Filmmaker Karan Johar recently offered a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes efforts that went into the making of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic films. Speaking on Jay Shetty’s podcast, Johar recounted the hands-on experience he had while working as an assistant director on the project, describing it as “the best learning” of his life.
Karan Johar recalls Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol holding equipment during DDLJ shoot in Switzerland: “We were a unit of just 21 people”
Johar began by highlighting the differences between filmmaking then and now. He noted that during the making of DDLJ, the team operated with minimal resources and manpower. “We were a unit of just 21 people, making a movie in one bus. Adi (Aditya Chopra) would look out the window, say ‘Stop, this looks beautiful,’ and we’d go film there,” he recalled.
Johar explained that back in the 90s, there were no elaborate departmental structures or vanity vans. “Everyone held equipment and walked up if we had to shoot on a mountaintop. Shah Rukh was holding equipment, and Kajol was too. Literally, everyone was part of the team,” he said.
Recounting his multifaceted role on set, Johar revealed that assistant directors were expected to do everything—from costume sourcing to continuity management. “There were just three of us. We had to write the dialogues, give them to the actors, manage continuity, and even handle crowds,” he said, adding that he also designed Shah Rukh Khan’s costumes for the film.
Sharing an anecdote about Kajol’s look for the Switzerland shoot, Johar said, “Her hair and makeup person didn’t get a visa. I was brushing her hair, and her mother was doing her makeup. We didn’t have a team for hair and makeup.”
Comparing the industry’s working conditions today with those of the past, Johar said, “Now, you walk into an actor’s vanity van and see eight people inside. Earlier, it was just the actor and a parent. Today, everything is so structured—it’s boring. Back then, there was camaraderie and joy in making movies.”
Directed by Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Chopra, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, and went on to become a cultural phenomenon.
More Pages: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Box Office Collection
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