Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham that starred the biggest stars of the industry, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, was the blockbuster of its time and is one of the most-watched films on television even today.
It's been almost 19 years since the movie released and Karan Johar, who helmed the film, mentioned in his autobiography - An Unsuitable Boy - that it was his easiest film to shoot. However, there was certain negativity on the sets, which bothered the filmmaker.
Talking about it in his autobiography, KJo revealed that when he had signed Hrithik for the film, his debut movie Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai hadn't released. But by the time the shooting of K3G started, Hrithik had become an overnight sensation as KNPH turned out to be a massive hit. It was during the same time that two of SRK's films hadn't worked and that prompted people to compare Hrithik with SRK and even project the former as the new superstar.
Hrithik the 'lost child':
"It was unfair because he was too junior, and Shah Rukh was already such a big star. But that was a phase when one or two of Shah Rukh's films had gone wrong and the media had started projecting Hrithik up there. When I'd signed him, Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai hadn't released. But by the time we started shooting in September 2000, it was already a certified blockbuster after its release in January that year," Karan mentioned in his book.
Karan held Hrithik's hand and became friends:
He further said that because of the negativity around, it had affected the shooting. Karan felt that Hrithik was the 'lost child' throughout the course of the shoot as Shah Rukh had distanced himself from the actor and the Bachchans didn't share that equation with him. Even Kajol was with SRK.
"The negativity that crept in was not justified or correct, and it was really sad. I felt Hrithik was the only one during the course of the shooting who needed a little hand-holding. See, the Bachchans didn't have that equation with him. Shah Rukh was a bit distant at that time because of everything that was happening. Kajol was Team Shah Rukh. So I felt I needed to hold his hand a bit. And we developed a really good friendship. We got close to each other— he was a bit of a lost child in this whole lot. And Hrithik, anyway, is slightly awkward around people. He's not the most people-friendly person. Now he's become a lot better," he said.
Besides that, Karan stressed that there was no ego clash on the sets. Also, no actor wanted a scene changed.