The 1995 blockbuster ‘Karan Arjun’ has gained the status of a cult classic over the years. Its soundtrack and iconic dialogues like ‘Mere Karan Arjun ayenge’ are still referenced by Bollywood cinephiles. Upon release, the fantasy title emerged as a blockbuster and racked up 43 crores against a budget of 6 crores. Notably, the film emerged as the sixth highest-grossing film of the decade. Led by Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, the film chronicles the reincarnation of the brothers to avenge their father’s death. Apart from the two superstars, ‘Karan Arjun’ also features veteran stars Rakhee and Amrish Puri. Moreover, Mamta Kulkarni, Kajol and Johnny Lever are part of the movie.
Ahead of its 30th anniversary in January, the ‘all-time blockbuster’ is re-releasing in theatres on November 21. Cinephiles can once again witness the ‘pyaar ka bandhan’ on silver screens. Ahead of the re-release, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan shares interesting details and anecdotes about the film.
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In an interview with PTI, the ‘Kaho Na…Pyaar Hai’ maker revealed, “I had worked with Rakhee a lot as an actor and with Amrish Puri ji in Kishen Kanhaiya. We became good friends. Shah Rukh worked with me in King Uncle. In fact, I gave him the first cheque as a signing amount though his other two films (Deewana and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman) released prior to King Uncle.”
Talking about getting the two actors on board, Rakesh said, “We were all like a family. When I narrated the story to them, Salman loved it, Shah Rukh didn’t believe in it. He told me, ‘I don’t believe in reincarnation but if you are making it, I will work on it’.”
Delving into the concept of reincarnation in films and what sets this film apart, Rakesh argued that most films based on the concept focus on lovers. On the flip side, ‘Karan Arjun’ hinged upon the strong familial bond between a mother and her sons. “If her sons are killed in front of her and she demands God to bring them back and they are reincarnated. Would that not make for a good story? I remember Puri ji asking me, ‘Rakesh, do you think Karan Arjun would come back?’. I told him, ‘They will come back to avenge their death if you kill them brutally.’ It was all fun.”
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Reflecting on the film’s unprecedented success, the filmmaker said, “It’s a miracle that people have loved ‘Karan Arjun’ and made it their own. I am going to release the film 30 years later. I will get to know whether they still love it or not. Will they believe in these emotions and this fairytale? I hope they will because it is a fairytale, but it is also a test for me.”
