Kal Ho Naa Ho turns 17: 5 lesser known facts about Shah Rukh Khan film

Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Preity Zinta's romantic drama movie, Kal Ho Naa Ho turned 17 this year. Kal Ho Naa Ho is close to our hearts for Shah and Saif's actings, how beautifully Preity delivered those emotional scenes, and above all - how perfectly well Nikhhil Advani directed it.

Earlier today, Preity Zinta shared a clip from the movie on her Instagram handle and took all the fans of Kal Ho Naa Ho on a memory lane. In the shared clip, the Koi Mil Gaya movie actress revealed that Karan Johar's production movie was probably one of the best-written films she has ever worked in.

"Remembering Kal Ho Naa Ho today. A movie that made me laugh and cry in a heartbeat. An experience that went beyond words. This was probably one of my best-written films. Thank you @karanjohar @nikkhiladvani @iamsrk, Saif, Jaya aunty and the entire cast n crew for making this film so memorable," Preity wrote alongside the video.

In his book, An Unsuitable Boy, even Karan Johar has dedicated several pages on how Kal Ho Naa Ho was made. So, on the movie's 17th anniversary, let's dive into some lesser-known facts about the Shah Rukh Khan movie.

Kareena Kapoor was the original choice:

Yes, you read it correctly. Kal Ho Naa Ho, which talks about love, relationships, and heartbreaks, was first offered to Kareena Kapoor, but she declined the role due to some undisclosed reasons. In one of the earlier interviews, Preity had once recalled how she had lost her first love. When the part was offered to her, she strongly connected with it as it resonated with her personal experience.

Salman Khan in Kal Ho Naa Ho:

Not many people know that the filmmakers wished to cast Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and even Vivek Oberoi for Saif Ali Khan's role. However, due to some reason, they all refused to be a part of it.

Yash Johar's passing:

In his memoir, Karan Johar had talked about the passing of his father, Yash Johar, following the movie's success. It indeed was a tough time for the filmmaker as he shared a deep bond with his father.

Shah Rukh Khan almost quit the role:

Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most dedicated actors in the entire world. His commitment towards any role is cannot be described in mere words. So, when he fell ill while filming Kal Ho Naa Ho, he told Karan that he wouldn't be able to act in the movie. However, Nikkhil convinced Karan that they should wait for Shah Rukh to recover completely and only resume the production when the Pathan movie star is completely fine.

Karan Johar wanted to direct Kal Ho Naa Ho:

If you think of this movie, it is a perfect Dharma Production recipe. The film is set in New York, where we see heartbreaks, friendships, and intense family drama, which Karan Johar is famous for making in Bollywood. However, the movie was directed by the first time filmmaker Nikkhil Advani.