New Delhi:

No vanity van, a family-like set and two rising stars. Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan says Karan Arjun, which stars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan reincarnated as brothers, is a story of a mother’s faith that unfolds like a fairy tale.

Roshan is re-releasing the film on November 22, just ahead of its 30th anniversary in January.

He said both Salman and Shahrukh had different reasons for doing the film, which was originally released on January 13, 1995 and stars veteran stars Raakhee and Amrish Puri. The film also featured Mamta Kulkarni, Kajol and Johnny Lever.

“I have worked a lot as an actor with Rakhi and with Amrish Puri ji in Kishan Kanhaiya. We became good friends. Shahrukh worked with me in King Uncle. In fact, I hired him as a signing amount. The first check was given, while the second check was given to him.” Roshan told PTI in an interview, two films (Deewana and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman) were released before King Uncle.

Roshan Salman’s father knew the famous screenwriter Salim Khan.

“We were all like a family and when I told him the story, Salman loved it, Shahrukh didn’t believe it. He told me, ‘I don’t believe in reincarnation, but if you are making it, So I’ll make it. Work on it”, the filmmaker said, recalling his initial conversation with the two actors.

Over the years, the film and its dialogues like mere karan arjun aayenge, thakur to gyo and others have acquired a cult status and are now part of memes and reels.

Explaining the film’s appeal across generations, Roshan said that most rebirth dramas in Hindi cinema revolve around lovers, but he thought of making a film that was about the bond between a mother and her children. You talk.

“If her sons are killed in front of her and she asks God to bring them back and they are reborn, wouldn’t that make a good story? I remember Puri ji asking me, ‘Rakesh , Do you think Karan Arjun will come back? I told them, ‘If you kill them brutally they will come back to avenge their death.’ It was all in fun,” he said.

Roshan said that one tries to be true to the story but how the film performs at the box office depends on “the chemistry between the audience and the film”.

“It’s a miracle that people liked ‘Karan Arjun’ and made it their own. I’m going to release the film after 30 years and I’ll find out whether they still like it or not. Will they “Will they believe these feelings and this fairy tale? I hope they do because it’s a fairy tale, but it’s also a test for me.”

Shah Rukh and Salman, who are very good friends in real life, first worked together in the 1995 hit film and though they have occasionally shared the screen, the chemistry together in their first film is still remembered today. .

The director, known for films like Koyla, Kaho Na… Pyaar Hai, Koi… Mil Gaya, Krrish and Krrish 3, attributes this to the way film sets operated in the 90s.

“There was no vanity van at that time so everyone on the set stayed together. If Johnny Lever was shooting his scenes, all the actors including Amrish Puri ji would sit and have ‘gup shup’. We used to take our We used to have evening tea together. If we were shooting outside, there would be a small gathering and the actors would bond with each other and this bond was reflected in their films as well.” Roshan said that son Hrithik Roshan, who debuted with “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai” in 2000 and is one of the most successful actors of his generation, often assisted him in all his films.

Hrithik, who was 17 at the time, recently shared a memory of how the ‘Bhaag Arjun Bhaag scene’ happened in the film. The director revealed that Hrithik was a part of every story. “That’s how he learned and even today, he (Hrithik) is the best person to bounce ideas off of. I tell him impossible stories that wouldn’t work otherwise but he gets what I’m thinking. He understands that The story will connect with Jhumri Telaiya to someone sitting in LA.” Is it someone who reads reviews of his films? “I want to know what they are saying about my film. They (critics) have always written bad about my films but I make films for the audience and if they like it, it doesn’t matter. But if you read something, you can improve on some points in the next film, I lean towards the audience to appreciate my films.”

The filmmaker, son of music director Roshan, started out in films as an assistant director and acted in several films like ‘Khoobsurat’, ‘Aankhon Aankhon Mein’ and ‘Kaamchor’.

He turned to direction in 1987 with “Khudgarj” and followed it up with “Khoon Bhari Maang”, “Kishan Kanhaiya”, “Khel” and “King Uncle”.

The filmmaker said that it was always his dream to have his own production house like Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand.

“As an actor, I was not getting the success I wanted, so I became a producer and then a director. But before becoming a director, I watched more than 600 films, both hits and flops, because I loved the art. Wanted to understand. I have always tried to make my next film different from the previous films.” When asked about the new generation embracing ‘Karan Arjun’, Roshan said that he keeps hearing about the popularity of the film from people around him. He said, “You love that people remember your film even after 30 years. I would call it a blessing from God because I certainly didn’t plan it.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)