Did you know that Rakesh Roshan came up with the story of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai after watching Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna-starrer Aradhana? It’s been 20 years since Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai gifted us Hrithik Roshan, but had it not been for Aradhana, the film would have never been conceptualised. In an exclusive chat, the director of the film, Rakesh Roshan, tells us how Hrithik was launched and how he came up with the idea of lookalikes Rohit and Raj.
After Koyla Rakesh Roshan had no clue what subject his next film would be on. He would discuss ideas with Hrithik but nothing materialized, till one day he chanced upon Aradhana.
“I happened to watch Aradhana while looking for the subject of my next film. In the film, Sharmila’s lover Rajesh Khanna dies and she meets her son who is a lookalike of his father. So I thought, why can’t I do a romantic film? In the first half the hero dies and in the second, the heroine goes somewhere and she meets another guy who looks exactly like him. But there’s no relationship between the two men.”Rakesh Roshan, Filmmaker
He immediately discussed the idea with his writers and Hrithik and everyone liked it. However, things changed when the writers asked Rakesh Roshan who to cast as the male lead and he said Hrithik.
“I said such a film should have a newcomer. When the writers asked if I had someone in mind, I took Hrithik’s name”, Rakesh added.
“Hrithik was absolutely shocked. He just got up and went to his room. I followed him and said ‘What happened?’ He replied, ‘You didn’t tell me. You are saying all this so casually. I am not even ready.”Rakesh Roshan, Filmmaker
Rakesh Roshan gave his son a year to prepare himself and that’s how Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai happened.
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