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‘I hope to win Diwali back one day’
I was an assistant to Aditya Chopra, whose debut film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, with Shah Rukh (Khan) and Kajol in the lead, released during Diwali and entered the record books. Three years later, I delivered my first baby, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, with the same lead pair, during the festive week, and it was equally well loved. It has been 12 years since then.
I was an assistant to Aditya Chopra, whose debut film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, with Shah Rukh (Khan) and Kajol in the lead, released during Diwali and entered the record books. Three years later, I delivered my first baby, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, with the same lead pair, during the festive week, and it was equally well loved. It has been 12 years since then.
Salman (Khan) has made the Eid week his own while Aamir’s (Khan) name has become synonymous with Christmas, after a hat trick of hits — Taare Zameen Par (2007), Ghajini (2008) and 3 Idiots (2009). All three festivals are great for business, but Diwali will always be special for me. I seem to have lost it to the Golmaal franchise. I hope to win it back some day.
Since Diwali is bonus time, people are flush with funds and in the mood to splurge. After the pooja, watching a film is an age-old tradition. Two good films coming together can work well on any Friday of the year. David Dhawan’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was released along with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and neither cut into the other’s earnings. But a bad film will never work, even if it comes during the summer vacations, Eid, Diwali or Christmas.
(As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya)
