Renowned film director Nikkhil Advani, best known for directing the 2003 hit “Kal Ho Naa Ho,” shared details of his fallout with Karan Johar after the film’s success. In a recent conversation, the filmmaker also opened up about his feuds with Anil Kapoor, Govinda, and John Abraham.
In the conversation, Advani recalled a fight with Karan Johar after the release of “Kal Ho Naa Ho.” He mentioned feeling upset and leaving the production house due to “confusion and anger.” Advani explained that some people claimed he had directed the three biggest hits of Dharma Productions, while others argued that he hadn’t even directed “KHNH.”
Reflecting on the clash, Advani stated that he and Karan Johar are still close and have “luckily” put everything behind them. He added that both of them have matured and can now differentiate between films and life.
“I was very close to his father. It wasn’t a creative clash; it was more of an emotional clash. ‘How could you listen to other people who are saying this about me?’ My whole thing was people aren’t giving me credit for one love story, so I’ll do six love stories,” he said.
He further mentioned that after the failure of “Salaam-E-Ishq” at the box office, he feared job loss. It was under this pressure that he agreed to work for “Chandni Chowk In China.”
Advani also discussed industry relationships, praising the strong bond between Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty, as well as Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, and Shah Rukh Khan.
“John and I drifted apart for a few years… I didn’t talk to Anil Kapoor for 10 years, I didn’t talk to Govinda for 10 years… When John and I meet, we don’t talk about films or the industry. We talk about football, politics, food, animals, fitness,” he said.
Nikkhil Advani directed “Vedaa,” which starred John Abraham and was released in 2024.
