Chhaayaageet #175 - "Don't worry, we'll dance well. I promise."
The young filmmaker has tasted box office success with his first film. Now he is planning his second to be even more audacious. He has successfully rounded up the biggest star cast in the industry. Three generations of super stars. The filmmaker's father, also a veteran filmmaker in his day, is the producer of this film. One day he calls over the AD, the assistant director.
The producer asks, "What do you think will be the budget of this film?"
The AD asks for a piece of paper and does some rough calculations. He adds line items for star cast, art budget, this and that. It all adds up to 24 crores.
The producer takes the piece of paper, folds it neatly, and keeps it in his pocket. One day, that paper will see the light of day when they sit down to compare the budget against the actual spend. He looks at the AD and says, "Ok, go and make the film."
Meanwhile the filmmaker is heads down busy bringing the film to life. The music has been created. Now it's time to start shooting. He remembers advice from another filmmaker, "Always start shooting with a song. It gets the actors get into the graph of the film." And so the young filmmaker has decided to heed this advice. He decides to shoot one of the most hyped up songs in the film, one that features the entire star cast.
The film goes onto the floors. It is such a simple thing to say, the film goes onto the floors. But in reality it is a massive operation to get the camera rolling. Filmistan Studios has ten floors. The filmmaker has occupied all ten. One floor for the producer and his staff. One floor for the heads of various departments. One entire floor is just for eating. Then there are the costumes. There are 200 dancers and 300 junior artists who have been assembled for this song.
There is a huge buzz. The filmmaker is suddenly starting to feel pressure and stress of the big moment. He has four big stars, two pairs of superstar heroes and heroines scheduled to shoot the song on the first two days. Then on the third day, the third superstar couple will come for their schedule. Oh my God, the filmmaker feels the weight of the world fall on his shoulders. It suddenly dawns on him that he is actually going to be shooting with the biggest superstar of the film fraternity. It's one thing to see the biggest superstar at social events and award functions, or even meet him to sign him for the film, and do the story narration and table reads, but to direct him is an unnerving endeavor.
The filmmaker feels sick to his stomach. Panic attacks ensue. He can barely hold anything in his stomach. The first two days are in the books. Somehow the filmmaker pulls through those two days. Now it is the third day. The day when the biggest superstar will make his presence on the set.
The filmmaker's mind is occupied with hundred little and big things. However, he can't help glancing at his watch, anticipating the moment of the biggest superstar's arrival. Suddenly his panic attacks kick in. He keeps running in and out of the loo. On one such moment, coming out of the loo, he collapses next to the choreographer. She barely holds him up. Everyone gathers around and the filmmaker is taken to a bed in the make-up room.
Things have come to a stand still on set. News that the filmmaker has fainted has made its way to all ten floors. The producer summons the AD, wanting to know what's going on. He has another question, "How much have we spent on this lavish set to shoot this song?"
This is the last thing the AD wants to hear. He is like a son to the producer. The bond is strong enough for the AD to say, "Yash ji, there is too much stress right now. I need to check a lot of things on set so I don't know."
The filmmaker removes the piece of paper from his pocket, unfolds it, and says, "Art budget 3 crores for the entire film. You have spent 3.6 crores just on this one set."
The AD just stares ahead. There are ten places he could be in right now, and this meeting with the producer would not make the list.
The producer tears the paper and says, "Now go and make this film."
Meanwhile in the make up room. The filmmaker is starting to come to his senses. He barely opens his eyes. The scene is straight out of a Hindi film. You see everything foggy as one opens the eyes. He sees an IV drip in his hand. And he sees the biggest superstar sitting next to him and looking into his eyes. As soon as the filmmaker's eyes open, the biggest superstar says in his baritone, "Don't worry, we'll dance well. I promise."
The filmmaker is fully conscious by now. "Yes", he mutters. That's about as much as he can say. A monitor is wheeled into the make up room, along with a walkie talkie.
The choreographer instructs the filmmaker he is not to get up from his bed, and he can direct the song over the walkie-talkie and looking through the monitor.
The actors disperse. It's a starry constellation on set now with the biggest superstar, the current superstar and the current heartthrob. Could this get any bigger? Everyone is busy doing their prep for the song.
The biggest superstar approaches the current superstar. He points to the current heartthrob and says, "Sir jee, isko aap dekh rahe hain kitna rehearsal kar raha hai? Aapko kya lagta hai, humein bhi karna chahiye?" Sir, do you see him how many rehearsals he is doing? What do you think, do we also need to rehearse?
The current superstar agrees, "Karna to chahiye kyun ki ye step badi mushkil hai." We need to because this step is very difficult.
The biggest superstar continues, "Hum kitna bhi rehearsal kar le, aisa to hoga nahin hum se! To hum karein ki nahin?" No matter how much we rehearse, we can't do like him! So do we rehearse or not?
The current superstar suggests, "Hum na side mein jaa ke rehearse karte hain." We can go off to the side and rehearse.
The two high voltage superstars find a secluded spot where they can rehearse in secret without prying eyes.
Karan Johar wrote the story, screenplay, dialogues and directed Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), produced by Yash Johar. Bole Chudiyan was the first song shot when the film went on the floors. K3G was the most expensive film at that point, and it emerged a massive commercial success both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the highest grossing films. The initial back of the napkin budget of 24 crores was exceeded significantly and ultimately the film clocked an expense of over 50 crores.
After the success of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Karan immediately began planning K3G and decided to make it larger than life in all respects, starting with the ensemble star cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor.
Karan Johar followed Aditya Chopra's advice on starting the shoot of the film with a song. The lyrics of Bole Chudiyan are written by Sameer, music by Jatin-Lalit, and the song is choreographed by Farah Khan. Playback is provided by Kavita Krishnamurti, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan and Amit Kumar. Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan rehearsed in secret after watching Hrithik Roshan rehearse his steps. Shah Rukh clarified that the real steps are what Hrithik is seen doing, and very different from what he and Bachchan Sahab ended up doing.
K3G established Karan Johar as one of the big filmmakers in Hindi cinema. He regards Bole Chudiyan as the biggest, most important and most memorable song of his career. The song also became very popular for newly weds to dance on in their wedding ceremonies.
Music: Jatin-Lalit
Lyrics: Sameer
Choreography: Farah Khan
*ing: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor
Singers: Kavita Krishnamurti, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Amit Kumar
Director: Karan Johar
Assistant Director: Nikhil Advani
Producer: Yash Johar
Film: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)