In a nostalgic revelation that highlights the grand, passionate filmmaking of a bygone Bollywood era, director Nikkhil Advani recently shared a remarkable anecdote about the making of the iconic family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. He disclosed that the film's initial entire budget was completely exhausted on the creation of just one spectacular song sequence: the now-legendary 'Bole Chudiyan'.
The Modest Budget That Wasn't
Speaking on Radio Nasha, Advani, who began his career with Dharma Productions, recalled the simpler budgeting processes of the past. "These days, people make budgets on spreadsheets. They take nearly two months to finalise them," he noted. The scenario was starkly different when he and Karan Johar narrated the script of K3G to the late producer Yash Johar.
"When we narrated the script... to Yash Johar, he called me to his office and asked me to write the budget. I wrote Rs 3 crore. It was approved, and we were told to begin the film," Advani remembered. This seemingly modest sum, however, was destined to be blown away on the very first major shoot.
Chaos on the 'Bole Chudiyan' Set
The first set erected for the film was for the lavish wedding song 'Bole Chudiyan'. Advani described a scene of glorious chaos that immediately overran all financial plans. "Karan Johar fainted on set. Kajol had issues with her lehenga and couldn't dance," he said, painting a picture of the high-pressure environment.
The scale of the production was immense, featuring 200 dancers and 300 junior artistes. No detail was too small for director Karan Johar's vision of grandeur. "We even manufactured jhoomars (ornamental hair accessories) because Karan wanted everything to look grand," Advani added. The expenditure quickly spiraled, consuming the entire allocated Rs 3 crore on this single set piece.
Yash Johar's Legendary Response
The pivotal moment came that same evening. "Yash ji made us sit down for a chai break and asked, 'Didn't you make a budget for this film?'" Advani recounted. When the young filmmaker pretended not to remember the amount, Yash Johar pulled out the very paper Advani had given him.
"He read it aloud—'Rs 3 crore'—and said, 'The set you've created has already cost more than that,'" Advani shared. In a move that defined his faith and his philosophy, Yash Johar simply tore up the budget paper and instructed them, "Now, you make the film!" This act of unwavering support, without a single reprimand, left a lasting impression.
Advani expressed a deep longing for that kind of producer's passion today. "Earlier, there was a nasha (intoxication) to make movies. Yash Johar once had to consider selling his house for his films. Even Yash Chopra... had a phase where everything flopped before Chandni," he reflected, contrasting it with the current industry's fixation on box office numbers.
Despite his nostalgia, Advani remains hopeful for the future. He believes the legacy of producers like Yash Johar and Yash Chopra rests with the next generation: Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. "I'm sure even they miss the madness around filmmaking," he said, concluding that there will never be another producer quite like Yash Johar, who understood cinema from his soul and always asked the right creative questions, never simply saying 'no'.
