The Making Of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai: The Film That Created A Superstar Bollywood Wasn't Ready For
The Past Year Shaped By Blockbusters
The past year was defined by massive blockbusters like Chhava, Saiyaara, and Dhurandhar, a film whose impact is likely to ripple through Indian cinema for some time. But looking back over the decades, I've learned that true perspective only comes with time. As Bollywood continues to evolve, certain memories stand out more clearly than others. Today, I find myself looking back at one such turning point: Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000).
A Superstar is Born
In the history of Bollywood, there are hits, there are blockbusters, and then there is Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. We called it 'Hrithik-mania' when it dropped on January 14, 2000. It felt like the world changed overnight.
The Spark of Controversy
Before I get to the making of the film, one memory stands out: how certain sections of the media seized Hrithik's rise, framing it as a 'Hrithik vs. The Khans' battle that split Bollywood and its fans. For the first time, sharp, uncomfortable lines were being drawn across the industry, along religious and communal identities.
The First Film to Draw Bollywood's Lines
In recent weeks, we have seen endless prime-time debates over Dhurandhar, delving into nationalism and shifting identities. But back in January 2000, we were only in the nascent days of 24-hour news.
A Collision of Stars
The spark was a literal collision. Exactly one week after Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai released, the reigning superstar Shah Rukh Khan released his first home production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. It bombed. In its wake, 'Hrithik fever' became something far more clinical and calculated.
The Media's Role
Film magazines led the charge, running sensational covers with headlines like 'The Khan Era is Over' and 'Hrithik: The New No. 1.' pitting him directly against superstar Shah Rukh Khan. But it quickly moved beyond trade numbers. The narrative took a darker, more divisive turn when the Shiv Sena began celebrating Hrithik, labelling him the 'Hindu Superstar.' It was a turning point. While this has become a common occurrence in recent years, this was perhaps the first time a hit film was weaponized to fracture the industry.
The Rivalry on Screen and Off
At the time, the media-fueled rivalry even seeped onto the set of Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). On screen, Shah Rukh and Hrithik were loving brothers; off screen, the tension was unmistakable. In his autobiography An Unsuitable Boy, Johar recalls Hrithik feeling like a 'lost child' as the press cast him as SRK's successor. Projected as SRK's successor by the press, Hrithik struggled with negativity, and Karan had to go out of his way to make him feel included while other senior actors kept their distance.
**'You Can't Suddenly Tell Me One Morning...'
The rivalry moved from the cinema screens to the advertising world. Pepsi, which had SRK as its brand ambassador, mocked the 'Hrithik fever' in a controversial commercial. It featured a Hrithik lookalike wearing the iconic black outfit from Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, losing a girl to the 'cooler' Shah Rukh. Hurt, Hrithik fired off a letter to Pepsi, insisting a newcomer needed encouragement, not ridicule. Even his father, Rakesh Roshan, publicly accused Pepsi of targeting his son after losing the bid to sign him.
The Man Behind the Ad
The man behind the Pepsi ad, Prahlad Kakkar, later admitted, 'We showed Hrithik's lookalike losing the girl to Shah Rukh Khan. We even made him look like a dork, with braces. It backfired on us. Hrithik was so popular that we received letters from consumers, criticizing us.' Many editorials accused Shah Rukh Khan and the soft-drink giant of being 'insecure' and 'petty', suggesting that the ad was a deliberate attempt to mock a young, rising talent.
Shah Rukh Reflects
Years later, Shah Rukh reflected on this phase in Anupama Chopra's book King of Bollywood, calling the media's comparisons 'wrong and shameless.' 'You can't suddenly tell me one morning, 'Hey, you're displaced. You're too old, you're not good enough,'
