan’ I have tried to do that.

Q: Don’t you think the idea is outdated by now, getting repeated in so many films?
A: 9/11 is just a tiny part of the film. The movie is the story of Rizwan his journey of life from the age of 4 to 42. 9/11 is just an incident in the film the movie is much larger. The repercussions of 9/11 are there as the incident has had a global effect. But it’s more of Rizwan’s journey of finding his love.

Q: According to you what are the ingredients that make the chemistry between Shahrukh and Kajol click?
A: Frankly I don,t know from where the chemistry comes from. For me they look somewhat similar. As they have the same eye structure, cheek bones they share a very good comfort level, and maybe their friendship and their comfort level with each other transcends into the chemistry that makes them the God send couple.

They have managed to survive the onslaught of so many couples and remain the couple of the decade. My hats off to them. Whenever they come in front of the camera, you just feel the love. Today you have so many permutations and combinations happening in today’s relationships on screen but they are the only couple who have survived.

Imagine I took close up of Sharukh and Kajol in different time zones but when I brought them together its was magic. In the same way the audience feels and say ‘in dono mein toh be- intehah pyaar hone wala hai’ that’s the magic this two create.

During the era of legendary couples we use to have Raj Kapoor and Nargis. In today’s time we have Sharukh and Kajol who are the best on screen couple in bollywood.

Q: What research have you gone through for the role of Sharhrukh?
A: We have done quality research, read about the disease, taken expert opinions. We even met a couple who are suffering from aspegers.

Q: What’s the disease?  
A: Its s a disorder of stereotyped interests and activities. For example we find some people who don,t like loud music, some are constantly cleaning something they can’t tolerant any dirt, such kinds of people keep repeating things and its not their quality its their disorder which is called aspegers. In ‘My Name Is Khan’ Rizwan played by Shahrukh has the same disorder, he doesn’t like the colour ‘yellow’ he thinks literally and imagines whatever being said literally. And the movie is about his journey of love.

Q: Do you believe in love?
A: Yes I believe in love, I believe in all minds if love. I think love should be addressed in the way it is today. I can’t make a ‘Kuch Kuch Hota hai’ today. When I see the movie I say to myself ‘what I was doing’. You need to change.

Had the ‘Kurbaan’ failure gave you the second thought for change?
A: I believe we made a honest effort and last year we came with 2 films one was ‘Wake Up Sid’ and the other was ‘Kurbaan’.

‘Wake Up Sid’ found its audience but ‘Kurbaan’ didn’t clicked but it doesn’t mean that my production company will not make such efforts, we will try to reach more audience and will continue as dharma productions has never compromised on the quality. Hit or a flop that’s a different matter but no compromise on quality.

No compromise on quality, any compromise on SRK, any movie without Shahrukh?
A: Whenever I plan a movie to direct, its natural that SRK comes in the picture, its impossible for me to imagine a film without ‘SRK.

(Allows his manger to enter who is waiting patiently as I leave after talking over coffee with Karan)

• Vishal Verma