When we think of Bollywood’s most iconic family dramas, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G) is usually at the top of the list. We remember the grand sets, the heavy lehengas, and the sheer “larger-than-life” feel that Karan Johar brought to the screen. However, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who served as an associate director on the film, recently shared some eye-opening stories that show just how much stress went on behind that glamorous curtain.
In a series of recent interviews, Advani revealed that the production was so lavish it actually blew past its original budget by a staggering ₹30 crore. To put that in perspective, the initial budget proposal for the entire movie was around ₹24.5 crore—meaning they spent more on the overruns than they had planned for the whole film!
One of the most shocking details involved the “Art Budget.” Advani recalled that they had allocated roughly ₹3 crore for the art direction of the entire movie. However, while filming the iconic song “Bole Chudiyan,” producer Yash Johar pulled Nikkhil aside with a piece of paper. He pointed out that they had already spent ₹3.6 crore on that single set alone.
Chudiyan” shoot was a massive undertaking that defined the film’s “extravagance at all costs” mantra. According to Advani, the set was a whirlwind of activity. The song featured over 200 professional dancers and 300 junior artists.
They rented out all ten floors of Filmistan Studio, essentially turning the entire facility into “Dharma Studios” for the duration of the shoot. Every makeup room was renovated with personalized touches, including MF Hussain prints, refrigerators, TVs, and even custom letter pads for the actors.
Advani also shared how they treated a Boeing 737 like a local bus while shooting in Egypt for “Suraj Hua Maddham.” They flew a crew of 52 people across the country just to capture the perfect light, showing that the elder Johar spared no expense to ensure his son Karan’s vision was realized.
Perhaps the most touching part of these revelations is the role of the late Yash Johar. Despite the mounting costs and the fact that he eventually had to self-distribute the film because a major studio deal fell through, he never told the creative team to “scale back.”
Nikkhil recalls that after showing him how they had overspent the entire film’s art budget on the “Bole Chudiyan” set, Yash Johar simply tore up the budget paper and told him, “Now go and make the film.” It was this “all-in” attitude that helped create a movie that remains a cultural touchstone 25 years later.
Today, we see K3G as a massive success, but Nikkhil Advani’s stories remind us that it was a huge financial gamble. It wasn’t just about the money; it was about a father’s belief in his son’s dream and a team that was willing to push the boundaries of what Indian cinema could look like. To know such latest updates tuned to tellyboosters.com Thank you!
